The War For The Union: War Becomes Revolution, 1862-1863

The War for the Union

by Allan Nevins

"WE SHALL," said Abraham Lincoln, "nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of earth." This was in December, 1862 when he was pleading for compensated emancipation of the slaves, an ideal that was close to his heart. But he might have been speaking of each and every one of the momentous events of the second year of the Civil War. At the time of first publication The Saturday Review hailed Nevins "splendid book" as "an undeniable masterwork."

Genres: Civil War, History, American Civil War, Nonfiction, American History, Military History, Civil War History

537 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Allan Nevins was an American historian and journalist, renowned for his extensive work on the history of the Civil War and his biographies of such figures as President Grover Cleveland, Hamilton Fish, Henry Ford, and John D. Rockefeller.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a year of improvised army building, supply gathering, and campaigns tried to do too much with too little, the Union and the Confederates planned to deal that one decisive blow that would end the war but instead what came about was military stalemate and a political revolution. The War for the Union, Volume II: War Becomes Revolution, 1862-1863 is the sixth volume of Allan Nevins Ordeal of the Union series as the Union’s high hopes in the spring of 1862 crater with McClellan’s inability to use his army while Robert E. Lee brings hope to the Confederates and in the West the rise and maturation of Ulysses S. Grant begins.

Over the course of around 530 pages, Nevins covers the events military, political, diplomatic, domestic, foreign, and business over the course of 17 months from January 1862 to the end of May 1863 that made the supposedly “quick” civil war turn into a revolution not just for the change in Union war strategy but in the running of the government and the rise of business. Throughout the book, Nevins examines the events and developments of all these subjects not only in the context of the day but with hindsight as well, which is especially revealing when describing the mistakes of generals. While the military and political developments as well as interactions between the two were the dominant themes throughout the book, Nevins devoted four chapters of the volume to other themes: diplomacy, business related to war, the revolution in industry spurred by war, and the revolution of freedom. Though this volume is over 65 years old, it’s very detailed and gives a total picture of the events of that time making it a most read for anyone interested in the history of the American Civil War.

The War for the Union, Volume II: War Becomes Revolution, 1862-1863 sees the nature and view of the war change as both sides realize this won’t be a “short” war, but as Allan Nevins shows throughout the effects which would influence the future were making the war something more.

[Brian Miracle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continues Nevins account of the Civil War, covering the time from January, 1862 to just prior to the Battle of Gettysburg in June, 1863. Covers the military campaigns (McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign, Second Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville in the East, and the Shiloh Campaign and the Vicksburg Campaign in the West), as well as the diplomatic aspects of the war and the vast mobilization of the war effort.

[James Bechtel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

BW

[Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

By this sixth volume of the "Ordeal of the Union" series, Allan Nevins has brought us to the heart of the Civil War. This book covers many big battles, including Fort Donelson and Shiloh in the west, and the Peninsula Campaign, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville in the east. This was all familiar territory, and for me other writers have explored the nature of these campaigns in more depth. But Nevins delves into some areas that I've never seen elsewhere. He is great on the economic situation of both North and South, and their diplomatic relations with Britain and France. He lays out the problems with the Union's system of recruiting reinforcements after the initial excitement of war had passed. And most importantly, he builds up the context of the Emancipation Proclamation much better than anyone I've ever read.

Even though I think it is very well written and informative, I would rate this volume as one of the weakest in the series so far. But it's like Beatles albums: even the worst ones are better than almost anything else out there.

[Larry E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good analysis of events during this time.