Edwin Bearrs's "The Vicksburg Campaign"

[gary]

In three volumes, it covers from Grant's first attempts to capture the Gibraltar of the Mississippi to the Confederate relief attempts. Bearrs is the Historian Emeritus of the National Park Service and does quite a job in describing the difficulties of the campaign, the mistakes of the commanders, the behind the scene politics. In writing his narrative, he makes frequent use of the Official Records, diaries, regimental histories and first hand accounts. There are maps but I wish there were more and that they are bigger (fold outs).

Bearrs makes several points that have only recently been noticed by historians. For instance, the significance of Champion Hill or the important role of sharpshooting during the siege.

If you want a definitive account of Vicksburg, this is it. If you are interested only in the battle & the siege, pick up Vol. III.

[mobile_96]

Gary,
I have to agree about Bearss's set. I just started it a few days ago, and its slow going because of the extreme detail Bearss produces.
After I get futher into it, I will start another book to read alongside Bearss, and thats Grierson's Raid, by D.Alexander Brown. Supposed to be the best on the Raid.
When Done with Bearss books will jump to another one on the Campaign-
98 Days- A Geographer's View of the Vicksburg Campaign, by Grabau.
The 68 maps presented in the back would well satisfy you I believe. Ole is reading this one and might have some comments to share on it.
There is also a recent book out on Champion Hill that appears to be the definitive book on that battle, which many believe to be the Key battle of the campaign. The book has had a good bit of discussion in several other groups I belong to.
Chuck in Il.

[30th_il]

Chuck and Gary, I finished the book on Champion Hill and it is VERY good. Go to Amazon and read the reviews about it. Grabau's book is a real good read. I talked with him several times and he was asking me about my first person sources I have (30th IL diaries) about that area. Ballard has just come out with a book on Vicksburg and after I am done with my Shiloh book(s) I will read that next. So many books...so little time....

[ole]

With Bearss (3 volumes), Grabau (a hefty tome), and Brown on Grierson's Raid, there doesn't remain much time to quarrel about Sherman's sanity, Lincoln's perfidy, Calhoun's paranoia, and quibblies about all that other stuff.

The Vicksburg Campaign seems to be far more well-documented than I had originally thought, but then I was studying eastern theater. Charles, curse his leathery hide, took me to Perryville and Shiloh but he hasn't yet dragged me into the Trans-Mississippi. Life isn't long enough.

[gary]

Perryville? I tried to find Perryville last year and ran out of time (getting too dark). I need to go to the Trans-Mississippi as that's one major theatre of the war I've yet to see. New Orleans (and also for the War of 1812) and its excellent museum, Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Jackson and a whole host of historic sites.

[johan_steele]

Gary I have to say, pick up the whole set... thanks for pushing this at me... a good read full of excellent info.

Greene Francis V., <u>Campaigns of the Civil War.-VIII.</u> The Mississippi, Castle Books, 2002.

Ambrose, Stephen E, <u>Struggle for Vicksburg</u> Acorn Books, 1967. are just peripheral (but essential) studies compared to this work.

Ole, why on earth would you want to study eastern theatre, the war was won in the west.

[mobile_96]

"curse his leathery hide"????
4 days at Shiloh not long enought for 1 trip?
Cheezzz, you must still be mad we didn't stay another day, Just so
You could Eat more BBQ. NOT to see more Battlefield.
Just ordered more 7 more CW books from Hamiltonbooks, including TRIUMPH &amp; DEFEAT: The Vicksburg Campaign. But still need to soon find a copy of
Vicksburg Is the Key: The Struggle for the Mississippi River by Shea * Winschel for my online book discussion group starting in 2 1/2 wks.