Campaigns Of The Civil War I

Some 100,000 soldiers fought in the April 1862 battle of Shiloh, and nearly 20,000 men were killed or wounded; more Americans died on that Tennessee battlefield than had died in all the nation’s previous wars combined. In the first book in his new series, Steven E. Woodworth has brought together a group of superb historians to reassess this significant battleandprovide in-depth analyses of key aspects of the campaign and its aftermath. The eight talented contributors dissect the campaign’s fundamental events, many of which have not received adequate attention before now. John R. Lundberg examines the role of Albert Sidney Johnston, the prized Confederate commander who recovered impressively after a less-than-stellar performance at forts Henry and Donelson only to die at Shiloh; Alexander Mendoza analyzes the crucial, and perhaps decisive, struggle to defend the Union’s left; Timothy B. Smith investigates the persistent legend that the Hornet’s Nest was the spot of the hottest fighting at Shiloh; Steven E. Woodworth follows Lew Wallace’s controversial march to the battlefield and shows why Ulysses S. Grant never forgave him; Gary D. Joiner provides the deepest analysis available of action by the Union gunboats; Grady McWhineydescribes P. G. T. Beauregard’s decision to stop the first day’s attack and takes issue with his claim of victory; and Charles D. Grear shows the battle’s impact on Confederate soldiers, many of whom did not consider the battle a defeat for their side. In the final chapter, Brooks D. Simpson analyzes how command relationships—specifically the interactions among Grant, Henry Halleck, William T. Sherman, and Abraham Lincoln—affected the campaign and debunks commonly held beliefs about Grant’s reactions to Shiloh’s aftermath. The Shiloh Campaign will enhance readers’ understanding of a pivotal battle that helped unlock the western theater to Union conquest. It is sure to inspire further study of and debate about one of the American Civil War’s momentous campaigns.

Whiting's Confederate division in the battle of Gaines's Mill, the role of artillery in the battle of Malvern Hill, and the efforts of Radical Republicans in the North to use the Richmond campaign to rally support for emancipation."--BOOK JACKET.

John G. Nicolay (1832–1901) was an undeniably apt and brilliant choice to inaugurate the landmark Campaigns of the Civil War series. Private secretary to President Lincoln and coauthor (with John Hay) of the monumental, ten-volume Lincoln biography, Nicolay experienced the Civil War from a unique vantage point: living in the White House, witnessing the many momentous events and minor wranglings, sharing the nation's trauma with Lincoln, and winning his open confidence. It is Nicolay's firsthand knowledge and personal observations of the key figures that imbue The Outbreak of Rebellion (1881) with immediacy and thrust. Here is the secession fever that swept the South; Lincoln's shrewd and desperate maneuverings to hold the border states; the behind-the-scenes debates about how to respond to the crisis; the attack on Fort Sumter and the call to arms; and the hard-fought battle along Bull Run creek that resulted in a chaotic Federal defeat and the first appalling casualties of the war. Nicolay's insider view of the opening act of the Civil War has produced a succinct, compelling account of considerable value and fascinating insights. This book is one of the basics you need to have when diving into American history and the Civil War period especially. It covers the following chapters: Contents: Preface. Chapter I - Secession. Chapter II - Charleston Harbor. Chapter III - The Confederate States' Rebellion. Chapter IV - Lincoln. Chapter V - Sumter. Chaptek VI - The Call To Arms. Chapter VII - Baltimore. Chapter VIII - Washington. Chapter IX - Ellsworth. Chapter X - Missouri. Chapter XI- Kentucky. Chapter XII - West Virginia. Chapter XIII - Patterson's Campaign. Chapter XIV - Manassas. Chapter XV - Bull Run. Chapter XVI - The Retreat. Chapter XVII - Conclusion.