I'm wanting to start in on the war in the west and deep south. I have my eye on several books about specific battles, but before I got started I wanted an overview of all the campaigns, maybe in a single volume if there is one. I got "Nothing but Victory" but it only covers the Army of the Tennesee. Also I saw one on the Army of the Cumberland. Any other suggestions?
__________________ "In mortal combat, a man may and will become so infuriated by the din and dangers of a bloody fight that his heart will turn to stone and his every de sire [be] for blood."
John Hadley, 7th Indiana after the battle at Port Republic
Grabau, in "Ninety-Eight Days," does a very fine job of covering the Vicksburg Campaign. A definite plus is all the maps. Thomas Lawrence Connelly has works out on The Army of Tennessee ("Army of the Heartland" and "Autumn of Glory." Larrry J. Daniel's, "Days of Glory" covers the Army of the Cumberland.
The latter two authors cover the activities of two armies. Go through them, along with your "Nothing but Victory" and you'll have most of the Western Theater Campaigns covered in detailed overview.
I'll leave suggestions on the Trans-Mississippi to others.
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
__________________ "In mortal combat, a man may and will become so infuriated by the din and dangers of a bloody fight that his heart will turn to stone and his every de sire [be] for blood."
John Hadley, 7th Indiana after the battle at Port Republic
Beatty, John The Citizen Soldier The Memoirs of a Civil War Volunteer, Bison Books 1998. A citizen soldier of the AoC who was one of those been there done that type of real citizen soldier officers.
Carter, Samuel, The Siege of Atlanta, 1864, Bonanza Books.
Cist, Henry M., Campaigns of the Civil War.-VII. The Army of the Cumberland, Castle Books, 2002. I like all of the Campaigns of the Civil War reprints, they were written by men that were there, some are considerably better than others and frankly I prefer those by Cox.
Cooke, Chauncy H., Soldier Boy’s Letters, Rainbow Press, 1939.This is one of those memoirs I had a hard time putting down; one of those personal memoirs that IMHO is utterly priceless, a young man who went off to war w/ ideas of glory and discovered the reality of war... and he doesn't pull any punches. Particularly priceless as he was a Wisconsin boy from right across the river.
Coombe, Jack D., Thunder Along the Mississippi, Bantam Books, 1998. A look at the naval aspect of the western theatre... an intriguing read where I didn't really learn anything new but did receive a different perspective on how the river war was fought.
Cozzens, Peter, This Terrible Sound, University of Illinois Press, 1992. I REALLY wish there would have been more maps in this book, but cozzens is in a catagory all his own.
Cox, Jacob D., Campaigns of the Civil War.-IX. Atlanta, Castle Books, 2002.
Cox, Jacob D., Campaigns of the Civil War.-X. The March to the Sea-Franklin and Nashville, Castle Books, 2002.
Eby, Henry H. Observations of an Illinois Boy in Battle, Camp and Prisons-1861 to 1865, Mendota, 1910. Another interesting memoirs, not half so good as Soldier Boys letters though. But useful as it gives an interesting look at western cav.
Engle, Stephen D., The American Civil War, the War in the West 1861-July 1863, Osprey Publishing, 2001. I'm not a big fan of Osprey too expensive for what you get; though this was a pretty good quick overall look.
England, Otis Bryan, A Short History of the Rock Island Prison Barracks, Historical Office US Army, 1985. Priceless for what it does give about the Rock Island Prison, just a collection of fadcts & documents but interesting.
Glatthaar, Joseph T., The American Civil War, The war in the West 1863-1865, Osprey Publishing, 2001. I'm not a big fan of Osprey but I am a big fan of Glatthaar.
Glatthaar, Joseph T., The March to the Sea and Beyond, New York University Press, 1985. First book where I began to question the "facts" about the march to the sea put forward by the Lost Cause. It started my quest for knowledge about the campaign & introduced me to one of my favorite CW authors.
Griffith, Paddy, Battle In the Civil War Generalship and Tactics in America 1861-65, Fieldbooks, 1986.
Griffith, Paddy, Battle Tactics of the Civil War, Yale University Press, 2001. If you don't have these two books, you have to get them. They strip away all of what you thought you knew about ho the war was fought and puts it together in a way that is both easy to understand and most importantly easy to reference... oh and they're cheap, less than $30 for the pair.
Greene Francis V., Campaigns of the Civil War.-VIII. The Mississippi, Castle Books, 2002.
Hitchcock, Henry, Marching with Sherman, University of Nebraska Press, 1995.
Johnson, Mark W. That Body of Brave Men, Da Capo Press, 2003. The first and as far as I know only look at the Regulars in the AoC... these boys went through it all; but there weren't enough of them left after the Atlanta campaign to continue w/ Sherman to the sea. Details Regular Army life in the field among the volunteers. A look at something few really look at.
Jones, James Pickett, Blackjack John A. Logan and Southern Illinois in the Civil War Era, Florida State University, 1967. Logan is one of the few politicians in history that has ever really caught my interest... this details his rise in the Army. For what ever reason I can't help but admire the guy, even if he was a professional politician.
McDonough, James Lee, Stones River-Bloody Winter in Tennessee, University of Tennessee Press, 1980.
McDonough, James Lee & Connelly, Thomas L., Five Tragic Hours The Battle of Franklin, University of Tennessee Press, 1983. For some reason I cannot easily read McDonough, something about his style that forces me to keep a map to hand and take notes... good works nonetheless. Both books NEED more maps.
Newton, Steven H. Lost for the Cause the Confederate Army of 1864, Savas Publishing Company, 2000. Puts into context the reality of the numbers the CS put in the field... too much math for my poor head but a lot of VERY good info including one of the most complete orders f battle for the CS Army I have ever seen. A must if just for that.
Sword, Wiley, Mountains Touched With Fire, St Martins Press, 1995. I'm a big fan of Sword, IMO this is the defining book on Chatanooga, the one upon which all other must be compared. Fun to listen to as a book on tape to!
Tucker, Glenn, The Battle of Chickamauga, Eastern Acorn Press, 1969.
Tucker, Glenn, The Battle of Chattanooga, Eastern Acorn Press, 1971.
Watkins, Sam R., “Co Aytch” A Side Show of the Big Show, 1962. Good book on the common soldier f the CS, a man who was truly one of the been there done that types of the CS army.
Williams, Kenneth P., Grant Rises in the West, MacMillon Company, 1956.
Woodworth, Steven E., Nothing but Victory The Army of the Tennessee, Knoph, 2005. Great book, superbly researched and it details how the AoT was forged and built into, arguably, the finest army of either side. If you're interested in the war in the west this is the one book you have to read.
Ok, now go win the lotto so you can buy all these books and the rest you'll be told of and then retire so you'll have time to read them.
__________________ Shane Christen
American Legion Post 352
SUVCW Camp Abernethy# 48
Lifetime NRA member
3rd MN VI
For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Eccl 1:18
Grabau, in "Ninety-Eight Days," does a very fine job of covering the Vicksburg Campaign. A definite plus is all the maps. Thomas Lawrence Connelly has works out on The Army of Tennessee ("Army of the Heartland" and "Autumn of Glory." Larrry J. Daniel's, "Days of Glory" covers the Army of the Cumberland.
The latter two authors cover the activities of two armies. Go through them, along with your "Nothing but Victory" and you'll have most of the Western Theater Campaigns covered in detailed overview.
I'll leave suggestions on the Trans-Mississippi to others.
ole
As Ole has for the Federal armies, covered the Armies of the Tennessee and the Cumberland, I must add a choice for the Army of the Ohio, All For the Regiment by our friend from Civil War Talk Radio, Gerald Prokopowicz.
__________________ -
"It was a very peculiar time." - Franklin D. Cossitt
Ancestors in USA Army: 6th IA Inf, 11th IL Cav, 1st AL Cav; 122nd NY Inf; 6th MI Cav; 35th MA Inf; 100th IL Inf; 1st CO Inf/Cav; 22nd IN Inf
Ok, now go win the lotto so you can buy all these books and the rest you'll be told of and then retire so you'll have time to read them.
Already working on it! I got my powerball ticket for this weekend
__________________ "In mortal combat, a man may and will become so infuriated by the din and dangers of a bloody fight that his heart will turn to stone and his every de sire [be] for blood."
John Hadley, 7th Indiana after the battle at Port Republic
Dred: Your overviews are going to be in the major books of the armies. Your first visit will be to see generally what they did. During which, you will select battles that you'd like to know more about--given that a book on an army isn't going to give you much detail.
When you get into the detail of a battle, you'll find yourself goint back into the army books to learn something about the regiments. Then, you'll traipse off into the ether tracing down regimental studies and, at that point, you well be well and truly hooked. And you'll empower your wife to have you committed as seriously disturbed. If her in-laws are quite amenable, she may be persuaded to eventually let you out, so long as you are never again allowed near a CW book or discussion.
Bottom line: be careful what you wish for.
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
I believe it was Larry or maybe Steven who suggested an outstanding work on the AoT CS to me but for the life of me I cannot find the title or author and as I borrowed the blamed thing through interlibrary loan I don't have it in my bibliography. Do any of you fine gents have an idea of the title?
__________________ Shane Christen
American Legion Post 352
SUVCW Camp Abernethy# 48
Lifetime NRA member
3rd MN VI
For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Eccl 1:18
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