Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era (Oxford History of the United States)

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Published in 1988 to universal acclaim, this single-volume treatment of the Civil War quickly became recognized as the new standard in its field. James M. McPherson, who won the Pulitzer Prize for this book, impressively combines a brisk writing style with an admirable thoroughness. He covers the military aspects of the war in all of the necessary detail, and also provides a helpful framework describing the complex economic, political, and social forces behind the conflict. Perhaps more than any other book, this one belongs on the bookshelf of every Civil War buff.

Book Description

Filled with fresh interpretations and information, puncturing old myths and challenging new ones, Battle Cry of Freedom will unquestionably become the standard one-volume history of the Civil War. James McPherson's fast-paced narrative fully integrates the political, social, and military events that crowded the two decades from the outbreak of one war in Mexico to the ending of another at Appomattox. Packed with drama and analytical insight, the book vividly recounts the momentous episodes that preceded the Civil War--the Dred Scott decision, the Lincoln-Douglas debates, John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry--and then moves into a masterful chronicle of the war itself--the battles, the strategic maneuvering on both sides, the politics, and the personalities. Particularly notable are McPherson's new views on such matters as the slavery expansion issue in the 1850s, the origins of the Republican Party, the causes of secession, internal dissent and anti-war opposition in the North and the South, and the reasons for the Union's victory. The book's title refers to the sentiments that informed both the Northern and Southern views of the conflict: the South seceded in the name of that freedom of self-determination and self-government for which their fathers had fought in 1776, while the North stood fast in defense of the Union founded by those fathers as the bulwark of American liberty. Eventually, the North had to grapple with the underlying cause of the war--slavery--and adopt a policy of emancipation as a second war aim. This "new birth of freedom," as Lincoln called it, constitutes the proudest legacy of America's bloodiest conflict. This authoritative volume makes sense of that vast and confusing "second American Revolution" we call the Civil War, a war that transformed a nation and expanded our heritage of liberty.

Customer Reviews:

Great read with a Northern bias.......2007-10-05

As many others have commented, this is a great one volume history of the Civil war and is easy to read.
The long build up to the firing on Fort Sumter also sets the political context well though I agree with some other reviewers that the narrative is a little thin on the battle sequences. But for a detailed account of the military campaigns to have been included you'd have needed alot more than the 862 pages of this book. So my verdict is that it's as good as it gets for a work of this size.
There's definitely a Northern bias so I'll be reading Shelby Foote's 3 volumes to get a more Southern perspective.
As MacPherson so aptly ends his work the point about the Civil War was that in many ways the secession consisted of a counter-Revolution. Southern Society in fact represented the old, pre-industrial world, mirrored in many parts of Europe at the time, while it was in the North that the real revolution had occurred. My one criticism therefore is that I would have liked to see this theme developed a little more. Was slavery really the central issue which MacPherson makes it or was the war more a clash of competing social visions, with the Southern States' vision more closely resembling that of the Founding Fathers?
With the power of Federal Government increasing daily over our lives this question has more relevance today than it has had in decades.
A great read.

Too much, too small.......2007-09-19

First, prior to reading "Battle Cry for Freedom", I read "Team of Rivals" by Doris Kearns Goodwin which encompassed the political aspect of the era. "Team of Rivals" was one of the best books I have read in a while which made "Battle Cry of Freedom" pail in comparison. My saving hope was "Battle Cry of Freedom" would cover more of the war aspect which is done, sort of.

The beauty of this books is its scope in which it covers the war, the politics, daily lifestyles, North and South (I think its focused more on the Union), the economics, the issues and leaders of the era (1850's to 60's). It truly is comprehensive in terms of it being a single volume. To that point, simply the vast amount of information is crammed into the book and much detail is left out. For example, less than 40 pages (out of approx 850 pages) are dedicated to the closing year of the war when Grant took over command of the entire army. Numerous major battles and campaigns took place where a lot of detail was not allotted. I felt the author rushed through this part especially since it being a climatic part of the war. Another example is the assaination of Lincoln (and atteps of cabinet embers) was limited to one paragraph in the approx. 8 page epilogue. So with the ending of the war, the book ended just as abruptly. The book itself was all bones and very little meat. In this respect, this is a good book for one who would like a light, general background on the Civil War and the era. But for those who are truly interested in this American War and the politics, I find there are far better books and one book simply will not suffice.

The book read more or less like a text book (dry) vs. a good novel. There was a review in which someone said "every hear of a movie in which everyone was saying how great a film it was but when you watched it, you scratched your head wondering if you didn't get it cause it wasn't that good to justify the rave over it?" Well my sentiments exactly. This book gets high praise but I failed to see why it was so good. I contemplated putting it down numerous times and being satisfied with reading "Team of Rivals" for the politics and Shelby Foote's trilogy (for the war itself). But I persevered. I did learn a lot for this book, do not get me wrong. But it was a chore to remain interested with the author's style and drudge forward reading on. I probably would not recommend it to a friend but rather the Kern's or Foote's books instead.

Superb account of the civil war!.......2007-08-13

Having read about a quarter into the book so far, I find it a gripping account of the affairs leading up to the American Civil War and the war itself. Being a European I didn't know much about this era of American history (and I'm only beginning to scratch the surface of it!) but it gives a superb insight in what made this war happen and how it progressed. Every aspect of that time is covered: social, economic, political and judicial (my personal favorite) events that shaped the history of the first three quarters of 19th century America. I think this book will be a valuable addition to any one's library who's interested in Amercian history and politics, not just the civil war itself, even though that is of course the main theme of this book. A definite must-buy!

Best 1 Volume History of the War.......2007-08-03

This is simply the best single volume history of the Civil War Era in existence. The book flows exceptionally well, reading almost like a good fiction story rather than nonfiction. Grossly entertaining yet informative, treatment and coverage of the period is pretty well balanced. Although I disagree with McPherson's analysis that a Northern Political Revolution started the war or his contingency theory that at several key instances, had events unfolded differently, the outcome of the south would have been successful in her attempt at permanent disunion. However, it is still the best, and still my favorite one volume history of the era.

Finest book on the Civil War.......2007-07-30

As has been said here before: If you only read one book on the history of the Civil War, make it this book! I never expected such a comprehensive and detailed survey of the political, social and economic forces at play to be contained in this one book. There are few books I buy extra copies of to pass around to friends, but this is one that has earned that rank. The only other I can think of at this time is Unintended Consequences by John Ross. Don't pass this one by either.

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Stampp on Reconstruction
Well argued theory
Stampp no more valid than Dunning
A Solid History of Reconstruction
Excellent summary of revisionists' Reconstruction

The Era of Reconstruction, 1865-1877
Kenneth M. Stampp
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877
A Short History of Reconstruction
Black Reconstruction in America, 1860-1880
Reconstruction after the Civil War (The Chicago History of American Civilization)
The Birth of the Republic, 1763-89 (The Chicago History of American Civilization)

ASIN: 039470388X
Release Date: 1967-10-12

Customer Reviews:

Stampp on Reconstruction.......2007-01-05

A cohesive and well-written account of Reconstruction by a world-renowned historian. Stampp does not present a flowing narrative of historical events, rather he gives his own revisionist perspective on the policies of both the Johnson administration and the Radical Republicans. An excellent work of scholarship, accessible to both the student and those with a general interest in American history - Thoroughly recommended.

Well argued theory.......2005-09-01

The standard view of reconstruction up to the middle of the last century was that it was very bad: the radical Republicans, opposed to Lincoln's desire to show leniency toward the people of the South after the rebellion was terminated, went out of their way to see that the South was "punished." Historians began revising this view during the 1960s; Stampp's book is among the best of these revisions. Stampp admits there were many mistakes committed by the radical Republicans, and their idealistic aims, especially toward the blacks, might not have been so pure, but he believes if it wasn't for the radicals there would be no 14th or 15th Ammendments to the Constitution. As with most controversies, there is probably truth to be found on both sides of the argument. Stampp develops his argument carefully and fairly. What was truly tragic was the utter failure of the government (and the people) to prevent or even care any longer about the South's "experiment" with two separate societies, which began in earnest after Grant's two disastrous terms as President. Jim Crow would end up being almost as bad as slavery itself.

Stampp no more valid than Dunning.......2004-06-30

I have read the books by Stampp, Foner, Dubois, and Dunning and find that each of them has hold of a part of the history of the "elephant" (as in the blind men trying to describe something) known as Reconstruction. Dunning and his "Dunning School" on the subject was academically and historically accurate and cannot be discredited, but neither can Stampp be challenged on his attempt to revise the history of the "tragic decade" and the scar left behind by the attempt to reconstruct the southern states in the image of the "radical" members of Congress and the United States military. However, Stampp comes to the subject matter with his own bias and prejudices based on ethnicity and "liberal" politically-correct scholarship. The "elephant" was long gone before any of these writers described Reconstruction 1865-1877, so all we can do in the name of intellectual honesty is read them all with the awareness that
Stampp is no more valid than Dunning.

A Solid History of Reconstruction.......2004-01-14

What amazed me the most about this book by Kenneth Stampp is its readability. The book is suprisingly entertaining despite what some may consider its dry subject matter. Although, some of the revisionist ideas of Mr. Stampp have been taken to task by recent historians, The Era of Reconstruction still remains one of the essential tools for any student of American history.

Mr. Stampp can perhaps be taken to task for some of the far-fetched psychological connections he makes when trying to surmise the motiviations of historical personages, most notably Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, but the fact that Stampp used psychology in his historical speculations is remarkable because of the fact that his work was written in the mid sixties. By delving deeper than any historian before him into the motivations behind reconstruction, Stampp's work remains fresh and readable even today.

Excellent summary of revisionists' Reconstruction.......2001-05-20

This book is not and it does not pretend to be an in-depth analysis of all relevant aspects of Reconstruction or a detailed narrative of all of the events that took place in this period. Rather, it is an excellent summary of the revisionist scholarship about Reconstruction that gained currency in the '50s and '60s, and it is essential reading for anyone interested in this era of history.

The Dunning view of Reconstruction, which had almost universal scholarly and popular acceptance from the turn of the 20th Century until the '50s, held that rapacious and vindictive Radical Republicans hijacked the Reconstruction process from the just and magnanimous policies of Andrew Johnson and installed in the South state governments dominated by unscrupulous and incompetent white carpetbaggers and scalawags. These state governments were monuments to misgovernment and corruption, and the entire region (indeed, the entire country) breathed a collective sigh of relief when the white "redeemers" finally forced them out of office. The black freedmen were portrayed as ignorant, infantile, incapable of self-government, and prone to political and economic manipulation in this account of Reconstruction.

Revisionist scholars, beginning as early as 1909 with W.E.B. DuBois seminal paper about the subject but really not gaining momentum until the '50s, held that the Dunning school was substantially in error about the progress and nature of Reconstruction, and that this error was largely caused by bald racial prejudice. While the Radical Republicans did have crass economic motives, they honestly believed that the freedmen ought to have civil and political rights. While the Reconstruction state governments were often corrupt and incompetent, they were not out of the ordinary for state governments of the time, and the redeemer governments were frequently as bad or worse. Despite the corruption and the base motivations that did exist, much was accomplished during Reconstruction that should inspire pride: the Reconstruction Amendments to the Constitution, which guaranteed blacks civil and political rights; the Civil Rights Acts of 1866 and 1875, which guaranteed blacks the equal use of public accomodations and which provided the Federal government with the legal basis to prosecute those who would deny the black man his civil rights; the institution of truly republican governments in the former Confederacy; the beginning of the reconstruction of the South's infrastructure, which had been largely destroyed by the Civil War; and the foundation of such worthwhile institutions as state-supported schools.

Stampp does an admirable job of summarizing both the historiography of Reconstruction and the revisionist view of it. His prose may be somewhat dry at times, but nevertheless it is lucid and engaging in its totality. The key merit of this book is not, however, its groundbreaking scholarship -- indeed, there is nothing groundbreaking about this book -- or its literary style. This has been an enormously influential book because it makes revisionist scholarship about Reconstruction accessible to the masses. In so doing, it has performed the invaluable task of popularizing the revisionist conclusions about Reconstruction, thus making popular acceptance of our later-day Reconstruction, the Civil Rights movement, more readily attainable.

As wonderful and influential as this book is, it is not without its shortcomings. Stampp does an insufficient job of citing his sources. This is, in part, because this book is largely the written and polished version of lectures about Reconstruction that he has given over the years; unfortunately, understanding why there are so few citations does not excuse it. His ending bibliographical essay, while very useful, ultimately does not take the place of detailed in-text citations, and his book suffers for it.

Secondly, his depiction of the freedman leaves something to be desired. One of the great modern-day complaints about the Dunning school of Reconstruction is that it does not treat Reconstruction-era blacks as actual agents in Reconstruction history. They have no will, and they are not actors in the drama. Rather, they are acted upon. Stampp certainly does not share the racist assumptions of the Dunning scholars that he seeks to replace, but he does share with them the assumption that the black man was not a prime actor in this story. It is rather amazing to me that Stampp discusses the freedman as incessantly as he does and yet fails to talk much about him.

Neither of these two criticisms should take that much away from this otherwise excellent book. Read it as an introduction to the era, and treasure it for its salutary historical influence.

Lincoln Reconsidered: Essays on the Civil War Era
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Not so iconoclastic after all -- but an interesting study

40 Years of Life; Lincoln Reconsidered fires the brain

Lincoln Reconsidered: Essays on the Civil War Era
David Herbert Donald
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Abraham Lincoln and the Second American Revolution

Lincoln Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America: A Biography

The Historian's Lincoln: Pseudohistory, Psychohistory, and History

ASIN: 0375725326
Release Date: 2001-02-13

Book Description

David Herbert Donald, Lincoln biographer and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, has revised and updated his classic and influential book on Lincoln and the era he dominated.

When Lincoln Reconsidered was first published it ushered in the process of rethinking the Civil War that continues to this day. In the third edition, David provides two important new essays, on Lincoln's patchy education—which we find was more extensive than even the great man realized—and on Lincoln's complex and conflicted relationship to the rule of law. Together with a new preface and a thoroughly updated bibliographical essay, Lincoln Reconsidered will continue to be a touchstone of Lincoln scholarship for decades to come.

Customer Reviews:

Not so iconoclastic after all -- but an interesting study.......2002-10-19

Donald starts off his book as an iconoclast, intent on reversing the apotheosis of Lincoln. Lincoln was not, he asserts, the god among us that many ardent admirers believe. He gives examples of this uncritical adulation and states that Lincoln has been claimed by Mormons, vegetarians, and other disparate groups anxious to claim a popular figure as their own.

But, as it turns out, Donald's iconoclasm is a bit false. He reexamines Lincoln's more controversial points, and casts his verdict with the purveyors of the Lincoln legend. Did Lincoln imprison thousands of people without charges or trial? He did, but they deserved it. Did Lincoln destroy the Constitution by starting a war without the approval of Congress? Yes, but he had to abrogate the Constitution in order to save it.

Donald starts out bravely but in the end, cops out in favor of sentimental Lincolnism. I thought it a bit disappointing.

40 Years of Life; Lincoln Reconsidered fires the brain.......1998-12-18

Lincoln Reconsidered is a collection of provactive essays that probe the multiple depths of Abraham Lincoln--life and mythology. He paints Lincoln's portrait onto the background of the sectional conflict that led to the Civil War. Originally published about 1961, Donald's stories remain fresh and relevant. In fact the reader will encounter the thesis and outline for his recent prize-winning biography of Lincoln. I first encoutered LR in 1962 when I taught Advanced Placement American History and assigned portions of the book to my students. They loved it; you will. Donald is a superlative historian and stylist. Listen to these chapter headings: Getting Right With Lincoln, Reconsideration of Abolitionists, Herndon and Mrs. Lincoln, Folklore Lincoln, An Excess of Democracy. Readers of Donald's Lincoln will want to have this as a companion reference piece. It's rare for an historian's essays to experience such a rich and extended publishing history. Here's a quote from my faded copy of LR, a touch of wisdom for our parlous times: "...Lincoln knew that there were limits rational human activity, and that there was no virtue in irritably seeking to perform the impossible. As President, he could only do his best to handle problems as they arose and have a patient trusdt that popular support for his solutions would be forthcoming. But the ultimate decision was beyond his, or any man's, control. 'Now at the end of three years struggle,' he said, 'the nation's condition is not what either party, or any man, devised, or expected. God alone can claim it.'" Page after page runs like this, and virtually every theme connected to the Civil War gets enough discussion to stimulate and edify.

Patriotic Treason: John Brown and the Soul of America

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Maybe true evil sometimes requires an equal response
Superb
A telling of Brown's life that leaves space for you to decide what to make of this complex man
Not a madman
Splendid Book

Patriotic Treason: John Brown and the Soul of America
Evan Carton
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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John Brown (Modern Library Classics)
Hanging Captain Gordon: The Life and Trial of an American Slave Trader
To Purge This Land With Blood: A Biography of John Brown
John Brown: The Legend Revisited
John Brown, Abolitionist: The Man Who Killed Slavery, Sparked the Civil War, and Seeded Civil Rights

ASIN: 074327136X

Book Description

John Brown is a lightning rod of history. Yet he is poorly understood and most commonly described in stereotypes -- as a madman, martyr, or enigma. Not until Patriotic Treason has a biography or history brought him so fully to life, in scintillating prose and moving detail, making his life and legacy -- and the staggering sacrifices he made for his ideals-fascinatingly relevant to today's issues of social justice and to defining the line between activism and terrorism.

Vividly re-creating the world in which Brown and his compatriots lived with a combination of scrupulous original research, new perspectives, and a sensitive historical imagination, Patriotic Treason narrates the dramatic life of the first U.S. citizen committed to absolute racial equality. Here are his friendships (Brown lived, worked, ate, and fought alongside African Americans, in defiance of the culture around him), his family (he turned his twenty children by two wives into a dedicated militia), and his ideals (inspired by the Declaration of Independence and the Golden Rule, he collaborated with black leaders such as Frederick Douglass, Martin Delany, and Harriet Tubman to overthrow slavery).

Evan Carton captures the complex, tragic, and provocative story of Brown the committed abolitionist, Brown the tender yet demanding and often absent father and husband, and Brown the radical American patriot who attacked the American state in the name of American principles. Through new research into archives, attention to overlooked family letters, and reinterpretation of documents and events, Carton essentially reveals a missing link in American history.

A wrenching family saga, Patriotic Treason positions John Brown at the heart of our most profound and enduring national debates. As definitions of patriotism and treason are fiercely contested, as some criticize religious extremism while others mourn religion's decline, and as race relations in America remain unresolved, John Brown's story speaks to us as never before, reminding us that one courageous individual can change the course of history.

Customer Reviews:

Maybe true evil sometimes requires an equal response.......2007-09-27

A balanced biography of a complex man, "Patriotic Treason", is both scholarly and involving. A rich, anecdote-laden text, it easily moves between chronicling the life of abolitionist John Brown and describing the larger tapestry of American life in the 1850s.

The book is chockful of dramatic scenes and thematic discussions, including- as pointed out in the other Amazon reviews of this book- the question of whether it's acceptable and perhaps even a moral obligation to sometimes break the law in favor of a greater good. Mr. Carton covers the question well, quoting leading figures of the time who address that very question in response to Mr. Brown's well-publicized actions.

The book is sobering at times, and not just for the expected reasons (like being reminded again of how terribly slaves were treated or how much widespread support there was for slavery in this supposed land of liberty). No, what I found surprising is that among whites who didn't like slavery and even among outright abolitionists, there was very little use or affection for blacks. Most just wanted them deported or resettled somewhere else, where they wouldn't compete for American jobs or mingle with the more "refined" white race.

John Brown, on the other hand, actively befriended blacks all his life, had them over to his house for dinner with his family (unprecedented!), humbly solicited advice from his black friends on a variety of matters, and regularly interacted with blacks in all kinds of other "normal" ways. For John Brown, abolition wasn't just the right answer to an academic question or a detached moral opinion that had little to do with one's daily life. John Brown lived his anti-slavery views because he lived side by side with blacks every day. Whatever excesses Mr. Brown may or may not have undertaken later when he put his anti-slavery views into action, that fact scored points with me.

If you check out my other Amazon reviews, you'll see that I don't read a lot of biographies or memoirs, but every now and then I dive into one. I'm really glad "Patriotic Treason" grabbed my attention. It illuminates a shameful part of U.S. history and again debunks the tired mantra among many that we need to return to the values of our historical past. No, many of those "values" should stay in the past where they belong. It was a dark, evil time in many ways, and John Brown played a huge part in helping this country move beyond it.

Superb.......2007-01-03

And...written by a Texan, too! Every detail of Brown's life is told here, from his humble beginnings to his single-handed start of the Civil War. Worth the 15 hours unabridged.

A telling of Brown's life that leaves space for you to decide what to make of this complex man.......2006-12-16

John Brown's attempt to free slaves by sparking a national uprising through the assault on the Harpers Ferry in October 1859 was a complete and utter failure when measured by how quickly they were thwarted, how many of Brown's men died in the attempt or by execution. Yet, his communications during his trial and from prison galvanized the hardest of abolitionists in the north (including the Transcendentalists such as Emerson and Thoreau) and the secessionists in the south. More than a few people believe it was the reaction to this raid that set events in process that led to the ferocious bloodshed of the Civil War less than eighteen months later.

Was Brown a madman acting in a crazed spasm or emotion? That judgment has changed radically in the near century and a half since his execution. Immediately afterward, the largest popular reaction was negative because it was lawless and was an assault on the Federal Government. Some of the most extreme abolitionists did hold him up as a kind of messianic figure. When I was in high school, he was regarded as someone hardly worth mentioning. He was clearly crazed and criminal to boot. In the past decade several books and documentaries have taken another look and come to a much more favorable view of Brown. Some even see him much as the Transcendentalists talked about him right after he was hanged.

Evan Carton focuses more on the life of Brown and only gets into the societal issues in a couple of places. He does a fine job in keeping the life Brown lived front and center rather than letting it stand for whatever his supporters or detractors would have it be. Carton trusts the reader enough to let him decide for himself. This is quite important for the modern reader who likely knows little about Brown because of the issues his life raises for our own time. Is a private choice to violence ever justified? Certainly slavery was a great evil. Was Brown justified? Would or could slavery have been eradicated in the United States as it was elsewhere in the European Empires without war?

If you answer that slavery was so evil that Brown was justified how do you say that someone who is trying to prevent millions of abortions is wrong? Or someone who wants to retain affirmative action? Or whatever else drives their personal conscience to extreme action? If you say that Brown was not justified, how do you avoid the guilt of slavery? Weren't the millions of souls in bondage worth fighting for? Should they have been left as chattel property for another decade or two or another century until things could work themselves out?

I guess my own view is a cheat on the question. I do not condone private violence and believe that those who blow up abortion clinics or violently attack Federal installations actually help their opponents more than their cause. Brown was so fervent and articulate that his passion moved a great many people. If he had stepped forward more as a Frederick Douglass and engaged in demonstrations he would have probably accomplished more. But you can justly come to different conclusions than mine.

Brown was a man of great integrity to the point of rigidity. As a businessman his personal sense of what was right led him to drive customers away. He wouldn't sell leather until it was cured to his level of satisfaction even if the customer wanted it as it was. When he was selling wool, his own classifications mattered more to him than what his customers wanted to buy and what those he was an agent for wanted to sell. When he and his family were caught up in the Kansas War, he was clearly justified in protecting those who opposed letting the Missourian slave advocates run roughshod over the territorial government. The Missourians committed many atrocities and Brown was the man who taught the victims that they could stand up to their oppressors. Still, attacking and murdering people in the homes and hacking them to death with a sword still shocks us.

Brown was not an unfeeling man dispensing justice as if he were God. He was a man of deep passion who also knew pain and personal loss. Many of his children died in infancy or youth. He knew poverty and want. There is a tremendously moving scene when Brown is found flat on his Dianthe's, his first wife, grave crying in agony. And his last visit with his second wife especially when she has to leave him is also quite moving. Brown did what he did because he knew (that personal conviction problem again) that he was on God's work and was doing what God wanted him to do. And this despite the deep personal loss the mission brought him.

I recommend this book because I like the way Carton focuses on the life and leaves most of the commentary to you and because Brown's life raises issues that resonate in our time. The author does get in to the larger national issues in chapter 10 and in the aftermath of the execution in chapter thirteen. In the epilogue he shares a few of his own views that you might or might not accept. I also recommend it because one can never know too much about the Civil War and its origins. It was a cataclysm whose shockwaves still resonate underneath almost everything in our present national life.

There are some very good pictures in the book, but the one flaw I hope they correct in a subsequent edition is to provide a listing of the illustrations and their page numbers. Now you see them mixed in the text as you read, but if you want to find them later it becomes somewhat of a hunting game.

Not a madman.......2006-12-09

This is an excellent, thoroughly researched and referenced book by Evan Carton which is also a very gripping read. Even though the outcome is known, the book is hard to put down. But while the style is nearly novelistic, it is solidly factual. I read this book because I wanted to understand if the usual myths about Brown were correct - if he was indeed a madman. Carton shows him to be a deeply religious and principled man, and one whose reasoning was consistent with his values and with his understanding of the enormous injustice of slavery in nineteenth century America. Brown was an extremely effective fighter against the murderous "border ruffians" from Missouri who attempted to terrrorize free state settlers in Kansas. These Missourian slaveholders and their agents drove free-soil settlers away, burning and looting their settlements such as Lawrence, Kansas, fixing elections, and occasionally killing free-soil setlers, and bragging to "shoot, burn, and hang" abolitionsts, not believing the abolitionists or the free soil settlers(who often weren't abolitionists) would dare to fight back. Initially, they didn't. Brown did, with a very small force, and the reader may find his actions quite shocking. On some occasions his small force routed or captured gangs of the border ruffians who outnumbered them substantially. Brown's desire to accelerate the end of slavery, which he clearly saw as a odious blotch on the ideals which founded his country, led him eventually to more decisive action. Carton provides a clarification for his thought processes through his letters, meetings with sponsors and other associates, and the recollections of survivors after the raid on Harpers Ferry, and convinces that Brown's reasoning was sound, although it certainly was radical. Both before and after the raid, Carton shows us the Brown was confident of the positive effects of the raid even if it were a military failure. Ultimately, it was the notion of the slaveholders that they could indefinitely extend their profitable institution that proved to be madness.

Splendid Book.......2006-09-27

This is the first book that I've read about John Brown and I'm glad that I waited. Brown's story is a simply amazing one and Carton is the master of every detail. He writes very well, is excellent at telling a story, and, most significantly for me, he is well-versed in the historical period. He has deep knowledge about pre-Civil-War politics, intellectual life and social relations. And he integrates what he knows brilliantly into John Brown's story. Brown emerges as more than the leader of the raid at Harper's Ferry; in this book we come to understand his Christianity, his early life, his family, his values and most particularly his relations with black people, which were perhaps without precedent in America. The book is very moving, though quietly so: Carton doesn't shy away from being critical of John Brown, but eventually his esteem for Brown comes through and it's tough not to be sympathetic. The book was a great pleasure and I felt that I learned a lot from it about race relations past--and present, too.

Beyond the Civil War Synthesis: Political Essays of the Civil War Era (Contributions in American History)

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Beyond the Civil War Synthesis: Political Essays of the Civil War Era (Contributions in American History)
Robert P. Swierenga
Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Book Description

This collection brings together eighteen outstanding essays originally published in Civil War History. All of the contributions are recent. They reflect the latest scholarship on the nonmilitary aspects of the Civil War--"revisionist" viewpoints that are often derived from new social statistical methodologies.

Encyclopedia of the Reconstruction Era [Two Volumes]: Greenwood Milestones in African American History

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Encyclopedia of the Reconstruction Era [Two Volumes]: Greenwood Milestones in African American History

Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0313330735

Book Description

In American history, Reconstruction is the term applied to the period 1862-1877, when the United States sought to bring order from the tremendous social, political, economic, physical, and constitutional changes wrought by secession and the Civil War.The decision by eleven southern states to attempt secession and reject the national government, and the decision by the federal government under President Abraham Lincoln to deny that attempt and enforce federal law, unleashed forces that forever changed the American Republic. These changes included the abolition of slavery, the expansion of governmental power and constitutional jurisdiction, the rise of the Republican Party, the explosion of northern industry and the national market, and the appearance of a social dynamism that supported struggles by new social groups for political and civil equality. No one anticipated the totality, the viciousness, and the intensity of the civil war, and as a result no one was prepared to deal with its consequences. Topics covered include who should direct Reconstruction; how the federal government treated conquered states, their governments, and their soldiers; the role of the freed people in the new republic; and how the war altered the Constitution, the party system, and the American economy, among many others. Many entries describe and analyze the lives, careers, and impacts of the individuals, North and South, black and white, who shaped the course of Reconstruction, including the following:

Ames, Adelbert
Bruce, Blanche K.
Douglass, Frederick
Gordon, John B.
Hancock, Winfield S.
Howard, Oliver O.
Pinchback, Pinckney B.S.
Revels, Hiram R.
Sheridan, Philip H.
Wade, Benjamin F.

Other entries deal with broad topics and themes related to Reconstruction and its consequences, including the following:

Abolition of Slavery
Black Politicians
Black Suffrage
"Bloody Shirt"
Economic Policies
Race Riots
Reconstruction, Theories of
Scandals During Reconstruction
State Constitutional Conventions
Violence During Reconstruction

Still other entries cover a wide variety of events, groups, acts, agencies, and amendments that were part of the story of Reconstruction, including the following:

American Indians
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands
Compromise of 1877
Democratic Party
Fourteenth Amendment
Joint Committee on Reconstruction
Loyalty Oaths
Military Reconstruction Acts
Stalwarts
Tenure of Office Act

Among the more than 270 entries are 11 that discuss the course and consequences of Reconstruction in each of the former Confederate states, and 6 that discuss the outcome and significance of the presidential and key congressional elections held between 1864 and 1876. The encyclopedia also offers a timeline of Reconstruction, a bibliography of print and electronic information resources, a selection of primary documents, a table of important dates, numerous illustrations, and a detailed subject index.

Southern Agriculture During the Civil War Era, 1860-1880: (Contributions in American History)

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Southern Agriculture During the Civil War Era, 1860-1880: (Contributions in American History)
John Solomon Otto
Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

This is the first book to assess the contribution of Southern agriculture to the Confederate war effort, to describe the damage that agriculture sustained during the war, to analyze the transition from slavery to free labor after the war, and to recount the slow and painful process of rebuilding Southern agriculture by 1880. Synthesizing primary and secondary historical sources, Southern Agriculture During the Civil War Era, 1860-1880 fills a crucial gap in our knowledge about the history of the Civil War and Reconstruction period.

The Collapse of the Confederacy (Key Issues of the Civil War Era)

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Top-notch collection of essays...

The Collapse of the Confederacy (Key Issues of the Civil War Era)

Manufacturer: University of Nebraska Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0803221703

Book Description

Practically all Civil War historians agree that after the fall of Atlanta in September 1864 and Lincoln's triumphant reelection in November, the South had no remaining chance to make good its independence. Well aware that Appomattox and Durham Station were close at hand, historians have treated the war's final months in a fashion that smacks strongly of denouement: the great, tragic conflict rolls on to its now-certain end.

Certain, that is, to us, but deeply uncertain to the millions of Northerners and Southerners who lived through the anxious days of early 1865. The final months of the Confederacy offer fascinating opportunities-as a case study in war termination, as a period that shaped the initial circumstances of Reconstruction, and as a lens through which to analyze Southern society at its most stressful moment. The Collapse of the Confederacy collects six essays that explore how popular expectations, national strategy, battlefield performance, and Confederate nationalism affected Confederate actions during the final months of the conflict.

Customer Reviews:

Top-notch collection of essays..........2003-04-13

Grimsley and Simpson offer a brilliant collection of essays by various historians musing philosophically on the demise of Confederate States of America. With only 180+ pages of text, the six essays are nicely paced and well footnoted. From the possibility of Southern guerrilla tactics to the role of women at the homefront, this modest-sized book gives thought-provoking slants to varied aspects of the final options/last days of the CSA. I would recommend this book for readers more mature in their Civil War studies. I think the novice reader may get "lost" in the name-dropping of battles and personalities.

The Reconstruction Era: Primary Documents on Events from 1865 to 1877 (Debating Historical Issues in the Media of the Time)

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The Reconstruction Era: Primary Documents on Events from 1865 to 1877 (Debating Historical Issues in the Media of the Time)
Donna L. Dickerson
Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0313320942

Book Description

As the sole purveyors of news and opinion, Reconstruction-era newspapers bent and spindled American public opinion with little regard for independent journalism and great regard for party politics. In other words, the newspapers of the Reconstruction era served political rather than social needs. The issues facing the nation were momentous, and opinions on how to deal with the problems were vigorously presented and defended. Using editorials, letters, essays, and news reports that appeared throughout the country's print media, this book reveals how editors, politicians, and other Americans used the press to influence opinion from 1865 to 1877. Issues such as civil rights, constitutional amendments, a presidential impeachment, Indian wars, immigration, and political corruption dominated the newspapers and gave journalists opportunities to advance their agendas. Each of the 30 chapters of this book introduces an event or issue and includes news articles representing opposing sides of the issue as it affected Americans. Readers can use the introductory essays and primary source documents to understand how newspapers and magazines presented vital events and issues to Americans of the day. This invaluable reference source presents hard-to-find opinions in the words of those who wrote them.

America's Gilded Age: Intimate Portraits from an Era of Extravagance and Change, 1850-1890

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America's Gilded Age: Intimate Portraits from an Era of Extravagance and Change, 1850-1890
Milton Rugoff
Manufacturer: Henry Holt & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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