Shiloh book question

[rpkennedy]

This fall, I will be visiting Tennessee and plan to make a day trip to Shiloh. I was wondering if anyone could give their opinions about the best book on the campaign? Timothy Smith's Shiloh: Conquer or Parish? Winston Groom's Shiloh, 1862? O. Edward Cunningham's Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862? Larry Daniel's Shiloh: The Battle That Changed the Civil War? Thanks for the recommendations.

Ryan

 

[Andy Cardinal]

My favorite is Smith's book, but it might not be the best as an introductory book. I've read all the others, and Smith's was the last of them that I tackled.

 

[rpkennedy]

My favorite is Smith's book, but it might not be the best as an introductory book. I've read all the others, and Smith's was the last of them that I tackled.

It's been almost 25 years since I've visited Shiloh and the last book I read was Sword's book but I know a great deal of quality scholarship has been published since then. I was leaning towards Tim Smith's book but wanted the opinions of those who are much more familiar with the modern works.

Ryan

 

[Andy Cardinal]

I think Smith goes into detail but is also very readable. Further, he also covers April 7 in detail, which I haven't seen in the other books I've read.

 

[George Thomas]

I read them all in preparation for a visit I made last April, but in the end I found Wiley Sword's "Bloody April" the most interesting and useful. His writing style is very clear and engaging, and there are a lot of good maps, so the material stuck with me better. He has a fascinating appendix about the location of Johnston's death site. While walking the ground, the Trailhead Graphics map was invaluable, as well as the two Blue & Gray magazine visitor guides by Stacy Allen. Blue & Gray recently did a reprint of these issues.

 

[Coonewah Creek]

I found Wiley Sword's "Bloody April" the most interesting and useful.

I agree completely. I always enjoyed reading Sword's works.

 

[mt155]

I vote for Tim Smith's book first and then Sword's, I also second the use of the Trailhead map while walkng the battlefield.

 

[BDK1066]

This fall, I will be visiting Tennessee and plan to make a day trip to Shiloh. I was wondering if anyone could give their opinions about the best book on the campaign? Timothy Smith's Shiloh: Conquer or Parish? Winston Groom's Shiloh, 1862? O. Edward Cunningham's Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862? Larry Daniel's Shiloh: The Battle That Changed the Civil War? Thanks for the recommendations.

Ryan

Tim Smith's book is too detailed for a one day visit. Larry Daniel's book is the most readable, IMHO.

 

[Georgia Sixth]

This fall, I will be visiting Tennessee and plan to make a day trip to Shiloh. I was wondering if anyone could give their opinions about the best book on the campaign? Timothy Smith's Shiloh: Conquer or Parish? Winston Groom's Shiloh, 1862? O. Edward Cunningham's Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862? Larry Daniel's Shiloh: The Battle That Changed the Civil War? Thanks for the recommendations.

Ryan

I highly recommend Shelby Foote's novella "Shiloh". No, it's not a historical study but it captures better than anything I've read the experience of horror and confusion and disillusion that was the battle. Each chapter hinges on an actual occurrence, given a dramatic retelling.

 

[DanSBHawk]

I vote for the Smith book. Very readable, and I tend to get a better comprehension of the events when reading his books versus other good authors.

 

[General Casey]

Larry Daniels is very good. Cunningham's is a bit more in depth and a bit dated. It was originally his dissertation but never published and basically lost so the scholarship was, as I say, dated. It has been published and annotated with great notes on what modern scholarship has corrected

 

[Robtweb1]

I read them all in preparation for a visit I made last April, but in the end I found Wiley Sword's "Bloody April" the most interesting and useful. His writing style is very clear and engaging, and there are a lot of good maps, so the material stuck with me better. He has a fascinating appendix about the location of Johnston's death site. While walking the ground, the Trailhead Graphics map was invaluable, as well as the two Blue & Gray magazine visitor guides by Stacy Allen. Blue & Gray recently did a reprint of these issues.

Sword's book is my preference. I grew up near the battlefield and know every inch of it. Sword makes it very clear about what happened where, which can be tricky.

 

[rpkennedy]

My next question is, are there any substantive differences between Sword and Smith? I bought Sword's book when I visited the battlefield all those years ago and I was wondering if Smith's is different enough to warrant reading.

Ryan

 

[OhioatPerryville]

Smith is a more tactical study than Sword, with (as mentioned) a great amount of coverage of the second day. Cunningham is an even more tactical study, but focused on the first day.

The park gift shop sells the two Blue and Gray issues as one complete issue, along with the Trailhead Graphics map. I just returned from my first trip to Shiloh (3.5 days on the battlefield, including a full day with Tim Smith).

My suggestion is thus, buy the B&G issue along with the map. Do the driving tour first thing, just to get a feel of the park, then go back and hit the areas you want more info on. Alas, the driving tour is mostly focused on the first day. Also, get out and walk some of the trails, perhaps the "sunken" road and Ruggles' gun line.

Then, if you are happy and want to learn more, buy Smith's book!

 

[DixieRifles]

Timothy Smith's Shiloh: Conquer or Parish?

I have not read all of those books. The first one that I read that I really liked was Wiley Sword's "Shiloh; Bloody April". But Smith's book does the best coverage of the 2nd day. It fully explains the movements and critical decisions that ensured a Union victory.

 

[BDK1066]

Tim Smith's book is THE definitive book on Shiloh, IF you want to know every detail possible. I personally love it.
BUT its way too much to slog through on a one day visit to the Park.

 

[James N.]

This fall, I will be visiting Tennessee and plan to make a day trip to Shiloh. I was wondering if anyone could give their opinions about the best book on the campaign? Timothy Smith's Shiloh: Conquer or Parish? Winston Groom's Shiloh, 1862? O. Edward Cunningham's Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862? Larry Daniel's Shiloh: The Battle That Changed the Civil War? Thanks for the recommendations.

Ryan

This would be my recommendation, though I must admit I haven't read Cunningham's Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862: https://civilwartalk.com/threads/sh...anged-the-civil-war-by-larry-j-daniel.144272/

 

[Ole Miss]

I would recommend Wiley Sword's Bloody April if you are only going to read 1 book. Proud for you to be able to visit Shiloh the most beautiful National Military Park! Holler when you get neared to setting a date and maybe we can met up for lunch at Hagy's Catfish Hotel, a must stop.
Regards
David
PS Be sure and get a Trailhead Graphics map of Shiloh before you visit to really get a good lay of the land and the placement of monuments. unit camp sites and battery locations

 

[James N.]

I notice absent from this discussion is James Lee McDonough's Shiloh - In He ll Before Night which was the first actual book I read about the battle, but although a satisfactory survey lacks anything like the depth of the Daniel and presumably the others mentioned here.