NF Newbies books?

[John Winn]

What I need is a book that gives an idiot's overview so to speak. I want to learn terms like flank, breastworks, regiment, division, corp etc and see maps of the battles so I can learn. Why were the battles fought there? What was at stake at each? Who fought there? Stuff like that.

This site has some good basic definitions here:

https://civilwartalk.com/forums/the-civil-war-from-a-to-z.41/

Also, Google is your friend. There's all sorts of information available.

Another suggestion is to visit the Civil War Trust site, here:

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war

Lots of basic info, maps, videos and such.

As to battles, here's a nice little book you can get relatively cheap that has a good synopsis and maps of the major campaigns:

Symonds, Craig L. (1994) A Battlefield Atlas of the Civil War (The Nautical And Aviation Publishing Company Of America, Charleston, South Carolina).

 

[Tin cup]

Oklahoma.

Get out, get out of there! LoL

I lived in the Enid, OK area longer than I care to remember, things went belly up for me there in 89, we moved to Texas!

For material culture, check out used copies of: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0737031530/?tag=civilwartalkc-20
These are great reference books to have around!

But, it sounds like you have got the Civil War bug, like I did, starting out with weapons, then uniform/equipage, then battles, then to the big ugly world of POLITICS!
You sound like you are in trouble already!

The Shelby Foote series is OK, but be warned, he's got some things wrong. But he does cover a lot!

A lot of great diaries on BOTH sided to choose from, to get the soldiers perspective, examples, Union:https://www.amazon.com/dp/1425178871/?tag=civilwartalkc-20

and Confederate: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012HUEPH4/?tag=civilwartalkc-20

for a start! Good luck with your studies, we are scratching the surface here!

Kevin Dally

 

[Tin cup]

Oklahoma.

You need to go visit the Honey springs battlefield, and Fort Gibson!
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/maps/battle-honey-springs-july-17-1863
http://exploresouthernhistory.com/okfortgibson.html
http://www.okhistory.org/sites/fortgibson

There are other CW battle sites in OK, but these two places are not far from each other.

Kevin Dally

 

[veritasbulldog82]

Get out, get out of there! LoL

I lived in the Enid, OK area longer than I care to remember, things went belly up for me there in 89, we moved to Texas!

For material culture, check out used copies of: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0737031530/?tag=civilwartalkc-20
These are great reference books to have around!

But, it sounds like you have got the Civil War bug, like I did, starting out with weapons, then uniform/equipage, then battles, then to the big ugly world of POLITICS!
You sound like you are in trouble already!

The Shelby Foote series is OK, but be warned, he's got some things wrong. But he does cover a lot!

A lot of great diaries on BOTH sided to choose from, to get the soldiers perspective, examples, Union:https://www.amazon.com/dp/1425178871/?tag=civilwartalkc-20

and Confederate: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012HUEPH4/?tag=civilwartalkc-20

for a start! Good luck with your studies, we are scratching the surface here!

Kevin Dally

What is wrong with Oklahoma that I should leave?

 

[Tin cup]

What is wrong with Oklahoma that I should leave?

Bad politics, bad economy, not so great government, education system need's serious overhaul, but will take much higher taxes to fix, Indian casino's getting all the outside money...When I left manufacturing was really going down hill. My Wife still has relatives up there, they struggle!
But, I'm biased, N.West OK wasn't the jewel of the State, many area's I had never been to, or lived at.
Texas has been a salvation for me, and the family. Sadly, not many Civil war sites down here, though!

Kevin Dally

 

[veritasbulldog82]

Bad politics, bad economy, not so great government, education system need's serious overhaul, but will take much higher taxes to fix, Indian casino's getting all the outside money...When I left manufacturing was really going down hill. My Wife still has relatives up there, they struggle!
But, I'm biased, N.West OK wasn't the jewel of the State, many area's I had never been to, or lived at.
Texas has been a salvation for me, and the family. Sadly, not many Civil war sites down here, though!

Kevin Dally

Sorry, if you are looking for political support, I am not it. I am a Conservative Republican and I have nothing more to say on these matters. Glad you left if it bothered you so much but I am fine here.

 

[Kurt G]

How about tornadoes ? I have cousins in Oklahoma who have been hit twice ! I do have fond memories of Oklahoma . As a kid we took route 66 to see my uncle in California a couple times . When we hit Oklahoma we felt like we were finally "out west".

 

[veritasbulldog82]

How about tornadoes ? I have cousins in Oklahoma who have been hit twice ! I do have fond memories of Oklahoma . As a kid we took route 66 to see my uncle in California a couple times . When we hit Oklahoma we felt like we were finally "out west".

There aren't tornadoes where I live.

 

[Tin cup]

Sorry, if you are looking for political support, I am not it. I am a Conservative Republican and I have nothing more to say on these matters. Glad you left if it bothered you so much but I am fine here.

You mis read me, I'm a serious conservative, but I lost my job, my house, my virgini...well, OK, TWO out of three were bad losses! I had no choice but to leave, go to where the jobs were.
Oklahoma was always "iffy", economically, wheat and oil were strong, or weak depending on the times, I had too many lay-off's, Wife lost her job, we just couldn't make it up there.
I went to schools there for number of years, can tell you my education was lacking, (except for their VO-Tech system) Dad taught school up there, we ended up in some not so great districts, while growing up.

If you persist with the idea you don't like what others say, or think on this BB, and write them off by shoehorning them into categories, you may miss a lot of good info.

You asked about books, it's kind of like standing there on the beach, wanting your cup filled, and the Pacific Ocean is coming at ya!

Kevin Dally

 

[veritasbulldog82]

You mis read me, I'm a serious conservative, but I lost my job, my house, my virgini...well, OK, TWO out of three were bad losses! I had no choice but to leave, go to where the jobs were.
Oklahoma was always "iffy", economically, wheat and oil were strong, or weak depending on the times, I had too many lay-off's, Wife lost her job, we just couldn't make it up there.
I went to schools there for number of years, can tell you my education was lacking, (except for their VO-Tech system) Dad taught school up there, we ended up in some not so great districts, while growing up.

If you persist with the idea you don't like what others say, or think on this BB, and write them off by shoehorning them into categories, you may miss a lot of good info.

You asked about books, it's kind of like standing there on the beach, wanting your cup filled, and the Pacific Ocean is coming at ya!

Kevin Dally

Where did I say I don't like what others say??? Where did I shoehorn them into categories???

 

[cash]

I love the Civil War but I am SO lacking in details about the simplest things about it. I asked about a few other things on here and was basically overwhelmed with the responses because I know so little about the subject. Is there a good place to start for someone who is just beginning this journey? I need an idiot's guide kind of book or something to get the overall view and then dig in a little deeper once I've got some basic information down. Any recommendations?

If it helps, my knowledge of the Civil War is limited to:

1. The movie Gettysburg, Gods & Generals, and Glory
2. Visiting Gettysburg and Springfield battlefields about 20 plus years ago
3. Visiting Ford's Theatre (not Civil War but just after)

That's about it. I know nothing. Where do I start? Preferably something in the form of a Complete Idiot's Guide or something to where I can learn terms, weapons, important figures etc.

Everyone was a beginner at some point.

You can't go wrong with Bruce Catton. He wrote a trilogy history of the Army of the Potomac (Mr. Lincoln's Army, Glory Road, A Stillness at Appomattox) and another trilogy called the Centennial History of the Civil War (The Coming Fury, Terrible Swift Sword, and Never Call Retreat). He also wrote a one volume history of the war called This Hallowed Ground.

James McPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom is highly focused on the politics of the time and not so much on the military side.

 

[Drew]

Bruce Catton is the Yankee telling of the War. Nothing wrong with that, just know going in.

 

[WLamby]

I think Shelby Foote may have some detractors here (he wasn't a historian), but his 3 volumes (of which I have read through Gettysburg in Vol. 2) are extremely well written and the roughly 1000 pages of Vol 1 flew by. I never tackled 1000 page books before that, but it was a page turner.

Here's my #1 piece of advice. ABSOLUTELY MAKE AN EFFORT TO FIND GOOD MAPS before you tackle a narrative like Foote (or Battle Cry of Freedom).

Here's what I did. I went to ebay and found an affordable set of the Time Life Civil War series from the early 90s (that I always wanted but couldn't afford years ago). If you can find an affordable set (26 volumes), they have beautiful glossy color maps and big photos. Using the narrative and then jumping over to Time Life for some great pictures and maps made the experience much more visual.

Perhaps other here can offer other options for great maps/photos.

 

[WLamby]

Bruce Catton is the Yankee telling of the War. Nothing wrong with that, just know going in.

Drew, can you name a few recommended books/authors that you feel are even-handed or even slant to the South?

I actually think it would be useful to try to put some of the major works on a spectrum (slant North, slant South, etc.).

 

[Drew]

Here's my #1 piece of advice. ABSOLUTELY MAKE AN EFFORT TO FIND GOOD MAPS before you tackle a narrative like Foote (or Battle Cry of Freedom).

Excellent advice. Everyone is different and I've found it best to get the general story of a battlefield, then visit and walk the terrain. The twelve pound battle books make way more sense after I've seen a place. That's just me.

 

[nitrofd]

Mention of the Burns series made me think of another option: buy a copy of Gary Gallagher's 2000 DVD course entitled The American Civil War and sold by The Teaching Company/The Great Courses. He's my favorite CW historian and did a great job. It's an overview lecture course in 48 sessions filmed before a studio audience. Sometimes it's nice to just watch instead of reading.

If you decide to buy a copy be aware that the company routinely discounts its products in periodic sales so you shouldn't pay full catalogue price (just wait a bit). You might be able to find a used copy, too, which would be ideal. The only down side is that once you by something from The Great Courses catalogue you'll be forever bombarded with catalogues and other junk mail. I haven't bought anything from them in years but still get maybe four catalogues a year. Of course, maybe some of their other stuff will also interest you so who knows.

Great course are worth the money in the secondary market.i found mine on Ebay for $40.00.

 

[Pat Young]

What I need is a book that gives an idiot's overview so to speak. I want to learn terms like flank, breastworks, regiment, division, corp etc and see maps of the battles so I can learn. Why were the battles fought there? What was at stake at each? Who fought there? Stuff like that.

So I am going to give you a few good introductory resources. None of these will cost you a penny. They range from short explanations of the topics you brought up to scholarly talks.

First, I recommend The Civil War in 4 series.

These are four minute (more or less) videos on different topics. Here is the youtube list of the series:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZrhqv_T1O1vGjphtbnTVXpNpiFKUpVy8

 

[Pat Young]

So here is one that explains Civil War Tactics:

 

[Pat Young]

Here is one on the basics of artillery:

 

[Pat Young]

Here is one explaining what a company, regiment, brigade, division, and corps are: