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The Oxford Atlas of the Civil War
Offering the clearest and most comprehensive examination of the conflict that transformed the United States, the Atlas of the Civil War reveals the full dimensions of this historic confrontation. Surpassing the scope of any previously published single-volume work, this atlas pairs expert
scholarship with bold mapping to vividly depict the ebb and flow of destruction and reconstruction.
Divided chronologically into five sections, the Atlas of the Civil War illustrates every significant battle and military campaign while simultaneously considering the important social themes that shaped the country during the same time period. All theaters of war in which armies fought and
maneuvered will be covered in detail and, marking a major departure from other atlases, this volume will devote substantial attention to the nonmilitary elements of the struggle between North and South. Maps of population, economic development, elections, transportation networks and patterns of
enlistment illuminate the intersections between the home front and the battlefield, demonstrating with specially commissioned cartography that no war is fought in isolation from the rest of society. Approximately forty three-dimensional maps of terrain and troop movements add yet another unique
element to this ambitious reference.
Written by two esteemed Civil War historians, Kenneth Winkle and Steven Woodworth, the pithy text is accented with black and white photography and illustrations that bring key characters and settings to life. Pulitzer-prize winning author James McPherson, guides the project, setting the tone of the
atlas with a foreword and five shorter essays the open each of the sections.
scholarship with bold mapping to vividly depict the ebb and flow of destruction and reconstruction.
Divided chronologically into five sections, the Atlas of the Civil War illustrates every significant battle and military campaign while simultaneously considering the important social themes that shaped the country during the same time period. All theaters of war in which armies fought and
maneuvered will be covered in detail and, marking a major departure from other atlases, this volume will devote substantial attention to the nonmilitary elements of the struggle between North and South. Maps of population, economic development, elections, transportation networks and patterns of
enlistment illuminate the intersections between the home front and the battlefield, demonstrating with specially commissioned cartography that no war is fought in isolation from the rest of society. Approximately forty three-dimensional maps of terrain and troop movements add yet another unique
element to this ambitious reference.
Written by two esteemed Civil War historians, Kenneth Winkle and Steven Woodworth, the pithy text is accented with black and white photography and illustrations that bring key characters and settings to life. Pulitzer-prize winning author James McPherson, guides the project, setting the tone of the
atlas with a foreword and five shorter essays the open each of the sections.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published December 2, 2004
31 people want to read
About the author
Steven E. Woodworth
79 books25 followersCurrently Professor of History at Texas Christian University, Steven E. Woodworth has written several books about the Western Theater of the American Civil War.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 24, 2009
As other reviewers have noted, there are some annoying errors in the text. However, it provides an accessible introduction to Civil War battles and maneuvers, and--as such--has some value. That said, the maps and text do not always elucidate matters so well.
For instance, the battle of Logan's Crossroads (or Mill Springs). This was nasty early battle, in which Confederate generalship was inept and Union General George Thomas began to separate himself from Union mediocrities among general officers. The map on page 98 details the larger theater, but is not illuminating, given the lack of text. The map of the battle of Logan's Crossroads itself is useful, because the text accompanying it provides enough detail to make sense of things.
On occasion, some errors creep in. The discussion of Chancellorsville speaks of Howard's 6th Corps being outflanked and "rolled up." It was, of course, the 11th Corps that was so roughly handled, with Sedgwick's 6th Corps still at Fredericksburg.
At the same time, the volume does provide context. The first section focuses on "The Coming of War," and provides intelligible background, from issues of slavery to economics to demographics. All these trends began to create tensions between north and south. Graphics helpfully portray some of these sectional differences. On pages 56-57, we see how manufacturing differed dramatically by region (in terms of number of employees in manufacturing concerns) over decades.
Each section thereafter looks at a particular year during the conflict, exploring the combat, the campaigning, the state of each government and its people, economic productivity, and so on.
The volume concludes with the aftereffects of war, including presidential elections, Reconstruction, and so on.
The book is pretty well written. Steven Woodworth is a well known and reputable Civil War historian. Kenneth Winkle, the co-author, is also a well known historian. The format is such that only a handful of pages are devoted to a particular campaign or battle, and that means that detailed treatments of major engagements does not occur. Still, as a wide-ranging, graphically rich publication, this has a useful place in the library for those who want to get a broad introduction to the Civil War.
For instance, the battle of Logan's Crossroads (or Mill Springs). This was nasty early battle, in which Confederate generalship was inept and Union General George Thomas began to separate himself from Union mediocrities among general officers. The map on page 98 details the larger theater, but is not illuminating, given the lack of text. The map of the battle of Logan's Crossroads itself is useful, because the text accompanying it provides enough detail to make sense of things.
On occasion, some errors creep in. The discussion of Chancellorsville speaks of Howard's 6th Corps being outflanked and "rolled up." It was, of course, the 11th Corps that was so roughly handled, with Sedgwick's 6th Corps still at Fredericksburg.
At the same time, the volume does provide context. The first section focuses on "The Coming of War," and provides intelligible background, from issues of slavery to economics to demographics. All these trends began to create tensions between north and south. Graphics helpfully portray some of these sectional differences. On pages 56-57, we see how manufacturing differed dramatically by region (in terms of number of employees in manufacturing concerns) over decades.
Each section thereafter looks at a particular year during the conflict, exploring the combat, the campaigning, the state of each government and its people, economic productivity, and so on.
The volume concludes with the aftereffects of war, including presidential elections, Reconstruction, and so on.
The book is pretty well written. Steven Woodworth is a well known and reputable Civil War historian. Kenneth Winkle, the co-author, is also a well known historian. The format is such that only a handful of pages are devoted to a particular campaign or battle, and that means that detailed treatments of major engagements does not occur. Still, as a wide-ranging, graphically rich publication, this has a useful place in the library for those who want to get a broad introduction to the Civil War.
July 1, 2009
In-depth and specialized, but for readers who want a greater understanding of the ebb and flow of the Civil War, this is a great adjunct to reading about the campaigns.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews