Book Description
In eight new essays, contributors to this volume explore the Shenandoah Valley campaign, best known for its role in establishing Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's reputation as a Confederate hero.
In early 1862, Union troops under George B. McClellan had arrived within range of Richmond and threatened to take the Confederate capital. Robert E. Lee ordered Jackson to march north through the Shenandoah Valley, hoping to tie down Federal forces that might otherwise reinforce McClellan's troops. The strategy worked, and for two months the Confederates evaded and harassed their Union pursuers. Jackson's speed and audacity boosted plummeting Southern morale, and he emerged from the Valley as the Confederacy's greatest military idol.
Contributors address questions of military leadership, strategy and tactics, the campaign's political and social impact, and the ways in which participants' memories of events differed from what is revealed in the historical sources. In the process, they offer valuable insights into one of the Confederacy's most famous generals, those who fought with him and against him, the campaign's larger importance in the context of the war, and the complex relationship between history and memory.
Contributors include Jonathan M. Berkey, Keith S. Bohannon, Peter S. Carmichael, Gary W. Gallagher, A. Cash Koeniger, R. E. L. Krick, Robert K. Krick, and William J. Miller.
Customer Reviews:
Selling Out? Hardly!.......2006-03-26
I read with incredulity the review that accused Gary Gallagher of "selling out" because he has steadily broadened his "Military Campaigns of the Civil War" series to incorporate more political, social, and cultural context. Wars do not occur in a vacuum, and the direction of Gallagher's series has shown both scholarly growth and real leadership.
Too much Civil War history falls into two categories. First, the category of operational/tactical studies -- narratives of combat for its own sake, usually with no sense of a larger military context (for instance, whether the ranges of engagement in a given battle better support the argument that the rifled musket had a revolutionary impact, or whether the fighting was essentially just incrementally different from Napoleonic combat). Second, the category of political and social histories that virtually ignore the fact that the Civil War was, indeed, a *war.*
Gallagher is one of the finest examples of a Civil War historian determined to bring these two categories into active conversation with each other. He has trained some of the best young Civil War historians we have, and has influenced them to look seriously at the intersection of military, political, social and cultural developments. One of his proteges, Bill Blair of Penn State University, has revitalized _Civil War History_, the flagship journal of the field, and Gallagher's two series for University of North Carolina Press--"Civil War America" as well as "Military Campaigns of the Civil War" -- regularly showcase up and coming historians as well as established ones. He is, I would argue, the most important single scholar shaping the field today.
I don't mind seeing historians criticized. That's part of the business. I don't even mind people who don't know what they're talking about, like the author of the "sell-out" comment. I do mind it when people can't express their opinions in a civil manner.
What's truly weird is that Gallagher's essay in this volume is a classic bit of strategic command-level analysis, while Bob Krick -- whom the "sell-out" reviewer praises for doing "pure" military history -- here contributes an essay on the development of Stonewall Jackson's public image.
It makes you wonder if the guy even read the book.
Oh, and one last thing: Mr. Sell-Out seems to think it's easy to edit a volume of essays. In my experience, it's as difficult as writing a book of one's own, and sometimes more so.
-- Mark Grimsley, author of _The Hard Hand of War_ and a specialist in military history at The Ohio State University
Essays cover various aspects of well known campaign.......2003-08-27
With this book, Gary Gallagher continues his efforts to add details to well known Civil War campaigns by compiling essays from a variety of authors. In Gallagher's opinion, most Civil War battles have already been covered well enough by one author or another in narrative form. Thus, the challenge becomes, how can greater detail and insight be presented without simply rehashing the same facts and figures of previous works. His campaign series takes the approach that it would be interesting to have noted Civil War historians present detailed essays about various military aspects of a certain campaign. Typically, these books have resulted from summertime battlefield tours that Dr. Gallagher offers through his university history department (first with Penn State, and now with UVa).
The Shendandoan Valley Campaign of 1862 is somewhat different than previous installments of this series for two main reasons. First, even Gallagher admits that a great overall narrative of this campaign has not been written. Most people know of the campaign, but they do not really know the details of what happened. I fall into this category. I know the basic plot of Stonewall Jackson helping save Richmond through his military exploits and victories against a handful of bumbling Union generals in the Shenandoan Valley. These essays have definitely helped broaden my understanding of what actually occurred.
Secondly, as a previous reviewer mentioned, this book does not have much of a military focus. Instead, it covers a wide gamut of topics. I like the variety and enjoyed most of the essays, but I must admit that a few of them seem somewhat misplaced in a military campaign series. The first few essays discuss Jackson's success, and the impact it had on Union plans, and I would have like to see more of these type essays included. That is my main criticism of the book. Although I found all eight essays well written, at least two of them were not very interesting.
Despite its flaws, I still recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about this campaign. If you are looking for a book that details the various battles fought during the campaign, this is not the right book for you. But, if you are looking for a broad perspective of the campaign, and how it impacted those involved (soldiers, generals, civilians, and government leaders), then you will be pleased by the contents of this book.
Another essay collection from Gary Gallagher.......2003-07-23
Back in the mid-90s, Gary W. Gallagher made a name for himself collecting a series of essays on the battle of Gettysburg. They were more than just histories of parts of the battle. For one thing, the authors looked into various parts of the battle that bad been neglected or misinterpreted, and reexamined things that were taken for granted. For another, the authors examined subjects that hadn't been written about before. One essay even looked into the historiography of Pickett's Charge, and why it was viewed the way it was by the participants.
Since then Gallagher's been doing these at approximately the rate of one a year. All of the campaigns covered so far have been in the Eastern Theater, and all have been relatively well-covered in more comprehensive books. This volume, dealing primarily with Stonewall Jackson's campaign in the Shenandoah in 1862, is something of a departure for the series. The author admits that there's no comprehensive study of the campaign from both sides, and then apologizes half-heartedly for this entry to the series, which devotes most of its attention to the Confederates. Frankly, I don't think that's neccessary. I'm no Southerner, but to be honest, the Yankees in this campaign aren't that interesting. Stonewall, on the other hand, is fascinating, warts and all.
The essays cover a wide range of subjects, and cover them well, for the most part. One deals with Lincoln the war president responding to the crisis in the Valley, another is devoted to Jackson's image and what it meant to the South. One looks at Ashby's image also (this is a common theme in the series, what things meant to the participants, and how they changed history in order to suit their preconceptions), while two other essays examine how the common people looked at the campaign, one following a particular Confederate regiment, the other the civilians in the path of the campaign. Another essay is a brief biography of Charles S. Winder, the commander of the Stonewall Brigade for part of the campaign, while the last image deals with the court martial of Richard B. Garnett. Of all the essays, only the Garnett one is inadequate, with the author plowing little new ground, and basically rehashing what we already know: Jackson couldn't stand to be contradicted, even when he was demonstrably wrong.
The series has gotten away from the battlefield pretty much entirely now. I'm not sure I like this development. I did like it that the series spent some time paying attention to things that weren't directly related to the fighting, but I also enjoyed the battlefield analysis. I'm afraid I am a bit perturbed that Gallagher has gone as far as he has. That doesn't however mean I don't recommend the book; just that I wish he would balance things a bit more.
Book Description
The Valley Campaign conducted by Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson has long fascinated those interested in the American Civil War as well as general students of military history, all of whom still question exactly what Jackson did in the Shenandoah in 1862 and how he did it. Since Robert G. Tanner answered many questions in the first edition of Stonewall in the Valley in 1976, he has continued to research the campaign. This edition offers new insights on the most significant moments of Stonewall's Shenandoah triumph.
Customer Reviews:
Thrilling, informative, the best.......2007-04-13
A well-written and thoroughly researched account of one of the most impressive military campaigns in history. Mr. Tanner's portrayal is an enjoyable read without the sappy hero worship yet with all the details that gave us the Stonewall legend. No one can doubt the genius of this unlikely military leader nor his place in military history. Few could compare to the Elder Jackson's pious and quiet humility in victory and genious of maneuver. The valley campaign is studied to this day as a model of the indirect approach and the importance of maneuverability. Mr. Tanner gives us the best account yet of that campaign to thrill and inform. Very highly recommended.
A Remarkable Book!.......2004-10-17
I have always been fascinated by the Valley Campaign, and surprised that nothing appeared to have been written specifically on the Campaign itself - at least nothing definitive.
I just knew Tanner's book was what I was looking for, just by the appearance of it. And in fact it is THE definitive account of the Shenandoah Campauign of 1862.
This is a remarkable campaign history. Never does Tanner's pacing seem off. He tells the reader precisely what he or she wishes to know. At proper moments he gives a literary touch to th writing; at other times he tells us what the soldiers were thinking; and at other times he tells amusing anecdotes.
THe sheer amount of research that must have gone into this book is phenomenal. Most books on civil war battles and campaigns tend to rely on accrued secondary evidence, and those pieces of primar evidence that are already widely known.
Tanner, on the other hand, has miraculously discoverd sources NEVER before seen. He is so thorough that the bibliographu and notes take up a seriously large portion of the book. And the information is important - a good deal of it clarifies points that have always been puzzling. For example, he proves that the famous Staunton maneuver, where Jackson seemed to deliberately leave the Valley on foot, only to return by train, was actually ad hoc, and probably not intended.
On the other hand, the new evidence regarding the march south from the Battle of Winchester really makes you feel sorry for the Valley soldiers - my feet really almost felt sore even reading about walking that fast, and going without sleep for so long.
Jackson himself comes across as a flawed genius, which he undoubtedly was. While he was a remarkable soldier, one must admit that there were certain aspects of his character that nearly defeated him on occasion; his almost continuous friction with his subordinates, his extreme strictness, his extreme inflexibility, his religious fervour, his inability to know when his soldiers were past breaking point.
Yet we also see Jackson's incredible energy, his strategic genius, his unerring instinct for what to do next.
Ultimately Tanner's book is about as definitive as a campaign book can get, and is highly recommended to anyone interested in the Civil War.
Excellent History of the 1862 Valley Campaign.......2004-09-14
Tanner has written an excellent summary of the Valley Campaign that established Jackson as a Civil War legend. He manages to describe the experiences of privates and officers who fought in the campaign. While the majority of the book focuses on the Southern side, Tanner is fair and objective in his description of the abilities of the main characters.
Before going into the campaign study, Tanner describes the early history and importance of the Shennandoah Valley and why the area was such an important objective during the Civil War. The maps were okay but could have been more detailed and numerous to enable the reader to better understand the campaign movements and locations.
I particularly appreciated Tanner's fair treatment of Jackson: while we Southerners tend to idolize Jackson, Tanner points out Jackson's most serious flaws: secrecy and inability to get along with subordinates. Indeed, both tendencies probably would have kept Jackson (had he survived the war) from attaining the status of Lee, Grant, Sherman, Thomas, and Johnston. Admittingly, I have read of Jackson's tendencies in several other books.
I highly recommend the book as the standard for a study of the 1862 Shennandoah Valley Campaign. Read and enjoy!
Awesome.......2004-05-04
I'm only about 1/3 through, but I can tell that this is an awesome piece of work. I'm surprised not to see more feedback here.
Tanner does an excellent job of presenting the Confederate deatils of the early valley campaign. He gives an excellent quick history of the valley as far as original colonization, American Revolution tie-ins, etc. He also paints a good picture of the strategic importance of the valley. So far reading, I'm surprised that more action did not take place within the 2 mountain ranges that make this "valley."
Tanner covers every level of the campaigns from simple private, to captains, to regimental colonels, to brigadier generals, all the way up to division commanders and of course General Jackson. Detailed troop movements are given, yet I did not find myself lost in details. Maps are excellent and numerous.
Also, very important, is reference to other Eastern developments which caused the ebb and flow in the Valley. You get the details as to why certain troops found themselves headed in or out of the valley, especially for the Union side.
The writing is very clear, concise, and at times very poetic. I wouldn't say Tanner is another Catton or Foote, but he comes pretty darn close. Much better than a typical dry account of campaigns you usually see out there.
I've been doing a lot of reading on ACW lately. I wasn't quite sure whether to read this because there seemed to be so many other more important works out there. But I'm glad I'm reading it as Tanner does an excellent job of briging this often forgot and vital campaign to life.
Remember it is Jackson's brilliance in the campaign which delays McCellan from striking Richmond by causing panic in Washington and delaying troop concentrations, and more importantly, it is his superiority in the Valley which allows him to break loose and help kick off the 7 Days (although he was MIA in helping).
Any serious ACW student should read this book.
I feel like I was there in the valley.......2003-10-11
Very well written, detailed account of Jackson's dazzling Shenandoah valley campaign. The valley campaign, Jackson's last significant independent activity before attaching himself to General Lee, makes for great civil war history. The author writes in a way that makes you feel like you're a part of Jackson's army, from lowest private to brigadier general. The maps, most of which are reproductions of Jed Hotchkiss's maps drawn at the time, could stand a little more detail but the narrative fills in most of the gaps pretty well. Focuses entirely on Jackson during the campaign and his place in the overall picture at the time. While this book is probably not for novices, it is an excellent and informative read for those with an interest in Jackson and/or the Northern Virginia theater of the war.
Average customer rating:
- Col. Allan's Classic Work
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Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee; And the Army of Northern Virginia, 1862
William Allan
Manufacturer: Westview Press
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0306806568 |
Book Description
This volume unites two classic Civil War campaign studies by the foremost southern historian of the immediate postwar era: History of the Campaign of Gen. T. J. (Stonewall) Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and The Army of Northern Virginia in 1862. Together they comprise a brilliant, breathtaking chronicle of the high tide of the Confederacy in 1862: Jackson's dazzling generalship in the Valley Campaign; Lee's bold offensive during the Seven Days Battle; the stunning Confederate victory at Second Manassas; Lee's decision to carry the war to enemy territory; the capture of Harper's Ferry; the bitterly fought Battle of Sharpsburg; and the bloody, humiliating Federal defeat at Fredericksburg.
Customer Reviews:
Col. Allan's Classic Work.......2003-07-04
An essential for any serious student of Jackson or the Army of Northern Virginia. Five stars plus, but not for the novice. Col. Allan was Jackson's ordnance officer, and after the war he devoted the better part of his remaining years to these two comprehensive works included under one cover. Allan intended to write a comprehensive history of the Army of Northern Virginia for the entirety of the war, but his premature death left this greater work unfinished. His work on Jackson, which primarily covers the Valley Campaign, I consider the better of the two works because of its greater completeness. Both, however, are superb, early intensely scholastic efforts on the war, fully deserving of the stature as primary source works on the Civil War. The footnotes are old-style, page by page. Read them that way; slow, but it adds flavor. Buy this one while it is available.
Customer Reviews:
A Good Look into Jackson's Mind.......2004-06-18
The book offers a detailed account of the Valley Campaign from the Confederate point of view, and Tanner does a really good job of getting into Jackson's mentality as the Campaign unfolded.
Tanner acknowledges that his book only covers the Confederate actions in detail at the very beginning. So while we get a good account of how Jackson's army marched and faced Milroy, Fremont and Banks, the book doesn't explain the Union forces' inactivity and movements as much.
Tanner maintains objectivity by critically analyzing Jackson's relations with subordinates and finding fault with Jackson. He also makes it very clear that while Jackson was clearly a strategic expert regarding maneuver, his tactics on the battlefield were nowhere near as good (and this important point becomes more obvious during the Seven Days and Second Bull Run).
All in all a good account. More maps would have been nice but they were ample enough. Tanner did a good job of analyzing every critical aspect of a very complex campaign.
THE Book to Own on The Valley Campaign.......2004-02-20
This is quite simply THE book to buy on the Valley Campaign. Tanner first wrote this book in the 1970's and updated it in 1996 after new light had been shed on the subject. I have been told by more than one person that this is the one book you need to read to understand the campaign. After finishing the book, I am absolutely convinced that this is the one book you must own on this campaign. Tanner covers everything from the Stonewall Brigade's reentry into the Valley all the way through the trip to Richmond prior to the Seven Days. Tanner analyses the action instead of just reciting what happened. He also offers more than one viewpoint in certain controversial areas of the Campaign. All in all a great book, and one that I'm glad to have in my collection. 599 pp, 14 maps
Definitive Account of the Army of the Valley, Summer of '62.......1999-01-06
Generals such as Patton and Rommel were drawn to study Jackson's Valley Campaign because of the successful use of mobility and concentration of force in local engagements to overcome theater area force inferiority. "Stonewall in the Valley" is an incredible story, fundamental to an understanding of the ACW for amateur and professional historians alike. A testament to Mr. Tanner's zeal for history and accuracy was his willingness to go back and undertake a major revision, twenty years after initial publication of the original classic. It is rare that one can point to a signal source of this type as an undisputed, authoritative classic - Hennessy's "Return to Bull Run" and Coddington's "Gettysburg Campaign" are two other examples. Mr. Tanner's work is a success at every level. Whether discussing national politics or the effect of local roads on soldiers' shoes, the commentary is thoroughly researched and rendered with an understandable authority. He is equally adept at identifying and explaining causes and effects and debunking many of the popular myths that have arisen over the years. This is not another contribution to the plethora of Stonewall legend making compilations - this is a serious historical work which examines exactly what happened, the when and the how, the why and why not. There is a most enlightening addition in this revision which discusses the operational art of war - actions which translate overall theater strategy to local area tactics - in the context of Stonewall's Valley Campaign. Mr. Tanner bucks the trend in giving Joe Johnston some credit and in rendering just criticism of the mighty Stonewall where appropriate (more often and harsher than expected). If only we were so lucky as to have a treatment such as this for every other ACW campaign - we can only hope.
A detailed analysis of Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign.......1998-10-19
Probably the most detailed analysis of Jackson's Valley Campaign I have ever read. Tanner has gone to great length to document every detail of the classic campaign fought in the Shenandoah Valley in 1862. New evidence and extensive analysis are presented in an effort to explain some of the controversies of the campaign. Tanner's conclusions differ in some respects from the traditional explanations of some of Jackson's actions but he backs them up well in light of new evidence. The book will make for rather dry reading for those not interested in military history but for the Civil War buff and Jackson admirer it is the best account I have read of Jackson's career as an independent army commander.
Customer Reviews:
a soilders story.......2003-10-06
this book tells the story of the shenandoah campaign in 1862 through actual soilders acconts they unfold like a story and the pictures are great as a former resident of the valley i LOVED the illustraion of the valley and it is very helpful while reading this book you'll learn a lot about the battles and about the personal stories highly recomended
Book Description
During May and June 1862, General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson catapulted from relative obscurity to perpetual fame on the basis of his operations in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. Two victories in two days, June 8 and 9 at Cross Keys and Port Republic, cemented Jackson's success in the Valley Campaign and ensured him a lasting place in the annals of American military history. Conquering the Valley examines Cross Keys and Port Republic in tactical detail and also unveils the experiences and feelings of the soldiers who fought there.
Customer Reviews:
A small battle and a great story.......2006-12-27
No one today knows more about the Army of Northern Virginia and Stonewall Jackson than Robert Krick. Some historians are great researchers and some are great writers. Krick is both. He has taken the battle of Port Republic and made it into a fascinating story. Few people, other than die hard Civil War buffs, are aware of this conflict in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. It was the last battle of Stonewall Jacksons' brilliant Valley Campaign. The book covers the battles of Cross Keys and Port Republic and the events leading up to them. There is the tragic story of the charge of the 8th New York, the bold attack by Sprigg Carroll and his men, the courage of Sam Moore, and the vicious fight for the "Coaling." This is historical writing at it's best, and Krick is the master of the subject.
First Rate.......2004-02-20
This is the first addition to my collection focusing on the Valley Campaign, and what better author is there to choose than Robert Krick? None, when we're talking about Jackson and his Valley Army. I have now read this book and found it to be an excellent work on the twin battles of Cross Keys and Port Republic. Krick does a fine job describing the action in exciting detail. The maps are very, very well done and go down to the regimental level, always a plus in my book. Also, a note of caution is in order. Apparently some maps in the original hardcover edition were missing a lot of text labels. I don't know if this has since been fixed, but be aware of this flaw when looking at the hardcover edition.
Lots of Detail - Best Telling of Port Republic : Nice Town.......2002-09-04
This is the most documented source on Jackson at the battles of Port Republic and Cross Keyes where Jackson's army stand between two armies that are trying to trap and squeeze him, which they almost succeed in doing at the start. Like the great author of the Gettysburg series Harry W. Pfanz, Robert Krick is the ultimate researcher on the tactics of Stonewall Jackson. Like Pfanz with Gettysburg, Krick is ultimately familiar with his subject particularly because he was the Superintendent of all the battlefields around Fredericksburg (Spotsylvania, Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg and the Wilderness). Krick is also the grand researcher of soldiers' letters and writings and through his research he has weeded out fact from fiction. Examples are the puffed writings of Trimble about his brigade at Cross Keyes. Krick reveals that Trimble's writings often neglected the role of other units on the field while heaping a disproportionate amount of praise on his own. Discerning historical inaccuracies is one reason why Krick's books provide an accurate portrayal of a battle or the campaign. Others that suffer from exaggeration, misperceptions and/or ego inflation are Chief of Staff Dabney and Colonel Imboden. The references to Colonel Dabney are humorous to some degree as Dabney performs well in some areas, he does try hard but in a lot of cases he is not as effective as he seems to think. Imboden's false references to interaction with Jackson make one question his famous comments that he witnessed Lee's distressed comments after Picket's Charge.
The village of Port Republic is still a small town nestled against the South and North Rivers that form the South Shenandoah with Cross Keyes across the North River to the west. The area still looks the same with modest encroachment from Harrisonburg just west of Cross Keyes. Krick details a blow-by-blow account of the battle interlaced withy biographies of the participants, their role in battle and even quoting them from their own source material or from first person accounts about particular individuals.
I particularly found the beginning of this last battle of the famous Valley Campaign fascinating as Jackson, his staff, his wagons and a small infantry unit with novice artillery are leisurely enjoying a summers' day when suddenly a complete cavalry detachment bursts on the scene almost capturing Jackson and all his staff (bagged some). The disheartening failure of the Calvary after Turner Ashby's death left no protection or early warning of the Federal rush. The story of the small infantry detachment at the end of Main Street with a few guns of artillery banding together to hold off the union force is an inspiring story. They saved the wagon train and gave time for Jackson to coordinate portions of the majority of his army resting on the opposite riverbank in time to salvage his hold on this small town.
The description of Ewell's relatively easy and effective defense of Cross Keyes exemplifies Fremont's failure as a commander. The other high point of the book is the description of the desperate fighting northeast of Port Republic where Jackson transfers the bulk of his forces from Cross Keyes to Port Republic to defeat the Federals who are better positioned defensively with a particularly strong artillery detachment on the side of a mountain called the coaling. Only a desperate attack by Taylor's Division through course woods saves the day as Jackson's units on the flats take a pounding. Ewell coordinates well indicating a perfect and under appreciated subordinate to Jackson.
The maps are difficult to follow in the early beginning but the publisher produces them better toward the end and they become very helpful as they finally label the units.
Take this book after you read it to the town of Port Republic. There are very limited markers in town and at Cross Keyes 4 miles west, but the book and maps help you get a picture of the battles on land that is hardly changed. This is fascinating because the little town has a modest museum in the house that Turner Ashby was prepared for burial in (open only on Sundays) but no commercialism. The fishing and general store always has a pleasant person to help you out with some information. You need the book because you will have better information then what many of local folk can tell you at random. The vicious battle outside of Port Republic has a marker and parking lot on HWY 354 about 3 miles northeast of town. Again, the maps will help, as the area is still much the same at 100 years ago. A very low-key battlefield without any gratuitous designations but hopefully it will be protected some day with enhanced markers.
Oh by the way, Krick gets in his usual swipe at Longstreet by referring to Trimble as bombastic but not as bad as Longstreet. Looking for Krick's dig at Longstreet in any feature is similar to finding Alfred Hitchcock's cameo in all his movies. The similarity, they are always there, you just have to look and wait for them.
Fine writing, but fatally flawed maps.......1999-06-28
Robert K. Krick, a well known authority on the Army of Northern Virginia, has written a fine account of the culmination of the 1862 Valley Campaign at the Battle of Port Republic. Unfortunately, the maps, which are always an indispensible adjunct to military writing, are a shambles. Thanks, evidently, to an oversight by the publisher, about half of the numerous maps lack the textual labels to identify the various units. Thus, the reader is left to guess at just what the maps are depicting. A work that is otherwise as meritorious as this deserves far, far better care by the publisher than this one received.
An enjoyable read about a little known battle.......1998-05-04
I found this book to be well written, extensively researched and very well presented. It took me some time to get into the book but after the first few chapters I was hooked. The depth of information is excellent, the maps well presented, well placed and easy to read. I had no problems in reading this book and understanding the flow of the battle. The stories of the individuals involved in the fighting were interesting and did not distract you from the narrative. At first I thought the author may have had a Southern bias but I was wrong, he presented both sides well and he highlighted acts of bravery on both sides. I am still reading this book with but a few chapters to go and I have enjoyed it very much. In fact I have enjoyed it so much that I intend to order the author's 'Stonewall Jackson at Cedar Mountain' as soon as I can. This book is well worth the time to read.
Customer Reviews:
McDowell is a best seller.......1997-11-08
The Battle of McDowell is the first of it's kind in the respect that it is devoted to the history of this important battle in Highland County, Virginia. Anyone interested in further details of the battle may e-mail me at 7thcav@va.tds.net and I will do my best to answer their questions.
I thank you,
Richard L. Armstrong.
P. S. - Yes, I am that Richard L. Armstrong.
Customer Reviews:
Accurate FACTS.......2006-03-07
Unlike the biography of himself entitled "4 Years in the Saddle" whereas Colonel Gilmor elaborates maybe a little too much on his triumphs and set backs personally, this book gives a more accurate account of the 4 years of struggle for this Maryland native who went south to fight. I have read both books and find Mr Ackinclose's version much easier to read and more factual based on the actual history from that era. Highly recommended.
Customer Reviews:
Surprisingly bad, the worst in the Time-Life series.......2001-06-05
I've found the Time-Life series to be generally well done, presenting mostly introductory and basic material, but at least accurate. This volume is an exception. Despite conferring with Robertson, Jackson's main biographer, the author still repeats the myths about lemons, Jackson standing sole guard for his army, etc. etc. Overall the analysis seems light and the maps, which are very good in some other volumes, are too few. This book seems to me to only be worth reading for the illustrations. Skip it, and get Tanner's book instead.
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