Books for Christmas

[matthew mckeon]

I've been waiting for someone to post a "What Santa brung ya" thread, guess it will be me.

"Oxford Book of Civil War Quotations"
These books are interesting, but not great. The quotes aren't organized in anyway, so you don't get a sense of someone's thoughts developing. Also the sources are often secondary sources like Shelby Foote, instead of original documents.

The 2nd CW book I got was "The Gettysburg that Nobody Knows" by Gabor Borrit. Haven't read it yet.

[bschulte]

Good idea!

I picked up Scarred By War: The Civil War in Southeastern Louisiana by Christopher Pena and Sherman's Mississippi Campaign by Buck Foster.

[Freddy]

My Aunt found a copy of the two-volume by Henry Steele Commager, The Blue And The Gray from 1950. My wife gave me a biography of Stonewall Jackson. My brother gave me the first book in Shelby Foote's The Civil War.

[samgrant]

Oh, Freddy, how are you going to wangle vols. 2 and 3 of Foote? You're gonna want 'em.

[Historicaly Correct]

I got ...
Shelby Foote, The Beleaguered City: The Vicksburg Campaign. (reading now its great)
Shelby Foote, Stars in Their Courses: The Gettysburg Campaign. (its gotta be as good)
David J. Eicher, The Longest Night: A Military History Of The Civil War. (looks good)
J. Michael Martinez, Life and Death in Civil War Prisons.. The story of 2 who survived. (eye opening I bet)
William J. Miller, Great maps of the Civil War, 32 removable maps..(I'm a map person)
Bought for wife but I'll probably read...
Robert Hicks, The Widow of the South..(a novel but it would be a intersting perspective I think)
Got new Tin Ware...(cups, plates,bowls,etc)
History Channels new game for PS2 a Civil War game (still a kid)
Hope General Santa was good to you too.
HC

[matthew mckeon]

I read the Gabor book: a collection of essays by different scholars.

I especially liked the assessment of Joshua L. Chamberlain, and the importance of the war, and his role in it, to the old general personally.

I also liked the rousing argument that the Battle was irrelevant, that the real winning of the war was at Vicksburg: I didn't buy it entirely, but I liked the brio, and his description of Davis's overall strategy for fighting the war, and how it broke down in the West.

Good essay also about the town of Gettysburg and Adams County before and after the battle, an area I know very little about.

[larry_cockerham]

Matthew you might be interested in reading about Col. / Governor William C. Oates who was the roughshawn rebel at the slope of Little Roundtop trying to wring Chamberlain's neck. These two continued to sue each other for years over the placement of monuments at Gettysburg. Both very interesting and very different characters. Oates commanded the 15th Alabama CSA. Oates published a regimental history and I believe there are biographies about.

[matthew mckeon]

Dear Larry,
I've got "Gettysburg Requirem" about Oates, both during the war and his long postwar career, staring me in the face, but I ain't got to it yet. Have you read it? Recommended?

[blue_zouave]

Santa bestowed "Stealing the General" on me a bit early. It moves pretty well, and the only real objection that I have is that the author has taken way too many creative writing classes. His descriptions get a little thick. (The author, BTW, is not a professional historian, but a lawyer who works for Coca-Cola in Atlanta.)

Zou

[larry_cockerham]

Originally Posted by matthew mckeon

Dear Larry,
I've got "Gettysburg Requirem" about Oates, both during the war and his long postwar career, staring me in the face, but I ain't got to it yet. Have you read it? Recommended?

Nope, I haven't read it but would very much like to. One of my wife's ancestors was in his command throughout the war. I discovered Oates through genealogy. The Glenn family of Dale and Pike counties in southeastern Alabama had three brothers in his command. I've always been struck by the contrast in personalities and public perception between Oates and Chamberlain, drawn together for a couple of days from two very different worlds. Oates pre-war history is good reading. A man who kept on the move, for good reason, pulling out poker opponents eyes, taking a few shots and generally causing his father-in-law much discomfort. He became an attorney (what else) and eventually governor of Alabama. Lacking much more, he was apparently over-blessed with *****!