Books on the US Civil War

[Marcus]

I'm thinking of buying a few books on the US Civil War and I'd like to hear your comments on the below books, thanks.


"The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War" by David J. Eicher


"Civil War: A Narrative" by Shelby Foote


"How the North Won: A Military History of the Civil War" by Herman Hattaway & Archer Jones


"Naval Strategies of the Civil War: Confederate Innovations and Federal Opportunism" by Jay W. Simson


"Look Away: A History of the Confederate States of America" by William C. Davis


"Lee's Cavalrymen: A History of the Mounted Forces of the Army of Northern Virginia" by Edward G. Longacre


"Lincoln's Cavalrymen: A History of the Mounted Forces of the Army of the Potomac" by Edward G. Longacre


And also, I'm interested in a good book on the equipment (rifles, cannons etc) used by the armies in the war too.

/Marcus

[Phil V]

I have the series by Foote and Look Away by Davis.

I found the Foote series excellent and the Davis book a little boring at times.

The Foote series can be heavy going at times but it is extremely informative. Easily the best I have read on the Civil War.

I find that most Civil War literature is written with a southern perspective. I suppose it has a lot to do with many experts in this field being of Southern heritage.

On a light reading note I would recommend "Confederates in the Attic" by Tony Horwitz.

[Durand]

Hallo Marcus,

You can not go wrong with the series by Foote. It is probably the best overall look at the American civil war and it is very readable.

It's been a long time since I've read it, but the book by Hattaway and Jones is also good. There is a companion volume titled "why the South Lost the Civil War" which is also a good read.

I have not read "Look Away" by Davis, but I have read a number of others by him (An Honorable Defeat, A Government of Our Own, Battle at Bull Run, Jefferson Davis, Breckinridge, Duel of the Iron Clads). He tells a good story with accurate facts in a very readable manner.

I've not read the two books you listed by Longacre, but I have read two others by him. The two were Pickett and Buford. I am not impressed with his work. I think they tend to be shallow works and as I read them I felt as though I were reading a bunch of note cards pasted together in a book. Maybe he has gotten better since publishing the two I read.

Other Civil War books you might like:

Lee's Lieutenants by Douglas Southall Freeman (3 volumes);


The Army of the Potomac in 3 volumes- Mr. Lincoln's Army, Glory Road, and A Stillness at Appamattox by Bruce Catton

Grant Takes Command and Grant Moves South also by Bruce Catton

Hope this helps.

J.D.

[White Leopard]

Although Freedman's trilogy is a classic and a must-read for the period it must be remembered that the man deified Robert E. Lee and sold most of his subordinates woefully short. In Freedman's eyes Lee could do no wrong and he tended to blame his lieutents for any and all of the errors, shortcomings, and just plain bad luck of the Confederate forces. He was also responsible for most of the grand romanticizing of the Confederate cause that went on and continues up to this day.

Catton is a good counter-balance, but tends to conscern himself with the conduct of the Union. It will take much reading to get the grand picture.

I would recommend, in addition to all the other books mentioned, both volumes of The Memoirs of U.S. Grant. Plainly written, it is a classic of military literature and has the unequalled impact of a first-hand, up-front account by a major participant in the action.

[walterkaschner]

Hi Marcus,

I too think that Shelby Foote's 3 volume history is the best and most readable. Foote is a Southerner, and with due regard for the darkly serious nature of his topic he writes with humanity and "Menschenverstand" with regard to both sides of the conflict. And as a Southerner he loves to tell a story and does it with just enough anecdotes, subtle irony and humor to keep his narrative flowing and fascinating. You can not go wrong on his work. I believe there is a new illustrated edition of the set, but I have not seen it.

I have not read the other books that you mention, but, in addition to those mentioned by others above (and I agree with their comments about Freedman's history and Grant's Memoirs), would suggest you consider these:

Bruce Catton's 3 volume "The Centennial History of the Civil War" consisting of "The Coming Fury", "Terrible Swift Sword" and "Never Call Retreat". These came out in the early 1960s and were available in paperback as a Pocket Book edition, so you should be able to pick up a set cheaply. They constitute a more generalized view of the war than the other Catton trilogy mentioned above (which although quite good, is more concentrated on the story of the Union Army.)

IMHO the best single volume history of the Civil War is James L. McPherson's "Battle Cry of Freedom", Oxford University Press 1988, published in paperback by Ballantine books. If I were starting from scratch (which I think you are probably not) I would start with this book.

For those who can afford it there is a monumental 6 volume illustrated history of the Civil War published by The National Historical Society, William C. Davis editor, in the early 1980s entitled "The Image of War: 1861-1865". I had to count my pennies carefully and chew my nails thoroughly before laying out well over $200 for the set, but I have never regretted it. The photographs are simply marvelous!

And finally, as to equipment , there is a very fine illustrated set in large format published by Time-Life Books in the early 1990s entitled "Echoes of Glory", one volume of which is "Arms and Equipment of the Union" and one is "Arms and Equipment of the Confederacy". About 300 pages each. The illustrations are mostly contemporary black and white photographs accompanied by present colored photographs of the items shown in the earlier photos. The items shown are grouped in general categories: Small Arms, Uniforms, Equipment, Music, Flags and Artillery. The 3rd volume is "An Illustrated Atlas of the Civil War" which is also very fine, with photographs, paintings and portraits and detailed colored maps of various fields of battle, showing the locations and movements of the troops involved. I purchased them new, and they cost a large bundle of cash, but you might be able to pick them up used or on E-bay for a decent price. It's an excellent set.

TimeLife also published a series of some 30 individual volumes covering the history of the Civil War from start to finish. I own none but have seen a couple and they are well illustrated and seem reasonably well written, although not up to Foote or Catton's standards.

Hope this is some help. Regards, Kaschner