Rebels from West Point

Book Description

Franklin Roosevelt is the assistant secretary of defense. Thomas Dewey is running for president with a blunt-speaking Missourian named Harry Truman at his side. Britain holds onto its desperate alliance with the USA’s worst enemy, while a holocaust unfolds in Texas. In Harry Turtledove’s compelling, disturbing, and extraordinarily vivid reshaping of American history, a war of secession has triggered a generation of madness. The tipping point has come at last.

The third war in sixty years, this one yet unnamed: a grinding, horrifying series of hostilities and atrocities between two nations sharing the same continent and both calling themselves Americans. At the dawn of 1944, the United States has beaten back a daredevil blitzkrieg from the Confederate States–and a terrible new genie is out of history’s bottle: a bomb that may destroy on a scale never imagined before. In Europe, the new weapon has shattered a stalemate between Germany, England, and Russia. When the trigger is pulled in America, nothing will be the same again.

With visionary brilliance, Harry Turtledove brings to a climactic conclusion his monumental, acclaimed drama of a nation’s tragedy and the men and women who play their roles–with valor, fear, and folly–on history’s greatest stage.

Customer Reviews:

Another Turtledove Triumph.......2007-10-09

Loved it. I've been waiting for the end of this series for three years now; since I read the first book. The American Front and Great War series all led up to this series finale. I hope he comes out with a cold war type series with these characters.

An end, not an ending.......2007-10-07

Harry Turtledove's eleven volume decalogy [insert Spinal Tap joke here] alternate history exploring a successful Confederate secession sputters to a conclusion in "In at the Death". The overarching theme throughout his saga is race in America. He imagines a "butterfly effect" in which a small change in America's past leads to a Black holocaust. That's pure, almost reckless, speculation. We are invited to compare our actual history with his alternate vision, learning -- I suppose -- it could have been worse.

As to the writing and storytelling....

Turtledove apparently promised to name various characters after real people. (Authors sometimes do this in exchange for charitable donations or for other reasons.) He must made a lot of promises, because throughout the book minor characters are awkwardly identified by full names. "The orderly, who was named Quentin P. Quackenbush, gave him the letter. A few minutes later Quentin P. Quackenbush was killed by a disease and his replacement, Elmo R. Muppettson, took over."

Turtledove is also fond of sneaking in recognizable personages without directly identifying them. Eisenhower appears, inexplicably renamed "Ironhewer" (a German translation); the C.S. VP is "Dan Partridge", an anachronous Dan Quayle; a Navy officer named "Dick" with a permanent five o'clock shadow appears. There are many others. But this is too cute by half and just a distraction.

Throughout the story Turtledove uses certain words and phrases over and over again. And over and over again. "Or are going to tell me I'm wrong?" It's just weak writing or editing.

In particular, he uses what we now call "the n-word" throughout. In the earlier books, I took this as evidence of his characters' cruel and indifferent attitudes toward Blacks ... attitudes that would evolve toward a contemporary sensibility as the story progressed. But I noticed he also used that terminology when relating the thoughts of characters who didn't use such language when speaking. Perhaps that was to show their hidden sentiments, but eventually I concluded Turtledove was just being cruel and indifferent in his writing.

The entire saga is an interesting retelling of history overlaying world events into a different North American political landscape. It's too long and does not satisfactorily resolve the plot lines laid out in the course of the story. I can't recommend this book or its predecessors for most readers. Those who have a strong interest in American history, military history or the Civil War, and who have a lot of time to spend reading these volumes may find something of value in the series.

The End! But a messy End!.......2007-10-04

I remember watching a documentary on the making of "SLIDERS," and there was a scene where they were interviewing Jerry O'Connell, and he was talking about when John Rhys-Davies left the show. And what he said, I believe best sums up the entire "Settling Accounts," saga.

"I can still vividly remember during reading sessions, John, banging his fist on the table, saying, 'Damn it, this show could be so good if we only did this, this, and this.'"

The story starts off where we last were at the end of "The Grapple," with US forces poised outside Atlanta, with the possibility of Confederate dictator, Jake Featherstone, still pulling victory from defeat. But, the book, much like the war for Featherstone, starts to unravel as it draws to a close. The most annoying thing is Morrel cutting of Atlanta from the East. It worked for Sherman, because the majority of the CS population and industry was East of Atlanta. By the second world war in Settling Accounts, just about all of the Confederacy's rocket's, tanks, trucks, steel, and power, came from Alabama, Harry Turtledove has written that himself, and yet, the US army heads EAST!?! Whatever substance that Turtledove was ingesting when he came up with this idea, I want it now and I want it in large quantities. Most fans of Harry's work will recognize this as one of his most annoying traits that keeps rearing its head during his work. "If Harry encounters a problem that doesn't fit in with what HE wants, he simply ignores it."

But the story isn't all that bad. The characters fun to read, especially, Featherstone, and we finally get a conclusion to the Forrest Coup. Historical characters pop up from here to there, like Lord Halifax, Harry Truman, and a possible Dwight Eisenhower who takes Patton's surrender. Other characters, especially the blacks, I found fun to read as they found themselves cock of the walk in the CSA after the US troops had taken over.

The black holocaust its self is IMHO, is very well done. Although the invasion of Haiti which was mentioned towards the end was an annoyance. The holocaust star's to become a blight on the civilians who have to live with it, pilled on top with the fear of US reprisals, which results in the succession of Texas, a move which caught me by surprise.

The end of the story was to be a disappointment. The CSA gets annexed with the prospect of equality for all people no matter what their skin color is. It all happens so fast you can't help but wonder weather or not Turtledove just threw that in for closure, or after all the horrible nasty, cruel stuff that'd been going on, he simply wanted something good to come out of all this. Most likely, option 'A.' Fans will be disappointed that the European war is left unconcluded. The countries of Europe are left in ruins and at the negotiating table by the books end, leaving the fate of Europe up in the air. The fate of Canada and the Mormons drops off the face of the earth, and Japan get's away with murder once more, turning into an analogue of Soviet Russia.

In the end, despite all the unfinished plot lines that disappeared down a black hole, I'm glad the series is over. Although you would clamor for more, there's really nothing more to continue with this series. After all, this has always been about the USA and the CSA, and now that the CSA is dead, there's no more story.

After all is said and done, in at the Death scores a 6 out of ten. It was still a good read, and you will enjoy it yourself if you are a fan of the series.

Finally over. Thank you god .......2007-10-02

Well first off I would like to thank Harry Turtledove because if he had stayed on the ball and continued to write good books (like the Great War series was) I would never have branched out and found so many other better authors to read.

So the confederacy is collapsing and bad old Jake Featherington doesn't want to admit that he is about to lose. If you really need to read this book to find out what happens you should really go back to history 101. Now that I am thinking about this is actually a bad thing this book is an improvement over previous volumes and there are a few good twists but it is not enough. It wouldn't be so bad if

1. Turtledove didn't invest all his writing ability in these stupid cookie cutter battles.

Tank battle works like this "Oh my god the Confederates are shooting at us!!" but the confederates didn't have enough left to shoot and were overwhelmed.

Infantry battles work like this from the confederate side "We've got to stop the Yankees at Atlanta!!! (or Augusta, Birmingham, New Orleans or Charlotte wherever the action happens to be) but all of their efforts were too little too late.

(For US military battles reverse it and flip it)

I'm just going to do us all a favor and not mention the Naval Battles those of us who have been reading thing seirse forever "Know all that"

2. The humor still sucks the jokes were not funny in book one and are not funny now yet somehow these characters think they are hilarious.
3. Which brings me to my next point the dialog/characters sucks (mostly) they range from vague descriptions of international events/politics to vague repetitive questioning example "Do you think we can hold out/win/lick the Yankees?" Before I go any further I'm just going to say that Leonard O'Doul and Sam Crestian have got to be the most boring characters I have ever had the misfortune to read in any work of fiction.
4. The terminology is still idiotic how many times can one put Y-Ranging on a single page?

The only positive parts of the book for me are Cassius (although I liked Cassius the 1st much better) and Clarence Potter (the only guy in this 10 volume train wreak with an once of sense). Especially when you consider everyone else with a personality was killed off books and books ago,

Overall-In spite of everything Turtledove does manage to pose an interesting question with the nuking of one northern city, two southern cities, and three British Cities who has the moral high ground here? Its very hard to say that one side is better when they are all standing the mud. Weather this was intentional or not that's enough to give this book another star.

Readers won't be able to predicate the outcome.......2007-09-28

Just like the book "Breakthroughs" I had to read this final installment on my day off, because pretty soon I just could not put it down!

The end of the (yet unnamed) second global war of the 20th century is in sight, but there is no guarantee it will be the end of conflict (there's a difference). The fourth war since the Confederate States won their independence in 1863 is tearing North America apart. Not to mention the other side of the Atlantic, where England and other Europeans countries defeated by Germany and Austria-Hungry in 1917 are trying to take revenge. Just like the real WW2 this is essentially a no-win situation and the only arena that could be considered good v evil is the liberation of the Negro death camps in Texas.

They say this book is the last to be written in the Southern Victory series. But hopefully that's not so because at the end of this book there is still so much to know about the world after the war ends in 1944. Without giving too much away I can promise you'll read about victory, defeat, atomic explosions (on both sides of the Atlantic), trials for "crimes against humanity" and death or new life for the protagonists we have all come to know and love.

To be honest I expected this book to be quite predictable and to know in advance which side is going to win the war and/or develop the atom bomb first. How wrong I was! Readers won't be able to predicate the outcome of either - in America or Europe.

I think HT expects one of the victors of this war to eventually develop into the country it is today. I won't spoil by telling you which, but even if that happens the rest of the world certainly will not be as it today. Once again, it is clear that Robert E. Lee not losing Special Orders 191 80 years ago has changed the fate of not only America but of the whole world.

Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War

Average customer rating:

Confederate in the Attic
"Stonewall" Jackson's arm and other Civil War minutia
yet another batch of anti-southern stereotypes rehashed
New South and Old South
Well, the Civil War/War of Northern Aggression/War for State's Rights/Whatever Is Still Being Fought!

Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War
Tony Horwitz
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 067975833X
Release Date: 1999-02-22

Amazon.com

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Tony Horwitz returned from years of traipsing through war zones as a foreign correspondent only to find that his childhood obsession with the Civil War had caught up with him. Near his house in Virginia, he happened to encounter people who reenact the Civil War--men who dress up in period costumes and live as Johnny Rebs and Billy Yanks. Intrigued, he wound up having some odd adventures with the "hardcores," the fellows who try to immerse themselves in the war, hoping to get what they lovingly term a "period rush." Horwitz spent two years reporting on why Americans are still so obsessed with the war, and the ways in which it resonates today. In the course of his work, he made a sobering side trip to cover a murder that was provoked by the display of the Confederate flag, and he spoke to a number of people seeking to honor their ancestors who fought for the Confederacy. Horwitz has a flair for odd details that spark insights, and Confederates in the Attic is a thoughtful and entertaining book that does much to explain America's continuing obsession with the Civil War.

Book Description

When prize-winning war correspondent Tony Horwitz leaves the battlefields of Bosnia and the Middle East for a peaceful corner of the Blue Ridge Mountains, he thinks he's put war zones behind him. But awakened one morning by the crackle of musket fire, Horwitz starts filing front-line dispatches again this time from a war close to home, and to his own heart.

Propelled by his boyhood passion for the Civil War, Horwitz embarks on a search for places and people still held in thrall by America's greatest conflict. The result is an adventure into the soul of the unvanquished South, where the ghosts of the Lost Cause are resurrected through ritual and remembrance.

In Virginia, Horwitz joins a band of 'hardcore' reenactors who crash-diet to achieve the hollow-eyed look of starved Confederates; in Kentucky, he witnesses Klan rallies and calls for race war sparked by the killing of a white man who brandishes a rebel flag; at Andersonville, he finds that the prison's commander, executed as a war criminal, is now exalted as a martyr and hero; and in the book's climax, Horwitz takes a marathon trek from Antietam to Gettysburg to Appomattox in the company of Robert Lee Hodge, an eccentric pilgrim who dubs their odyssey the 'Civil Wargasm.'

Written with Horwitz's signature blend of humor, history, and hard-nosed journalism, Confederates in the Attic brings alive old battlefields and new ones 'classrooms, courts, country bars' where the past and the present collide, often in explosive ways. Poignant and picaresque, haunting and hilarious, it speaks to anyone who has ever felt drawn to the mythic South and to the dark romance of the Civil War.

Customer Reviews:

Confederate in the Attic.......2007-10-15

Just started reading the book thus far it is entertaining and delightful. I look forward to my quiet evening reading time everyday. It amazes me how
we continue to get Civil War info. from these wonderful writers.

"Stonewall" Jackson's arm and other Civil War minutia.......2007-09-21

Simply a fun read. If you are a civil war buff like me you will enjoy reading this John Stosselesque investigative book of Civil War facts, minutia, and why Confederate esprit de corps lives on 142 years after Lee's surrender at Appomattox. Mr. Horwitz writes his book as a travelogue through the Civil War South. He recounts his travels as he meets new and interesting people and places, and how they still view the War between the States, as the Civil War is known in the South, as an ongoing struggle. He breaks down the book in chapters pertaining to the Southern states he visited.
The book is full of funny, sad, and informative facts like where and when was the first shot of the Civil War actually fired? And No, it was NOT Fort Sumter. But most important was his analysis of the continuing, living spirit of the Civil War South of 1861-1865. It lives today in a variety of ways that Mr. Horowitz points out and discusses.
All in all a must book for Civil War buffs of all kind. A good solid read, well written and factual. Not a tactics or war strategy manual of unit names and engagements, but rather a human interest book of who and what modern day Dixie is and why it lives on today in Southern people, places and things. I recommend it highly.

yet another batch of anti-southern stereotypes rehashed.......2007-07-17

I bought this book on the reccomendation of a fellow civil war buff. I was hoping for some fresh insights on the subject of the lost cause and it's continued effect on our (southern) lives. Instead it is a collection of overblown, trite, highly condescending, negative, hateful fiction. I have lived in the south/southwest my entire life (44 yrs) and I have never encountered anyone remotely resembling the ignorant, racist, borderline psychopaths that the author claims to have found on almost every street corner south of Mason-Dixon. This book is not what I expected. I will avoid further works of fiction by Mr. Horwitz.

New South and Old South.......2007-07-08

Tony Horwitz inadvertently sees Confederate Civil War reenactors near his Virginia home which launches him into an adventure across the South, attending reenactments but also comparing the New South to the Old South. He found out that some things have really changed, and some things have hardly changed at all. He looks into race relations, modern Confederate sympathizers, the Confederate flag controversy, and also gives a great history lesson on many parts of the Civil War, throwing in a lot of trivia that I had not read before. The Civil War continues to be a part of a lot of people's daily lives in the Deep Deep South and Horwitz writes with depth, understanding, and a welcome sense of humor. Recommended.

Well, the Civil War/War of Northern Aggression/War for State's Rights/Whatever Is Still Being Fought!.......2007-03-27

As a Southerner and lifelong American Civil War buff, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Tony Horwitz' account of traveling the various Southern states and to get an account of the war from mainly the Southern view. While not an advocate of the South's position, he did seem to be respectful of how some Southerners viewed the war over 140 years later after the war ended.

Horwitz traveled Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky and parts of Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas to various Civil War sites and to talk with people on their thoughts of what the war meant to them. While he finds pockets of people who still fight the war, he is appalled that most people do not know or really care to know what happened during 1861-1865.

Among the highlights:

1. How he became interested in the war.
2. His trip to Montgomery, Alabama and the irony of the exhibits on the Civil Rights and the First Capital of the Confederacy.
3. His "Wargasm" trip with Robert Hodge (the character in the absolutely hilarious photo on the book's cover) through several Virginia sites in a matter of a few days.
4. Watching Civil War reenactments at Gettysburg and other battlefields.
5. Touring the Civil War prison in Salisbury NC.

The narrative is smooth, interesting, and flows freely from chapter to chapter. As mentioned earlier, I am a lifelong Civil War buff and was able to visualize several of the battlefields I had visited that Horwitz mentioned in his book. I also enjoyed his insights as a Jew.

A great book to read about how some people still fight and view the war. My only complaint was some of the saucy language. Still, a great read.

Highly recommended. Read and enjoy!

Uniform Buttons of the United States, 1776-1865: Button Makers of the United States, 1776-1865; Button Suppliers to the Confederate States, 1800-1865; Antebellum and Civil War Buttons of U.S. Forces

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Uniform Buttons of the United States, 1776-1865: Warren Tice
Excellent Reference
Uniform Buttons of the United States, 1776-1865
correction of an error
correction of an error

Uniform Buttons of the United States, 1776-1865: Button Makers of the United States, 1776-1865; Button Suppliers to the Confederate States, 1800-1865; Antebellum and Civil War Buttons of U.S. Forces
Warren K. Tice
Manufacturer: Thomas Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1577470249

Book Description

Already an enormously popular title - An absolute must for all collectors. More than 3500 actual photos of buttons. Nearly every make and style is represented and identified with key variations shown.

Customer Reviews:

Uniform Buttons of the United States, 1776-1865: Warren Tice.......2007-02-01

Nice all around book. Plenty of pics & information. A plus for a collector or investor of Civil War Buttons.

Excellent Reference.......2006-08-24

This is a very well written and informative book. The amount of research to write it must have been staggering. I strongly recommend this to anyone interested in the subject. I have had a little problem finding the meanings for all the symbology used by the author, but this is a minor problem.

Uniform Buttons of the United States, 1776-1865.......2000-09-07

I do not know of any more comprehensive book on American uniform buttons, and I have been heavily involved in the collecting of Civil War buttons for seven years. I have acquired a number of books on the subject, but I use none more frequently than this one. In this field of study, Alpaeus Albert set the standard with his book, "Record of American Uniform and Historical Buttons". Warren Tice makes a number of notable improvements over Albert's book. Tice's book includes many buttons unlisted by Albert. Tice also often gives a short history of the button, or of the military men known to have worn that specific variety of button. Tice also lists more backmarks, and makes many statements concerning the scarcity or availability of certain buttons or varieties of buttons, this is something that Albert neglected to do. Whereas Albert's book is simply a cataloguing of military buttons, Tice's book is a comprehensive and exhaustive study. At the beginning of the book Tice delves into the history of button making, giving information on all known button manufacturers- including a listing of the buttons each manufacturer produced. He then lists and pictures all known buttons of Federal armed forces 1830-1865- including political, patriotic, and personal image, Confederate armed forces, Militia buttons of the 31 states and District of Columbia known to have produced buttons during this period, and a section on unidentified buttons of the Antebellum and Civil War period. All in all, this is a wealth of information that no military button collector should be without. I would feel as if I were buying and trading blindly without it. It is noteworthy that Tice does not list button values in this book. Tice does sell a seperate book that lists only values; this book is of use only to the collector of non- excavated buttons. If Civil War buttons are your interest, and you collect excavated, as well as nonexcavated I recommend the North South Traders "Civil War Collector's Price Guide. Good luck with your button collecting, I know this book will be a useful and irreplaceable addition to your personal library.

correction of an error.......2000-06-05

This book is really well written, with two major errors from my viewpoint. My gg uncle was William C. Wildt, son of William Wildt of Richmond, Va, who made buttons with the imprint of W. Wildt and Son, Richmond, VA. The correction is that there were two brothers who came from Prussia: Julius and William. William had two children, William C., and Elisa Wildt. Julius had one child, Julius, Jr. Julius, Jr. was a hunchback, and an artist. We have one of his paintings. He manufactured buttons for the Confederate Army with a Mr. Kline, in Columbia, SC. William C. Wildt manufactured buttons with his father, William, in Richmond, VA. After the Civil War, he moved to Rockford City, Illinois, and married a lady named Agnes, who was from Madison, Wisconsin. William C. also served as Vice Consul and Consulate Agent in Honduras for the US in the 1890's, and died in Illinois in 1908. Julius, Jr. and his mother, Elizabeth Wildt, died of Spanish flu in Richmond, VA., in 1918. William C.'s sister, Elisa Wildt, married Numa Robert, divorced him in June of 1865, and married Ernst Kahl. She died in 1941 at the home of her daughter, Mrs. O. F. Ostergren, my grandmother. If anyone knows the web address of Mr. Warren K. Tice, please ask him to contact me.

correction of an error.......2000-06-05

General James Longstreet: The Confederacy's Most Controversial Soldier : A Biography

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I disagree with the title.....
Longstreet the military might
Who is to blame for Gettysburg ?
The Old War Horse Examined
An Amazing Little Book

General James Longstreet: The Confederacy's Most Controversial Soldier : A Biography
Jeffry D. Wert
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0671709216

Amazon.com

This isn't the first biography to be written on Confederate General James Longstreet, but it's the best--and certainly the one that pays the most attention to Longstreet's performance as a military leader. Historian Jeffry D. Wert aims to rehabilitate Longstreet's reputation, which traditionally has suffered in comparison to those of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. Some Southern partisans have blamed Longstreet unfairly for the Confederate defeat at Gettysburg; Wert corrects the record here. He is not uncritical of Longstreet's record, but he rightly suggests that if Lee had followed Longstreet's advice, the battle's outcome might have been different.

The facts of history cannot be changed, however, and Wert musters them on these pages to advance a bold claim: "Longstreet, not Jackson, was the finest corps commander in the Army of Northern Virginia; in fact, he was arguably the best corps commander in the conflict on either side." Wert describes his subject as strategically aggressive, but tactically reserved. The bulk of the book appropriately focuses on the Civil War, but Wert also briefly delves into Longstreet's life before and after it. Most interestingly, it was framed by a friendship with Ulysses S. Grant, formed at West Point and continuing into old age. Longstreet even served in the Grant administration--an act that called into question his loyalty to the Lost Cause, and explains in part why Wert's biography is a welcome antidote to much of what has been written about this controversial figure. --John J. Miller

Book Description

General James Longstreet fought in nearly every campaign of the Civil War, from Manassas (the first battle of Bull Run) to Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chickamauga, Gettysburg, and was present at the surrender at Appomattox. Yet, he was largely held to blame for the Confederacy's defeat at Gettysburg. General James Longstreet sheds new light on the controversial commander and the man Robert E. Lee called "my old war horse."

Customer Reviews:

I disagree with the title............2007-07-30

....but not much else. General Braxton Bragg was, and is, the South's most controversial solder. With that out of the way....

.....to the subject. This is an absolutely superb study of a man who was a genius far ahead of his time. Another author once wrote an article speculating as to which Civil War General, were he to rise from the dead and get a shave, would have the shortest "learning curve" to become a General in the modern Army; his answer was James Longstreet, and he may very well be right [my own answer was Bragg...there I go again]. Both men were 20th century Generals trying to fight the last 18th. century war; naturally, there were some problems.

James Longstreet was born in South Carolina of a Georgia family, but he was certainly not of the old Southern aristocracy in the way Lee, Johnston, Polk, and others were. The original family name was Langestraet, and they were Dutch from New Jersey who moved to Georgia. Longstreet went to West Point and then commenced a career of one boring assignment after another, in an Army where promotion only came when somebody died. The war in Mexico proved he was a real soldier, but afterwards he was a lowly paymaster in Texas.

When the war came, he went South just because his state did. Had his family stayed in New Jersey, Lee would have had a very tough opponent, instead of his "Old War Horse". Longstreet commanded the First Corps thru the whole war, except for his detached service in Suffolk that kept him out of Chancellorsville, and the months after Gettysburg when he was in Tennessee. Severely wounded in The Wilderness, he returned, and was with Lee at the end.

Longstreet was loved by his troops; he fought on the defensive, never wasting his men's lives. He could march, and charge, as well as Jackson when necessary, but preferred to let the enemy make the mistakes. Further, he was "human", sharing the vices of his troops, unlike Lee and Jackson. At Second Manassas and Antietam he proved his greatness, and at Fredericksburg came his finest hour as wave after wave of Blue troops bravely, but foolishly, charged up Mayre's Heights.

Gettysburg...THAT is where most discussions of James Longstreet begin and end. He and Lee had different ideas as to how [and whether] to fight the battle, and Lee was the boss. Longstreet [and Hood] wanted to move to the right, get between Meade and Washington, and hold on the defensive. Lee wanted to fight the enemy where he was. Who was right? God knows that what we did didn't work, but we forget that it dern near did. Lee took the blame; as commander, that was proper. Dick Ewell's lethargy and Jeb Stuart's independent brashness weren't noted at the time, though they contributed massively to the Confederate defeat. Generations of Southerners have blamed Longstreet for Gettysburg, but that didn't start till well after the war, and the causes were political, not military. I guess my own opinion of who was right is obvious, but I yet maintain that Robert E. Lee was the greatest soldier that ever lived.

After the war, Longstreet was a cotton merchant in New Orleans, and did well until he wrote a letter in 1867 essentially stating that the South needed to build a bridge and get over it; for this, he remained an outcast the rest of his life. Dr. Freeman stated that after the war, if a man "became a Republican or consorted with Negroes", those sins would never be forgiven. Longstreet was reduced to living on Republican political appointments. [Billy Mahone likewise became an apostate, but at least he became rich; Beauregard said nothing; he simply got over the bridge to wealth. But Beauregard was always different]. Longstreet wrote his memoirs, but did it badly, and made his cause worse.

This is a superb book that does a wonderful job defending a man who, in a just world, would need no defense...I've saved the best till last...the opening two pages of the book, describing General Longstreet's appearance at the dedication of the Lee statue on Monument Avenue in Richmond in 1890, is the very finest piece of historical writing I have ever read, anytime, anywhere. Period. The other Generals saw James Longstreet as an apostate, but his old troops knew what made a leader, and loved him for it.

Longstreet the military might.......2007-07-16

I like how the book goes into detail on General Lee and the problems of being a Staff Officer under a "Demagod". General Longstreet's request for a flanking movement, if greated by General Lee, could have changed the course of the war.

Who is to blame for Gettysburg ?.......2007-01-31

Historians since 1865 have blamed General James Longstreet for the Confederacy losing the Battle at Gettysburg. This book places the blame on Robert E Lee, which after reading this book as well as other books recently, I would tend to agree with that assumption. The writer seems to be a Longstreet fan though, and seems to add to Longstreet's capability as a General, while placing the blame for several Confederate losses on General Stonewall Jackson which I do not agree with at all. In essence, the writer's purpose of the book is to clear Longstreet's name at the expense of Robert E Lee and Stonewall Jackson, as well as other Generals that Longstreet came in contact with during the Civil War. Unfortunately the author feels that is the only way to clear Longstreet's name.

The Old War Horse Examined.......2006-12-29

General James Longstreet was one of the major corps commanders in the Confederate Army. At one point, General Robert E. Lee referred to Longstreet as his "Old War Horse." Nonetheless, considerable controversy swirls around Longstreet.

This book does a solid job on outlining the controversy and Longstreet's record. One theme in the South after the Civil War was the "Lost Cause" thesis. Here, Longstreet was a central element. The author, Jeffry Wert, says (page 14):

"A significant. . .victim of the 'Lost Cause' interpretation of the conflict was James Longstreet. A crucial element of the myth was that the Confederacy nearly attained victory except for the mortal wounding of Stonewall Jackson at Chancellorsville and the defeat of Robert E. Lee's army at Gettysburg two months later. . . . The burden for Gettysburg fell on Longstreet. . . ."

This book lays out a nicely rendered biography of Longstreet. A series of helpful maps provides context throughout the work. The book takes a standard approach and provides detail on Longstreet's early life and career (his action in the Mexican War and his friendhip with Ulysses Grant). The work chronicles his rise in the Confederate Army after war broke out. He went from commander of a small unit at First Manassas to division commander to corps commander in a fairly short period of time, matching Stonewall Jackson's rise in responsibility. Both had poor moments in the Peninsula Campaign; by the end of the Seven Days, Longstreet had grown considerably. By Second Manassas, Jackson and Longstreet were the two corps commanders in the Army of Northern Virginia and both performed well.

By that time, certain aspects of Longstreet's style became clear. At Second Manassas, he delayed attack until the situation was to his liking. Just slow? Or calculated to gain maximum effect against the Union forces under General John Pope? Then Antietam, where Longstreet gained the nom de guerre of "My Old War Horse" from Lee.

Fredericksburg? The classic Longstreet-favored approach. Take a position and let the Yankees attack and lose large numbers of troops. Longstreet was convinced that the Confederacy could not fight long odds battles with fewer men than in the Union army. He missed Chancellorsville, while on a mission on the Peninsula. Then Gettysburg. Was he petulant and someone who undermined the Confederate effort and chances of victory? Or was he clear eyed, seeing the impending defeat? Wirt addresses this issue in a sensitive manner.

Later, we see Longstreet at his worst (feuding with Braxton Bragg and performing badly against the pathetic Ambrose Burnside at Knoxville) and at his best (his tour de force rolling up Winfield Scott Hancock's line at the Wilderness). With respect to the latter, as he was planning yet another movement against the Union army, he was shot by other Confederate troops.

After a lengthy convalescence, he rejoined the Army of Northern Virginia at Petersburg, fought with Lee until the end of the Civil War. Then, he became a Republican (alienating many southerners), criticized Lee while defending his own record (heresy to the south), and overall had a checkered career.

Nonetheless, this book provides useful context for evaluating Longstreet. One fair conclusion is that he was one of the best corps commanders on either side (there were a lot of bad ones and some very good ones)--but one who also was far from perfect (again, note his performance under Braxton Bragg). A nice book for those wanting to know more about "The Confederacy's Most Controversial Soldier" (the book's subtitle).

An Amazing Little Book.......2006-02-19

I was fourteen years old, and we were discussing the Civil War in history class. I had an especially enthusiastic teacher and several well-informed friends, and a desire to learn about the War Between the States was fast budding within me. By the strangest stroke of luck, I found this very same book on a bookshelf at home. Was it my fathers? Was it divine intervention? I don't know the answer, but I started to read it, and I didn't put it down. Several years and countless books later, I'm considering pursuing a PhD in history (specializing in the Civil War era.) Fate?

This books is wonderful both as an account of Longstreet's life and, surprisingly, as a general introduction to the war in the East (plus a bit about Longstreet's stint in the West.) Wert provides well-detailed descriptions of the tactical elements of each battle involving Longstreet without becoming boring, even to the inexperienced reader. His views on Longstreet are intriguing and thought provoking, and a more balanced and objective account is, as far as I've read, not to be found.

I apologize if my rather sentimental past with this particular tome has skewed my analysis of it, but this book will always hold a special place in my heart.

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Turtledove is M.I.A. from the "Grapple."
Turtledove's best in this series since *How Few Remain*
First Part of Book Three Reads like half a book
Dull...Repetitive...BORING!!
Latest, Compelling Installment to Turtledove's Alternate History of World War II

The Grapple (Settling Accounts, Book 3)
Harry Turtledove
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0345457250
Release Date: 2006-07-25

Book Description

In this stunning retelling of World War II, Harry Turtledove has created a blockbuster saga that is thrilling, troubling, and utterly compelling.

It is 1943, the third summer of the new war between the Confederate States of America and the United States, a war that will turn on the deeds of ordinary soldiers, extraordinary heroes, and a colorful cast of spies, politicians, rebels, and everyday citizens.

The CSA president, Jake Featherstone, has greatly miscalculated the North’s resilience. In Ohio, where Confederate victory was once almost certain, Featherstone’s army is crumbling, and reinforcements of uninspired Mexican troops cannot stanch a Northern assault on the heartland.

The tide of war is changing, and victory seems within the grasp of the USA. Still, new fighting flares from Denver to Los Angeles.

Indeed, as the air, ground, and water burn with molten fury, new and demonic tools of killing are unleashed, and secret wars are unfolding. The U.S. government in Philadelphia has proof that the tyrannical Featherstone is murdering African Americans by the tens of thousands in a Texas gulag called Determination. And the leaders of both sides know full well that the world’s next great power will not be the one with the biggest army but the nation that wins the race against nature and science–and smashes open the power of the atom.

In Settling Accounts, Harry Turtledove blends vivid fictional characters with a cast inspired by history, including the Socialist assistant secretary of war Franklin Delano Roosevelt and beleaguered Confederate military commander Nathan Bedford Forrest. In The Grapple, he takes his spellbinding vision to new heights as he captures the heart and soul of a generation born and raised amid unimaginable violence. This is a struggle of conquest and conscience, played out on American soil.

Customer Reviews:

Turtledove is M.I.A. from the "Grapple." .......2007-08-09

Harry Turtledove seems to have been missing in action when he wrote "The Grapple (Settling Accounts, Book 3)." That said, thankfully the dean and master of alternative history wasn't away for good; just long enough to turn what might have been a superior entry in this series into a rather average book.

Despite this, even an 'average' outing from Turtledove is far and above what any other writer in "his" genre can do. The story, by now, is very clear to the readers who have stayed with Turtledove when he opened the ball with the totally fantastic book, "How Few Remain," in what seems like eons ago. That book established how the United States and the Confederate States began their separate national existances, a thread which he has cleverly weaved through an alternate World War I, The Depression, and now World War II.

In "The Grapple," Turtledove now takes us from the shattered battlefields around Pittsburg, PA to the heart of the Confederacy as the United States delivers its frequent and seemingly incessant counterpunches. Much like the Nazi attack on Stalingrad in the factual World War Two, the tide of Confederate victory has been checked and been replaced by a grim determination to hold on.

In the meantime both sides are racing against time to develop atomic weapons that they hope will secure final victory. This is a very compelling plot point and keeps the narrative fresh and fast flowing. The other key element, which helps to elevate the book from the ranks of the rather dreary and predictable, is that no one is quite sure how the next battle will turn out.

Although it might seem obvious to the reader that the North now has the upper hand and will trounce the South into submission the way Stalin's army beat Hitler's, Turtledove manages to leave enough doubt that you are literally compelled to read the next several pages in order to be sure. That may be the mark of how truly great a writer the author is. At the same time, the satisfaction one gets after the plot point is resolved, is quickly lost when he decides to switch gears and develop the other threads of the story instead.

This can be frustrating for an impatient reader. At the same time it is positively ingenious and keeps the reader turning the pages even while your body is saying 'go to sleep.' But the really frustrating thing is that there doesn't seem to be a satisfactory end to it; like being on a roller coaster, you might have enjoyed the ride but you wonder if it was worth the time spent in line waiting to get on.

That's the weakness of this book. Although it is fast-paced, there is something of the 'empty calorie' feeling about it; it was filling but you don't quite feel 'full.' Indeed, after rushing through all 615 pages of the trade paperback version, and the 10 un-numbered pages of the next book in the series in five days, I was left wondering if the train left the station without me.

The other major threads, one invovling a Confederate 'Final Solution,' as well as an incipient black rebellion within the Confederacy, are also dealt with by Turtledove, though one sort of wishes he had broadend his focus to show the true scale of the Holocaust, instead of just the one camp. That said, the human story, both of the prisoners and their guards, is straight out of Auschwitz and the author makes no attempt to spare the reader the horror of what is actually taking place.

In this Turtledove shines like always, adding that special human touch of his to an already compelling and intriguing story. One hopes that he will continue to do this in the final book in this series. One also hopes that can find a way to end this series on a highly satisfying note, instead of the slightly off-pitch one that "The Grapple" seems to end on.

Turtledove's best in this series since *How Few Remain*.......2007-07-06

I really enjoyed reading this installment of Turtledove's "what if the South won the civil war" alternative timeline. In fact, in my estimation, it was the best in the series since the inaugural volume, *How Few Remain.*

Other reviewers have commented, at length, about the book's (and the author's) failings, which are mainly that Turtledove tends to repeat some elements ad nauseum (e.g., Sam Carsten's pale skin sunburning, how good CSA tobacco is vs. the cigarettes from the USA, etc.), that he plays fast and loose with the "laws" of history, and that the series doesn't really provide more than glimpses into the wider World War.

Though these criticisms are not without merit, I found this the second-most engaging and compelling novel in Turtledove's Southern victory timeline. General Irving Morrell's brilliant campaign against the CSA not only sees the Confederate forces being routed in Pennsylvania and Ohio, but also drives the Confederate forces southward until they reach Atlanta, paralleling Sherman's march to the sea in our version of events. The Freedom party's West Texas death camp, Camp Determination, is attacked and exposed, and many "good Confederates" pay the ultimate price for enabling this monstrous facility. The transformation of Jeff Pinkard from a henpecked steelworking vet to engineer of genocide is complete. Negro guerillas in the South wreak havoc on rural white populations and in turn face attacks from Mexican conscripts. And as victory appears increasingly assured for the USA, both sides continue to work on the ultimate weapon, uranium bombs. And the CSA, in a surprising twist, reveal a few cards still up their rebel sleeves.

If you've liked the characters and interweaving storylines thus far, this novel will be a treat. Yes Turtledove tends to repeat himself and often uses shorthand to remind the reader of the extra-long back story, but that's ok. I couldn't imagine writing a story arch this massive without falling back on some of those same strategies. What makes this novel successful is that the story itself, filled as it is with both moral ambiguity and outrage, is one of the better chapters in the overall eleven-volume arch.

As I put the book down I could not wait to read the next and final volume.

First Part of Book Three Reads like half a book.......2007-06-30

When Turtledove set out to bring this series to a close, he originally had planned this to be a trilogy but the book got so out of hand and in order to wrap up all of the numerous characters involved, wrote almost 1300 pages. He therefore decided to publish the last book in two parts, which is why the "Settling Accounts Trilogy" has four books.

One of the things that make this series so readable is that Turtledove chooses to write in four and five page vignettes for each character that he then intersperses through out the book. If you wanted, you could actually follow each character one at a time through the book and just go back and start again on another character. I've actually done that when I've gone back to read the books and skipped the characters that I didn't care about.

This volume follows the USA/CSA Civil War based on the occurences of WW2. The siege of Pittsburgh follows the details of the siege of Stalingrad and though the US counterattack through Kentucky follows Sherman's March to the Sea. The 'population reduction' of the Blacks in the South follows the destruction of European Jewry, as the Mormon rebellion is a reflection of the Polish uprising.

Turtledove has telegraphed many of the final parts of the last volume if you just know where to look and remember some of your history. It should be an interesting conclusion to a wonderfully written series.

If you notice, there is a lot more mention of the war in Europe and plans of the Japanese Empire. I'm wondering whether Turtledove plans to give us the 'rest of the story' by giving us a parallel trilogy of 'alternate' Europe and Japan in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries?

Dull...Repetitive...BORING!!.......2007-03-22

I have read all of the preceding books to this one in the series, and I have just about given up hope that the author will ever GET TO THE END! I started out with high hopes that some of the issues would finally get resolved---but NO! The author has become formualic in his treatment, so utterly plodding, and totally without any excitement or verve in presentation, that I finally gave up 2/3 of the way through and simply quit. I actually couldn't stand to finish this installment, and I seriously doubt that I will ever read another Harry Turtledove book. He is undoubtedly paid by the word, and he blows as much hot air onto the printed page as possible. I gave it one star only because there is no button for NO stars. Don't waste your time or eyesight on this utter drivel!

Latest, Compelling Installment to Turtledove's Alternate History of World War II.......2007-03-11

Harry Turtledove isn't the best writer working in the alternate history subgenre of science fiction, especially when his prose often seems quite banal in comparison to others like Kim Stanley Robinsom and S. M. Stirling. However, to his everlasting credit, Turtledove is often a compelling storyteller and in "The Grapple (Settling Accounts Trilogy, Book 3)" he has written his most engrossing installment in his alternate history of World War II fought on North American soil between a Nazi-like Confederate States of America and the United States of America. Other reviewers have complained that the Confederate States wouldn't have developed a technical infrastructure enabling them to produce superior weaponry, in stark contrast to the United States's industrial might; however they've overlooked the prospect of substantial British and French support, which of course Turtledove has often alluded to in his ongoing alternate history (However, I will concur with those hoping to see Imperial Germany waging war against Great Britain, France and Russia, merely to emphasize the global extent of this alternative version of World War II.).

Turtledove has successfully enhanced the suspense, intrigue and drama, offering us a successful United States invasion of Confederate States territory (which I won't disclose in the interest of keeping it relatively secret for those who haven't read his work). He also demonstrates convincingly how a Confederate Holocaust against its native African-American population might have been possible under the charismatic leadership of lunatic Confederate dictator Jake Featherston. And I think Turtledove has done a better job in the past in depicting his leading characters as fleshed-out multi-dimensional individuals, though it is fair to say that they are essentially literary equivalents of chess pieces in his alternative history scenario. Without question, this latest book from Turtledove will be of interest to his diehard fans, and, I think, too, for those who have some interest in reading alternate history science fiction.

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If this whets your desire to know more........
A Great Read for the Civil War History Buff!
Nothing Else Compares
Why not go for the real thing?
The Classic Study of the Confederate War Effort

Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Command
Douglas Southall Freeman
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0684859793

Amazon.com

When Douglas Southall Freeman's original three-volume version of Lee's Lieutenants appeared in the 1940s, it marked a high point in Civil War history, and the books were lauded not only for their scholarship but for their elegant writing. This monument of Civil War literature has been skillfully abridged by one of the most noted present-day Civil War historians, Stephen W. Sears. The new one-volume abridgement retains the core material of the original and makes Freeman's fine writing available in a much more accessible format.

Book Description

Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Command is the most colorful and popular of Douglas Southall Freeman's works. A sweeping narrative that presents a multiple biography against the flame-shot background of the American Civil War, it is the story of the great figures of the Army of Northern Virginia who fought under Robert E. Lee.

The Confederacy won resounding victories throughout the war, but seldom easily or without tremendous casualties. Death was always on the heels of fame, but the men who commanded -- among them Jackson, Longstreet, and Ewell -- developed as leaders and men. Lee's Lieutenants follows these men to the costly battle at Gettysburg, through the deepening twilight of the South's declining military might, and finally to the collapse of Lee's command and his formal surrender in 1865. To his unparalleled descriptions of men and operations, Dr. Freeman adds an insightful analysis of the lessons learned and their bearing upon the future military development of the nation. Accessible at last in a one-volume edition abridged by noted Civil War historian Stephen W. Sears, Lee's Lieutenants is essential reading for all Civil War buffs, students of war, and admirers of the historian's art as practiced at its very highest level.

Download Description

In this sweeping, colorful history, Douglas Southall Freeman chronicles the fates of the great figures of the Army of Northern Virginia who fought under Robert E. Lee. Lee's Lieutenants brings to life resounding victories and bitter defeats and reveals the tremendous costs of the Confederate military campaign -- from the earliest battles and the precipitous decline of the South's military might to Lee's formal surrender in 1865. Freeman describes the rise and fall of General Beauregard, the friction between Jefferson Davis and Joseph E. Johnston, and the triumphs of unlikely heroes at crucial times. His unparalleled descriptions of men and operations are enriched by insightful analyses of the lessons learned and their bearing on the future military development of the nation. The brilliance, bravery, foibles, and follies of Confederate commanders has always intrigued students of the Civil War. This single-volume edition of Freeman's monumental work provides a fascinating, authoritative perspective on their strengths and failures.

Customer Reviews:

If this whets your desire to know more...............2007-08-20

.....your time, and money, will be well used. Stephen Sears has done a one volume abridgment of one of the greatest works in the English language, and done it quite well. When this book came out in 1998, it filled a gap; Richard Harwell had written one volume versions of Dr. Freeman's other two masterworks back in the 1960's.

For the uninitiated, "Lee's Lieutenants" is the history of The Army of Northern Virginia told from the viewpoint of those who served under the command of General Robert E. Lee. Douglas Southall Freeman's magnum opus "R.E. Lee" had been published in the late 1930's; Dr. Freeman was afraid that the "other generals" would be forgotten [and some would have been], so he published the three volumes of "Lee's Lieutenant's" during WWII. It quickly became a standard work for historians, and for students at every military academy on Earth. It was required reading at West Point for years, and may still be.

The first two thirds of the volume focus on Stonewall Jackson, and the last one third on James Longstreet; that is proper. The others are not forgotten, which was the idea in the first place; John Bell Hood, A.P. Hill, D.H. Hill, JEB Stuart, Jubal Early, Dick Ewell, Billy Mahone, "Maryland" Steuart, Wade Hampton, Fitzhugh Lee, John Brown Gordon, etc., etc., etc. Dr. Freeman made the point that not every Confederate General was a hero, and that many mistakes were poured out of a bottle. Alas, he was right, BUT, there were far more good than there were bad and indifferent....

Following Mr. Harwell's model, Sears had cut out all the footnotes and appendices, most of the bibliography, and much of the dialog. For 99+% of readers, this book is all you will need, or want. It will give you an excellent overview in a well written manner. I own three copies. Still...But... The full three volumes are absolutely definitive. They are not difficult to find at a decent price ["R.E. Lee" is difficult, and "George Washington" impossible]; I own two sets. While I heartily recommend the full version, I have to recognize that most people don't need to go that far. Read this; it may make you want more, and the full story will make more sense if you've read this first.

A Great Read for the Civil War History Buff!.......2007-06-19

The abridged volume of Lee's Lieutenants is an excellent title for anyone interested in Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. I have looked at the original 3-volume series and the only difference as one earlier reviewer points out is that the footnotes have been taken out. Given that Douglas Freeman was the editor of a Richmond, Virginia newspaper, one would expect several pages of footnotes. However, the book's essence is still retained.

Freeman covers the army's life from the Seven Days' Campaign in early 1862 to the bitter end at Appamattox in April 1865. He mentions just enough detail of the battles for the reader to comprehend the importance and result of each engagement. The deeper focus is on the main officers in Lee's army and their relationship with Lee and each other.

The narrative is free flowing and is easy to read without being simplistic. Indeed, while the book is just over 800 pages, I found myself reading several pages on many occasions.

If you are looking for a book about the Confederate side of the Civil War's Eastern Theater, then this is your read! The only gripe I had was the few maps - there could have been more and could have been more detailed. However, there are plenty of books out there on specific engagements that can make up for the difference.

Read and enjoy. Highly recommended!

Nothing Else Compares.......2007-02-02

If this abridgement serves one purpose it will inspire a future historian to seek more knowledge on the subject. The three volume edition was and is read by all who have become the great Civil War writers of today. Here is the story (without the footnotes) of the famous Army of Northern Virginia and it's commander General Robert E. Lee. The story begins a year before Lee would take command and name the army that would take on so much of his character. Each page is filled with the story of a famous campaign, and the battles that resulted. Filtered throughout is each stage of the war in the east and the Confederate commanders that served under "Marse Robert." Jackson, Longstreet, Ewell, Hill (both), Early Alexander, Gordon. They are all here and so many more. You get to read how each leader developes and succeeds or fails and is usured off the stage. In and of it's self this book could be studied as a work on management and leadership. Every aspect of Lee's brillance and his flaws are covered. It is a bitter sweet story. So many of these men die as the story unfolds, and so does the Confederacy in the end. An added plus is you get to read the words written by one of the great authors and historinas in American literary history. Reading Freeman is a must if one is to have an understanding of the eastern theater, and the Army of Northern Virginia. Read the one-volume edition if you must, but a word of warning, you may get hooked and then there is no letting go

Why not go for the real thing?.......2005-09-19

Abridgements of great works in and of themselves are not a bad thing. As I read through this volume I could not but help noticing how poorly it reflected upon Freeman's original three volume work.

Douglas Southall Freeman's Magnum Opus is distorted quite significantly in this abridgement. If you have not read his original work I suppose this volume will suffice. But why settle? I frequently come across the original volumes at used bookstores for around $50-$60.

Mr. Freeman's writing is good literature apart from being great history. Though the original work is dated it still is a magnificient example of historical writing. Mr. Freeman's work is what got me interested in Civil War history.

The Classic Study of the Confederate War Effort.......2004-08-10

Douglas S. Freeman's (1886-1953) "Lee's Lieutenant's: A Study in Command, vol. 3 (first published in 1944 but available in an excellent new edition) is the final volume of his great study of the Army of Northern Virginia. It covers the Army from the Gettysburg Campaign, (June -- July, 1863) through the surrender at Appomatox in April, 1865.

This book is lengthy, (over 700 pages plus appendices) and I initially planned to read only the opening material on Gettysburg (about the first 200 pages) in which I have a special interest. I became fascinated with Freeman's writing and with his approach to the subject and had to finish the volume.

This book complements Freeman's earlier biography of Robert E. Lee, but its focus is on Lee's subordinates. Thus the long section on Gettysburg which opens the book considers in detail the actions and motivations of "Jeb" Stuart, Richard Ewell, and James Longstreet, three of Lee's chief Lieutenants. (A.P. Hill at Gettysburg gets less attention.) I had read materials critical of Freeman's account of Gettysburg before turning to his own writing. Even accepting much of the criticism, I was moved by Freeman's account of the Battle and I think I learned a great deal. Freeman is indeed critical of Longstreet but, in this late work, is much more measured and balanced than I had anticipated.

The book continues with excellent treatments of the War in the Eaastern theater following Gettysburg. Freeman offers eloquent and judicious comments on the importance of this Battle to the Confederate cause. He treats well the Mine Run campaign in the winter of 1863 and the campaign from the Wilderness to Appomatox under General Grant which doomed the Confederacy. Freeman also examines the detachment of James Longstreet's Corps from the Army of Northern Virgina following Gettysburg, and he is critical of Longstreet's leadership while serving in Tennessee.

One of the most important sections of this book is the introduction. In it Freeman gives a statement of his conclusions about the War and about the lessons he believes should be drawn from his study. There is also an excellent biographical prelude covering briefly each of the chief actors in Freeman's story. I found it useful to read the introduction first and return to it upon completing the book to focus on points Freeman was trying to make.

In addition to the treatment of Gettysburg, I found Freeman's treatment of the death of "Jeb" Stuart and his story of the final retreat to Appomatox particularly moving and well done.

Throughout the book, Freeman emphasises the toll combat took on the officer Corps of the Army. Stonewall Jackson's death at Chancellorsville was only the most severe blow to the leadership pool available to the Army. At Gettysburg and throughout the Wilderness Campaign beginning in 1864, the Confederacy lost heavily in gifted and able leaders that it could not adequately replace. The loss of command material, Freeman maintains, was a critical factor in the Confederate defeat.

The book is told almost entirely from the Confederate side of the line with little detailed consideration of the actions of the Union Army. Freeman obviously had a deep devotion to the South and to its cause in the Civil War. His book is still much more a work of history than of apologetics. His judgments of commanders and battles are fair and well stated. Freeman's study remains an indespensable source for understanding our country's greatest conflict.

What This Cruel War Was Over: Soldiers, Slavery, and the Civil War

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Citizen Soldiers
A Compelling Examination of the Civil War
Reverent and Insightful
Historical Misunderstanding for Many Readers
"A Rising Star Among American Historians"

What This Cruel War Was Over: Soldiers, Slavery, and the Civil War
Chandra Manning
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 0307264823
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Book Description

A vivid, unprecedented account of why Union and Confederate soldiers identified slavery as the root of the war, how the conflict changed troops’ ideas about slavery, and what those changing ideas meant for the war and the nation.

Using soldiers’ letters, diaries, and regimental newspapers, Chandra Manning allows us to accompany soldiers—black and white, northern and southern—into camps and hospitals and on marches and battlefields to better understand their thoughts about what they were doing and why. Manning’s work reveals that Union soldiers, though evincing little sympathy for abolitionism before the war, were calling for emancipation by the second half of 1861, ahead of civilians, political leaders, and officers, and a full year before the Emancipation Proclamation. She recognizes Confederate soldiers’ primary focus on their own families, and explores how their beliefs about abolition—that it would endanger their loved ones, erase the privileges of white manhood, and destroy the very fabric of southern society—motivated even non-slaveholding Confederates to fight and compelled them to persevere through military catastrophes like Gettysburg and Atlanta, long after they grew to despise the Confederate government and disdain the southern citizenry. She makes clear that while white Union troops viewed preservation of the Union as essential to the legacy of the Revolution, over the course of the war many also came to think that in order to gain God’s favor, they and other white northerners must confront the racial prejudices that made them complicit in the sin of slavery. We see how the eventual consideration of the enlistment of black soldiers by the Confederacy eliminated any reason for many Confederate soldiers to fight; how, by 1865, black Union soldiers believed the forward racial strides made during the war would continue; and how white Union troops’ commitment to racial change, fluctuating with the progress of the war, created undreamt-of potential for change but failed to fulfill it.

An important and eye-opening addition to our understanding of the Civil War.

Customer Reviews:

Citizen Soldiers.......2007-09-22

I was very impressed with the way Union soldiers debated the issue of slavery in their letters (Slavery was not a controversy in the slave states, so no comparable debate took place among Confederate soldiers). Few Americans are also aware that Union soldiers' experience with confronting slavery in the South provided essential support for emancipation.The Forgotten Cause of the Civil War: A New Look at the Slavery Issue

A Compelling Examination of the Civil War.......2007-09-20

WHAT THIS CRUEL WAR WAS OVER: SOLDIERS, SLAVERY, AND THE CIVIL WAR examines why slavery is an essential part of Civil War history. Chandra Manning asks interesting questions pertaining to the how and why Confederate and Union soldiers fought one of the most intense wars in American history, which was fought in order to preserve the principles of the US Constitution, which involved patriotism, life, liberty, freedom, and slavery as well as revisit the legacy of the Revolutionary War. In addition, Manning provides an introspective study where she delves deeper into how soldiers lived, fought, and perceived their fellow comrades and foes. With the discussion of race, gender, social, and political issues that cover the home front as well as the battlefields that crossed the Southern lines from Mississippi to the Northern lines of ravaged Gettysburg, readers may have a better understanding of the war.

The book has three main themes as they pertain to the war experience. First, white Southern patriarchy, slaves were a part of the Southern family in order to maintain their livelihood. Second, African Americans became empowered and liberated as a result of their involvement in the democratic process, interpreting the law and their rights, and their participation in the war. Third, Union soldiers' motivation through African Americans' contribution to the war effort that helped to bring equality for men a reality.

The interesting and insightful aspect about Manning's narrative is that she attempts to provide a balanced perspective from each side by emphasizing the family, God, and the patriotic fervor that occurred within the Confederate and Union sides without making the claim that slavery caused the Civil War. For example, she does not present a divided narrative where one chapter is dedicated to the discussion about the Confederate cause or the Union cause, or where race is clumped in one section; Manning integrates the discussion so that all groups are discussed within each chapter as it relates and interconnects to the issue of slavery and the war, white Confederate and Union soldiers, and African American soldiers who fought on both sides.

For readers interested in seeing a different perspective of the Civil War, WHAT THIS CRUEL WAR WAS OVER will provide that view. It is a good reading supplement for those that would like to read about the social history side of the Civil War, and how the issue of slavery created animosity and divided the United States. But at the same time, soldiers attempted to unite and understand why they fought. Indeed, the book is an informative and detailed narrative about one of the most debated wars in American history, which continues to be discussed and examined.

Reverent and Insightful.......2007-07-27

Chandra Manning's first book, "What This Cruel War Was Over," squarely rebuts the popular belief that Civil War soldiers did not care about slavery. Manning places in the lap of the reader countless letters penned by soldiers to families and loved ones attesting to slavery's role in starting the war, stirring up morale, and being the ultimate reason to fight on. Instead of leaving the telling of history to speeches by great generals and politicians, Manning firmly directs our eyes to the very words of the rank and file who gave the war meaning.

Personally, I found the incredible degree of dissent within both the Union and Confederate camps to be most interesting. Some idealistic Union soldiers protested slavery to assure liberty and freedom for all, while other soldiers kept rigidly racist views of slaves but still demanded an end to slavery because they felt slavery would inevitably lead to more clashes between the North and South. Southern soldiers, frustrated by the growing power of the Confederate government to seize their family's assets for the war effort, often questioned their own motivation for defending a government as invasive as the North. Still, fearful of a world in which former slaves might come to own their land and intermarry with white women, Southern soldiers persisted on in battle for the Confederacy. Even yet, some Confederate soldiers thought serving in the war might be a foot in the door to someday owning slaves.

Of particular interest to the reader will be letters from African-American Union soldiers who labored in battle not only to end slavery but to earn equal pay and respect from the army. Despite their additional hardships, these soldiers came to be known as some of the bravest and most dedicated soldiers on the battlefield. Letters reveal that white soldiers often came away so impressed that many began to reconsider their previously held racist ideologies.

An enjoyable read! Guaranteed to change the national conversation about the Civil War and the end of slavery.

Historical Misunderstanding for Many Readers.......2007-06-25

As an avid war historian with notable interest in the Civil War, I believe this book may leave people with a somewhat jaded view of the War itself. Especially those that have not studied the actual history before, during, and after the War. I understand and appreciate the depth of research that went into this book. I also understand that the author tried to present actual testamonies rather than personal opinion. However, the format of the book will leave many thinking that the War was only about slavery and periferal support of that cause.

"A Rising Star Among American Historians".......2007-05-17

This book has been quickly reviewed by major hitters among American historians. Chandra Manning has been described as the "rising star of new American historians." Such high praise might make one assume this is a book geared to knowledgable scholars and enjoyable only by them. The truth is Dr. Mannings writing style and skill make this work both enlightening and enjoyable to the scholar and the history enthusiast. Any one interested in this "cruel war" will find enlightenment not shown by the earlier greats in historic writing and teaching. We can only hope that Professor Manning does not make us wait long for her next work. What William Freehling offers us in antebellum literature Chandra Manning provides in the psychology of the war itself.

Drive to the East (Settling Accounts Trilogy, Book 2)

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Book 2 Drive to the East
A Great Read !!!
The trouble with a multi-volume saga...
The war gets uglier
Gripping...

Drive to the East (Settling Accounts Trilogy, Book 2)
Harry Turtledove
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0345457242
Release Date: 2005-08-09

Book Description

Harry Turtledove–the master of alternate history–has recast the tumultuous twentieth century and created an epic that is powerful, bold, and as convincing as it is provocative. In Drive to the East he continues his saga of warfare that has divided a nation and now threatens the entire world.

In 1914, the First World War ignited a brutal conflict in North America, with the United States finally defeating the Confederate States. In 1917, The Great War ended and an era of simmering hatred began, fueled by the despotism of a few and the sacrifice of many. Now it’s 1942. The USA and CSA are locked in a tangle of jagged, blood-soaked battle lines, modern weaponry, desperate strategies, and the kind of violence that only the damned could conjure up–for their enemies and themselves.

In Richmond, Confederate president and dictator Jake Featherston is shocked by what his own aircraft have done in Philadelphia–killing U.S. president Al Smith in a barrage of bombs. Featherston presses ahead with a secret plan carried out on the dusty plains of Texas, where a so-called detention camp hides a far more evil purpose.

As the untested U.S. vice president takes over for Smith, the United States face a furious thrust by the Confederate army, pressing inexorably into Pennsylvania. But with the industrial heartland under siege, Canada in revolt, and U.S. naval ships fighting against the Japanese in the Sandwich Islands, the most dangerous place in the world may be overlooked.

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PRAISE FOR HARRY TURTLEDOVE

“Turtledove [is] the standard-bearer for alternate history.”
–USA Today

Settling Accounts: Return Engagement

“The author handles his huge cast with admirable skill. The insights into racial politics elevate this novel to a status above mere entertainment, although it provides that aplenty.”
–Publishers Weekly

American Empire: The Victorious Opposition

“Powerful . . . demonstrates Turtledove’s continuing mastery of historical fiction . . . almost impossible to praise too highly.”
–Booklist (starred review)

American Empire: The Center Cannot Hold

“Turtledove never tires of exploring the paths not taken, bringing to his storytelling a prodigious knowledge of his subject and a profound understanding of human sensibilities and motivations.”
–Library Journal

American Empire: Blood & Iron

“Nobody plays the what-if game of alternative history better than Turtledove. . . . This book begins a panoramic story, a new trilogy at least, that promises to be immensely fascinating.”
–Publishers Weekly (starred review)

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Book 2 Drive to the East.......2007-08-23

Another awesome sequel to the first book by Harry Turtledove "settling accounts return engagement. Great story in recreating a different outcome for World War II.

A Great Read !!!.......2007-07-21

I find this book a truly great read. The story line is good, and the outcome is believeable. I just hope Turtledove continues in this trend, and shows the U.S.A. how they get their just deserts from the Confederacy as they continue to beat the hell out of them.

The trouble with a multi-volume saga..........2006-11-11

...is that there's always the risk that your wellspring of ideas is going to dry up and you wind up recycling. The "Settling Accounts" series isn't so much as series in its own right as it is a continuation of Turtledove's "American Empire" saga. And now it looks like he's falling into the trap of a lot of alternate reality storytellers and taking events from this reality and just changing the players around like in volleyball. For the Confederacy to be led by a disgruntled bigoted enlisted veteran of The Great War should have been a tipoff, but there are so many other things. Like Utah's Mormons sending out suicide bombers. Plus an all-American Holocaust using the same sort of death camps, the same sort of industrial approach, even the same type of chemicals. And I've got real problems with the American Confederacy becoming that much like the Third Reich in spirit. Like any other Yankee schoolkid, I was taught about what big meanies the South were, and the news media reinforced that indoctrination during the 1960s Civil Rights struggles; Wallace, Bull Connor, you name it. Then, later in life, I learned about New England's Legion Of White Decency and their similarity to the Klan, including a visual resemblance, white robes and all. Which made my own region's demonization of the "Rebs" all the more hypocritical. So Turtledove has made this series allegorical, but about as biased an allegory as you can get.

The war gets uglier.......2006-11-02

It is the winter of 1942. Six months have passed since Jake Featherston -- President of the Confederate States of America and "the Sarge" of the ruling Freedom Party -- gave the order for the surprise attack on the United States of America, but the Confederacy has failed in its mission to quickly knock the USA out of the Second World War and restore Confederate hegemony in the Western Hemisphere. The Confederacy's grip on Ohio still has the USA cut in half, while C.S. bombers kill the President of the United States, Al Smith, in his bunker. But his successor vows to continue the war, and for each day that the war drags on, the USA gets stronger, while the CSA's borrowed time slowly runs out. Featherston and his chief of staff, Nathan Bedford Forrest III, devise a new plan that will deliver the coup de grace to the crippled USA -- but will it work? Will Operation Coal-scuttle bring total victory to the Confederate States of America and its madman leader? The blacks in the CSA hope otherwise -- Featherston's henchmen have already cleared several cities of their presence, and the construction of an enormous camp in the empty Texas prairie brings a terrifying new dimension to that mysterious slang-term: "population reduction."

I thought this was a good book. After the bangs and thrills of the first few pages, the book takes a while to get started, but once the operation on which the title of the book is based begins, the action picks up. I also liked the parallels to the Civil War -- General MacArthur's misguided attacks on Fredericksburg, Virginia, mimics Ambrose Burnside's assault oo December 13, 1862, while Jonathan Moss gets used to life in a prison camp in the middle of Georgia called Andersonville.

We also see some new characters -- which means other characters die. One of them was well deserved; the death could not have happened to a nicer person, even if the death comes at an inconvenient time plot-wise.

All in all, a good read for the middle of a series. If you're just getting started with these books, then you'll do better to begin with How Few Remain and work your way from there, but for veterans this book picks up right where Return Engagement ended and doesn't stop.

Gripping..........2006-10-31

Turtledove's magnus alternate history continues to grab one's attention. The story line he has developed has grown well and he meshes actual history to this world he had created. Like others have noted, if you are a student of history, there are few surprises thus far. The South in a surprise attack (note the name of the operation!) starts the WW2 in the US while Europe erupts again too. You see familiar faces trying to deal with a changing world and a brutal war complete with a black holocaust. The US is despertely trying to stem the Confederate advance while an exhuberant South prays for a quick victory.

A few techinal glitches pop up that military historians would arch an eyebrow over (automatic small arms turning the tide of so many battles for instance, the German society Turtledove models the South on, had few autmatic rifles) but over all its a good fast read. I read it in less then 3 days...

He is not developing characters as well as he did in earlier books. As they are killed/die off, few are coming forward to replace them. I do hope he will return to improving the characters the books evolve around.

Looking forward to the next books in the series!

Brokenburn: The Journal of Kate Stone, 1861-1868 (Library of Southern Civilization)

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Stone versus Chesnut
An Extraordinary Lady in Extraordinary Times

Brokenburn: The Journal of Kate Stone, 1861-1868 (Library of Southern Civilization)
Kate Stone
Manufacturer: Louisiana State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0807120170

Customer Reviews:

Stone versus Chesnut.......2007-02-07

Like Mary Boykin Chesnut, Kate Stone wrote her diary during the Civil War. They were both members of the slaveholding planter class and at the start of the war both were surrounded by servants who met their every need. But twenty year old Kate Stone's life would be more directly affected by the war. Her young uncles and brothers went to join up at the onset and before the war ended several were dead of injuries or disease. Kate Stone's Louisiana home was occupied by the Yankees forcing the family to flee to Texas. Both describe the deprivations of the war years, lack of shoe leather, lack of cloth and the unavailability of new books, and both were at times cheered by false reports of great southern victories. The two diaries complement each other.

An Extraordinary Lady in Extraordinary Times.......2001-03-26

Kate Stone is one of my favorite Civil War diarists. She is an admixture of a great privilege, passionate beliefs, lover of literature, keen social observations and amazing fortitude. Her Civil War was dangerous, turbulent and life changing.

Brokenburn was a large plantation containing over 150 slaves in Madison Parish, LA. From 1862 on, it was in the center of the Union Army's fierce assault to gain control of the Mississippi River and divide the Confederacy in half. Plantations were commandeered and slaves were encouraged to revolt. The civilian population was helpless before the demands of military control. Madison Parish had a population of approximately 9,000 of whom 7,000 were slaves. After 1861, the Parish was emptied of able-bodied white men, most of whom had been sent to far-off Virginia and Tennessee, leaving none to protect the civilians.

In 1861, Kate was 20 years old, her immediate future being beaus, courtship, and a gay social life before she settled down to become a proper southern matron. She was unsure whether this route was ideal, as she remarked, "women grew significantly uglier in wedlock and ignored and abandoned their former female friends." This comfortable world was turned upside down, never to reappear again. With great enthusiasm and some trepidation, she watched her three older brothers go off to war. Her widowed mother made it clear that 14-year-old James was now in charge of the running of the plantation and the protection of the rest of the family. I was amazed at the serene assumption that a young teenager was thrust in this role, but it seems that was the custom of the times. If you had to grow up fast, you did. Yellow fever was a constant in the area, and longevity was not a norm. Both Generals Grant and Lee wanted their troops out of these areas during "the seasons of pestilence." This was not to be, and both armies suffered devastating losses to disease. Kate treated the "fever season" as a fact of life, and planned around it with remarkable briskness.

By 1862, the Stone family was desperate. The Federal leadership demanded that they stay on their property; yet there were serious slave insurrections that threatened the lives of the plantation holders. Those slaves who were not hostile were running off, and there was no labor to farm the crops. Many southerners could not believe that their "loyal" slaves would run away. Kate was not among them, saying, "If I were in their place, I'd do the same." She was by no means sympathetic, just practical.

The family finally escaped through the bayous in a rickety canoe with nothing, not even underwear, and finally made it across the border into Texas. They were refugees along with many other prominent Louisiana families. Kate was convinced they had arrived at "a dark corner of the Confederacy." Upon noting the barefoot but hoop skirted frontier ladies, she sniffed "there must be something in the air of Texas fatal to beauty."

Kate agonized over the increasingly bad war news and was devastated by Lee's surrender. Kate is one of the most vivid, perceptive diarists of the Civil War. Her diary is one of social history, a time of calamitous change and invaluable for understanding this crucial time in American history. Kate is a natural writer and observer. A highly enjoyable read.

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