Sherman's March

by Cynthia Bass

Autumn, 1864, and the Civil War has ground to a bloody stalemate. Frustrated by its slow and costly advance, the North looks for a way to cut the South in two and bring the war to an end. Told from the unique perspective of three participants, this novel brilliantly captures the personal tragedy and costly heroism which followed in the wake of General William Tecumseh Sherman's infamous march from Atlanta to the sea. Nicholas J. Whiteman is a Captain in Sherman's army, a history buff caught in the maelstrom of history in the making. He is the conscience of an army that had lost its conscience, pillaging and burning its way across the South, and a witness to the dark heart of war--and humanity--in a moment of searing emotional intensity that will change him forever. Anne Saunders Baker lost her husband at Shiloh and her modest home to the looting of the advancing Yankee army. Now she wanders through the scarred and devastated landscape, a woman alone, hoping to defend all she has left--her life--with a soldier's iron will. And, finally, there is the General himself: harsh, outspoken, uncompromising, who dared to take upon his shoulders the burden of a mission that will both glorify and condemn him to history and leave him one of the most misunderstood figures of the war--a man whose unparalleled brutality had one goal: to save lives. Never before has this fateful crossroads in our history been rendered in such intimate detail and with such exquisite honesty. "Sherman's March" takes its place among the greatest novels of the Civil War and introduces Cynthia Bass as a powerful new voice in American fiction.

Genres: Civil War, Historical Fiction, Fiction, American Civil War

288 pages, Paperback

First published June 7, 1994

Reviews

[The Celtic Rebel (Richard) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started this book I was skeptical. I have always had mixed feelings toward General Sherman and his March, but reading more about him in the book I just did not like him as a character either. He was just so arrogant.

When the book turned to the viewers of Nick and Annie, the book lit up for me.

I loved the view of Nick, one of Sherman's soldiers, and his conflict with Sherman's orders to raid and pillage as they marched to the sea. He had so many mixed feelings over it but did his duty. Events turned his feelings toward indifference and almost hardened him as the enemy began to fight dirty too.

In looking at Nick we also got a peek at what it was like for the slaves as they met Sherman's soldiers on the March, and the sadness in that some of the Northern soldiers just didn't want them around. And despite how hard Nick and fellow soldiers tried to save them, they just couldn't save them all.

In Nick's story we also got a brief look as to what it was like for the innocent victims (mostly women and children) who were robbed of all they had due to Sherman's orders.

That was especially seen in Annie's story -- a Confederate widow who thought herself weak until Sherman's soldiers took all she had.

Further events sadly left the two with sad tales of Annie had no home, and Nick finally felt as if he had no country.

Cynthia Bass took a very unique approach to this story, and she showed all sides. I still don't feel any different toward Sherman's March, but I very much enjoyed the journey that Bass took me on in her novel, Sherman's March.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

historical fiction

[JM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sherman's March through the eyes of Sherman, a Union soldier, and a southern belle. I liked it.

[Lynette Lark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know how I feel about this book. I started it in July, but after about 20 pages, I gave up. But I decided to give it another go a few days ago. At first, I wasn't sure if the author was just being the sarcastic mouthpiece for General Sherman. I wondered if that was the way the author wrote or if it was the way Sherman spoke. I figured it must be Sherman's style and I began to like him a lot. I'm a born and raised southerner, but I think Sherman had a job to do and since "war is hell," he did it. His "forage liberally" was disturbing, but I understand why he needed to do it. The next "voice" in this book is Captain Nick. I fell in love with him. Tall, dark, handsome with an artist's soul in a Union army. The third "voice" is Annie. A southern young woman who's lost her husband, her home, and her livelihood to the war. She begins walking from Georgia to South Carolina. She meets up with Captain Nick and she's intent on killing him, but a Confederate officer talks her out of it. Annie is angry, miserable, hungry, cold, and, did I mention, angry? She wants some kind of revenge, but in the end, it wasn't at all what she'd hoped for. It's more horrible than that.

[Erica Castellanos · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's hard to say why I can't give this more than three stars. It's well-written, readable. The characters are realistic. But something about it seems off. Perhaps it is the subject; could any book about the Civil War be pleasant? Does this overshadow what additional enjoyment I could have had in the writing? Right now I just don't know. The book is well-written as stated, I just don't know that I would recommend it per say. If you want a straight forward fictionalized look into the subject matter this book would be a good choice.