NF Thank you Ezra Carman and Tom Clemens...

Non-Fiction

Bruce Vail

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Jul 8, 2015
I have Vol. 2 of Carman's "Maryland Campaign of 1862" (2012) in hand and am grateful to Carman and Clemens to have this excellent work to help me understand the battle at Antietam/Sharpsburg.

I read Vol. 1 earlier this year and was very impressed. Vol. 2 is a little overwhelming with the slaughter of the day, but is nevertheless thoughtfully constructed and complete. Clemens' notes are clear and illuminating.

...more to come...
 
I have Vol. 2 of Carman's "Maryland Campaign of 1862" (2012) in hand and am grateful to Carman and Clemens to have this excellent work to help me understand the battle at Antietam/Sharpsburg.

I read Vol. 1 earlier this year and was very impressed. Vol. 2 is a little overwhelming with the slaughter of the day, but is nevertheless thoughtfully constructed and complete. Clemens' notes are clear and illuminating.

...more to come...
I read volume 1.
 
Vol. 2 is for the readers who love the detail of battle. Vol.1 has more of the political and military context of the fighting in Maryland in 1862.

Clemens, by the way, is very friendly gentleman. I have been in contact via email and he kindly offered to meet with me at the library in Sharpsburg next time I make it out that way.
 
There is now a volume 3, correct?.....covering the retreat across the Potomac and Shepradstown?......

I have 1 & 2....and impressive they are....
 
There is now a volume 3, correct?.....covering the retreat across the Potomac and Shepradstown?......

I have 1 & 2....and impressive they are....
Correct, it covers the end of the campaign fro the Confederate retreat through McClellan being relievd from command of the AoP. There is little reading material though, only 16 pages about Shepherdstown. The remainder is the politics between McClellan, Lincoln and Halleck during the aftermath up to McClellan's relief, errata from the first two volume and a biographical dictionary of participants down to the regimental level.
 
There is now a volume 3, correct?.....covering the retreat across the Potomac and Shepradstown?......

I have 1 & 2....and impressive they are....

Volume 3 was published in 2017.

The books are beautifully produced by Savas Beatie.
 
There is now a volume 3, correct?.....covering the retreat across the Potomac and Shepradstown?......

I have 1 & 2....and impressive they are....

There are 5 chapters remaining for vol 3, plus some back matter.

Chapter 23: Boleler's Ford - the pursuit after the battle

24: Results of the Maryland Campaign - essentially the casualties suffered in all actions

25: Lincoln and McClellan - a discussion of the argument between Lincoln and McClellan, and the latter's relief.

26: Lincoln, Halleck and McClellan - a discussion of the attempt to pin Pope's failure at 2nd Bull Run on McClellan.

27. Resume of the Maryland Campaign - sets the campaign in context
 
I will be attending a military history convention in 5 weeks and Thomas Clemens is one of the speakers. I was trying to decide which lecture I might want to miss.This older thread has me convinced that Thomas Clemens is one I should not skip.

My next question is while there should I purchas all three volumes of the books from Tom Clemens? I hope he bring plenty of copies as I believe many attendees will be purchasing copies.
 
When it comes to reading battles I always search to find books that are very descriptive down to the regimental level. I just put this, Volume 2, in my wish list. Thank you for mentioning these books! Bruce Vail, you may give thanks to the writers who wrote the book but I thank you for bringing this up and sharing them with us all.
 
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