Shiloh: Bloody April

by Wiley Sword

One of the great untold stories of American history - the first comprehensive account of a pivotal battle of the Civil War.

Genres: Civil War, History, American Civil War, Nonfiction, American History, Military History, 19th Century

539 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

A graduate of the University of Michigan, Wiley Sword worked as a manufacturer’s representative to the automobile industry until his retirement. He was also a prolific collector of Civil War memorabilia, and wrote several works of military history.

Reviews

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book several times.
Always learn something new.

[Mark Merritt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really excellent book. This has stood the test of time in my opinion and is still the best book on the market for this pivotal battle. Can be purchased rather inexpensively.

[Gerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This reads like a play-by-play of the first day’s action, as each Federal division gets hit by the Confederate onslaught. It works. We get reports from brigade and regimental commanders and enlisted men alike. How the three armies got to Shiloh field and the post-battle carnage are also described. I’m fairly familiar with the course of the battle so the maps and the changing times of the action did not confuse me. Both Grant ‘s and Buell’s armies attacked on the second day but how they coordinated or planned—if they planned—are not covered. There is some, but not a comprehensive, evaluation of the generals’ performance. Grant and Sherman were clearly surprised, Bragg’s actions were tactically clumsy, and the loss of A.S. Johnston may have cost Dixie the battle. Sometimes the reader can decide for himself how the general did; General Buell comes off fairly well here. This is one of the larger and more comprehensive works on the battle.

[Pete Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stand-out in its field. If you are interested in this battle, read this book. And then read it again. There is so much stuff in here, you'll always find something new.

[Sean Chick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first detailed account of Shiloh was written by Sword in 1973, republished in 1983, and then updated in 2001. Why the need for an update? Because Sword was never an archive rat. He relied upon published accounts, which means certain aspects of the battle are discussed in greater detail than others, leading to some odd imbalances. He had to correct his errors and I respect him for doing just that.

Sword's account is overall good and accurate, and interesting in that it is still heterodox when compared to the current school of thought. Sword thinks Buell was decisive in turning the battle into a victory and in this he far more compelling than other authors. That said, his narrative can be jumbled and the maps are not good. Daniel is still the all around best in my opinion, but I am not unhappy with Sword's account and I respect him for being the first to the punch.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book first published in 2001 is still the definitive book on the battle of Shiloh. Wiley Sword's book is a great addition to anyone interested in the American Civil War. Shiloh,until Antietam(AKA Sharpsburg) was the bloodiest battle during the Civil War.

Mr Sword's book is a comprehensive study of that battle. We meet Grant and Sherman at their worst,and yet somehow with the help of Don Carlos Buell,defeat the Confederates. On the otherside we meet Albert Sidney Johnston,P G T Beuregard,Braxton Bragg,and see how they had this battle won. Yet lost it on the 2nd day.following Johnston's death on the 1st day. They had the Federals pinned against the Tennessee River but retreated to Cornith,MS.

But the most important part of this book is the statement after the battle by the volunteers on both sides. It's in the common solider's words that you hear the real battle.

The battle of Shiloh has been esclipsed by Gettysburg,and to a lesser extent Vicksburg,but this battle at Pittsburg Landing,TN is the moment of truth for Grant and Sherman.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I asked some friends who knew about the battle of Shiloh to recommend a good book about the battle. They each mentioned a few, but the common element was that each mentioned Wiley Sword's Bloody April. After having read it, I can see why; it's deeply-researched and very well-written, and powerful to the point where I had to take some time to 'come back to the present' after finishing it.

The things that keep me from giving it five stars are the confusing style of annotations, the maps that don't relate well to each other (it really needs an overall map that indicates where the subset-maps fit in), and there was not a great deal of analysis about the results of the battle.

But for an understanding of a complicated battle, and some idea of what it might have been like to be there, Bloody April is excellent.

[Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the definitive books on the Battle of Shiloh, Sword took nothing for granted. For example, he puts up a convincing argument that the spot marked as the location where Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston fell was incorrect. In addition to its historical value, it's also a highly readable book.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good early effort (his first book, if I remember correctly; I read it a long time ago) by Wiley Sword (great name for a Civil War writer!), though it's one of those occasions where he probably would have done a better job with more seasoning. Shiloh was an interesting Civil War battle, though, and I like Sword's book about it better than Larry J. Daniel's effort.

[Avis Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best book on Shiloh that I know of. Sword's other battle books, The Confederacy's Last Hurrah: Spring Hill, Franklin, and Nashville, and Mountains Touched with Fire: Chattanooga Besieged, 1863, are both excellent.

[Chuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written account of the battle of Shiloh and a story everyone should take the time to learn. Shiloh was the first battle that showed how the Civil War would come out to be America's bloodiest war of all time.

[Brady H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the best Shiloh book out there. Any study of the battle has to start here. If you are building a Civil War library, this should be one of your first purchases.

[James L · Rating 5 out of 5]

A detailed study of the Battle of Shiloh

[The Owl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super book detailing the maneuvering and the fight of this engagement