Member Review Book Review: The Whirlwind of War: Voices of the Storm, 1861-1865

FSPowers

Cadet
Joined
Aug 21, 2005
Location
San Antonio, Texas
Stephen B. Oates, an author and teacher at the University of Massachusetts, portrays the Civil War from a very unique prospective, that of the first person. In The Whirlwind of War: Voices of the Storm, 1861-1865, he has taken people such as Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and Mary Chesnut, and has them tell the story of the Civil War from their own viewpoints.



The story begins with the attack on Fort Sumter (Charleston, South Carolina) and Lincoln’s reaction, labeling the Confederate States of America “so-called” and the Rebels “insurgents.” Robert E. Lee mentions both being offered the command of the entire Union war effort and his resignation. The reader is introduced to Mary Livermore, who would spend her time in the US Sanitary Commission, helping the soldiers. Jefferson Davis begins his narrative by calling Lincoln a “usurper” who wanted to force changes on the South with the point of a bayonet.



The reader is also introduced to William T Sherman at the First Battle of Bull Run, being portrayed as a profane individual who had no use for “political generals” as well as African-Americans, this leading to the idea that Sherman was racist. Mary Chesnut tells of her social calls on the Davis’ in Richmond, Virginia as well as the time spent on the plantation in South Carolina. Ulysses S. Grant tells his story from when he commanded Union troops at Cairo, Illinois, through the Fort Henry and Donaldson campaigns.



The reader will also hear from Frederick Douglass, a former slave turned abolitionist, telling his frustration over what is seemed to be a slow movement by Lincoln to his point of view.



The book is arranged by the years of the Civil War, meaning that other characters will come in later, such as Cornelia Hancock and her nursing career from the camp hospitals at Gettysburg to the City Point, Virginia hospital, taking care of wounded Union troops until they were able to be transported north. Also appearing late in the book is John Wilkes Booth, who tells of his support for the Southern cause and the feelings that drove him to assassinate Lincoln, describing the assassination itself.



Throughout the book, the war is brought out in great detail with the battles, the political dealings, the effort to secure rights for freed slaves, as well as the effort to comfort those at the front and in the hospital. The reader will see Lincoln’s struggle with McClellan, Sherman’s hatred of the press, Davis’ effort to keep things going despite internal struggles and personal illness, Lee’s struggle to keep his army together, Douglass’ growing respect for Lincoln, Grant’s elevation to command of all Union armies, Booth’s seething hatred and careful plotting, and the pride and anguish in Chesnut, Hancock, and Livermore. The last “voice” the reader hears is that of poet Walt Whitman, describing the assassination of Lincoln and its aftermath.



This book is written in the style of a previous book, The Approaching Fury: Voices of the Storm 1820-1861, and a later book, The Aftermath of Fury, Voices of the Storm 1865-1877. The Whirlwind of War is an excellent view of the Civil War and a book that I would recommend to others.




:smile:





 
FSPowers,
Two questions, how many pages is it, and does it differ from the book i recomended " the Civil War Archive by Commager and expanded by Bruun in any apreciable extent?
Respectfully,
Matt
 
The Civil War Archive is just that, an archive. The book that I'm talking about tells the story from the first person, but not necessarly a direct quote. For example, a section titled "Lincoln" would be read as if Lincoln himself was talking to you.

I have the Civil War Archive in my collection. Good reference book.
 
FS- I have Oates book The Approaching Fury, written in this manner. i guess it is a type of historical fiction not in any of the events, which are all accurate, but of writing as that particular person would, but did not actually, write. It demands assumption of psychological understanding of that individual at that time which could result in error, but on the whole, I very much recommend Oates and i like this work. I like reading in a story fashion and dislike dry humorless apersonal writing, so this type of work appeals to me. The Approaching Fury I found very helpful in understanding the course of events and how they were viewed and acted upon by the principles of the time. I recommended this book to my lady, a schoolteacher, who is always on the lookout for books for the summer. I hope she gets to it this summer, I'll make sure to tout it and leave my copy layiing around (hopefully not too close to my plethora of other CW works also laying around :wink: ). Two summers past she read Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin, which I picked up a time or two to have a look at. Uncle Tom- great character :thumbsup: .
 
Back
Top