Book Description
The 50 years before the American Civil War saw a boom in the construction of coastal forts in the United States of America. These stone and brick forts stretched from New England to the Florida Keys, and as far as the Mississippi River. At the start of the war some were located in the secessionist states, and many fell into Confederate hands. Although a handful of key sites remained in Union hands throughout the war, the remainder had to be won back through bombardment or assault. This book examines the design, construction and operational history of those fortifications, such as Fort Sumter, Fort Morgan and Fort Pulaski, which played a crucial part in the course of the Civil War.
Customer Reviews:
Useful resource.......2007-01-13
This book is a good overview of U.S. Coastal forts. Good for the general interest or the military enthusiast.
Wonderful illustrations, but many problems.......2006-01-30
The book documents well the development of American coastal forts of what was known as the Third System. These Civil War forts were impressive works built of stone and brick. The drawings are excellent, but there are numerous historical errors in the details and several forts are mislabeled. A revised edition would be appreciated and make this a 5 star work.
Good, but some minor errors.......2006-01-07
This book makes a great introduction, but there are a number of minor errors including on the illustrations. OTherwise it is the book to have on this topic.
Interesting, but many errors.......2005-01-17
Civil War Forts has some really good drawings, but a number of illustrations are incorrectly labeled. Some of the minor details in the text are also incorrect. It is still a good introductory work.
A Great Book.......2003-08-17
This new addition to the Osprey Fortress series is very well written. It covers the history of Stone and Brick Coastal Forts of the Civil War from their design and construction in the early 1800s till their combat in the Civil War. The first section is on the design and the development of American Coastal fortifications and it covers the three systems of coastal fortification. The second section gives a tour of the fortificatins covered in the book. This section talks in detail about each section of the fort critical to its defence, including the outer defences and redouts. The next section documents garrision life at the fort telling about the dull life of a garrision soldier and giving examples for garrions at forts. This section also talks about the particulaur guns that defended these forts. After this is a section of the principles of defense that give information on the plans and stratagies for defending the forts. The next section gives war histories on some of the more important forts including, forts Sumter, Pulaski, Macon, and Jackson. This is the one disapointing section. Not only does it leave out several important forts,(Fort Morgan-Battle of Mobile Bay, Fort Monroe-Penisular campaign and defense of Hampton Roads,and Fort Moultre- defense of Charleston) but it has incomplete histories. For instance, the section on Fort Sumpter only covers the opening battle of the Civil War neglecting the ironclad attack on the fort and the union bombardments that occured latter in the war. The last section covers post civil war coastal fortifications. The art work of this volume is very good. There are ten one page plates. The first plate shows Forts Marion and McHenry. The other plates are Forts Jackson and McRee, Fort Clinch, Fort Sumpter, Fort Moultrie, Fort Zachary Taylor, The main Confederate Battery at Fort Macon, Fort Pulaski, artillery casemate at Fort Pulaski, and artillery at Fort Morgan. A glossary and information on ever stone and brick Civil War fort's present condition and location is also included. This is very useful. Overall this is a great reference book on researching these important Civil War forts. I hope Osprey publishes furthur volumes on sand and wood coastal forts (Fort Wagner) and Mississippi River Forts (Vicksburg) in this new series.
Book Description
The American Civil War saw a massive development in the use of field fortifications, the result of the practical application of antebellum West-Point teaching, and the deadly impact of rifled infantry weapons and artillery. Both the Federal and Confederate armies began to develop far more sophisticated systems of field fortification, and the larger field works and fortifications surrounding Washington, DC and Richmond, VA were redesigned and rebuilt several times. This volume explores the role of land and field fortifications in the eastern and overland campaigns of the Civil War between 1861 and 1865. Particular attention is devoted to the nine-month siege of Petersburg, where daily life within the redoubts, lunettes, redans, bomb-proofs, trenches and rifle pits is vividly described.
Average customer rating:
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Texas and New Mexico on the Eve of the Civil War: The Mansfield & Johnston Inspections, 1859-1861
Jerry Thompson
Manufacturer: University of New Mexico Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Antebellum
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ASIN: 082632102X |
Book Description
From 1859 to 1861, senior Army officers Lt. Col. Joseph E. Johnston and Col. Joseph K. F. Mansfield were charged with investigating and evaluating the welfare, efficiency, and combat readiness of troops in the Texas and New Mexico Departments of the Army. Their reports to the U.S. Inspector General's Office are transcribed and presented here for the first time by noted Civil War historian Jerry Thompson.
Johnston's and Mansfield's field reports provide fascinating profiles of personnel, society, and the material culture of members of the United States' regular army. Careful witnesses and engaging reporters, the two men recorded an impressive range of observations in their inspection tours, ranging from such practical matters as the physical layout of army posts and the number and condition of horses and oxen in each unit to blunt accounts of the failures of commanders and their units. The reports take special note of army relations with local Hispanos, Anglo settlers, and Indians, and the officers' accounts are a vivid record of the region and the soldiers on the frontier as the Union prepared for war.
This unique and important study illuminates a vital intersection of the histories of Texas and New Mexico with a United States on the verge of dissolution.
“The Mansfield and Johnston reports are major contributions not only to military history but to all other themes of the ante-bellum history of Texas and New Mexico. The thorough and informed annotations of Jerry Thompson make them immensely more valuable. Once again he has shown himself a superb editor of original documents.”—Robert M. Utley
Amazon.com
At the start of the Civil War, federal troops constructed a ring of defensive fortifications around Washington, D.C. The forts saw limited military action, but many historians credit their deterring presence with saving the U.S. capital from a Confederate takeover. If the city wasn't impregnable, it was pretty close. This helpful book provides a full description of these forts--many of which have since been destroyed by farmers and suburban development. Several remain, however, such as Ft. Foote, Ft. Stevens, Ft. Ward, and Ft. Marcy (which became semi-famous in 1993 as the place where former White House deputy counsel Vincent Foster shot himself). Civil War buffs won't want to miss visiting these lesser-known but significant sites--and they won't want to miss this book, either.
Book Description
The eastern campaigns of the Civil War involved the widespread use of field fortifications, from Big Bethel and the Peninsula to Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Charleston, and Mine Run. While many of these fortifications were meant to last only as long as the battle, Earl J. Hess argues that their history is deeply significant. The Civil War saw more use of fieldworks than did any previous conflict in Western history.
Hess studies the use of fortifications by tracing the campaigns of the Army of the Potomac and the Army of Northern Virginia from April 1861 to April 1864. He considers the role of field fortifications in the defense of cities, river crossings, and railroads and in numerous battles. Blending technical aspects of construction with operational history, Hess demonstrates the crucial role these earthworks played in the success or failure of field armies. He also argues that the development of trench warfare in 1864 resulted from the shock of battle and the continued presence of the enemy within striking distance, not simply from the use of the rifle-musket, as historians have previously asserted.
Based on fieldwork at 300 battle sites and extensive research in official reports, letters, diaries, and archaeological studies, this book should become an indispensable reference for Civil War historians.
Customer Reviews:
Field armies, fortifications and more.......2007-09-20
A book on Civil War fortifications should be dry as the Sahara and as easy to get thru as a concrete block wall. In the hands of a lesser author that would be true! What we have is a very readable, intelligent history of the Civil War in the east with emphases on fortifications. The author chooses to follow the campaigns and discuss the use of or lack of fortifications during the campaign and in the ongoing war. This simple idea gives the reader a very good overview of the war and a very intelligent discussion of how and why "digging in" became the norm.
We start with a discussion of the American approach to battle and the theory of when and why fortifications were appropriate. This prepares us for the war's early months when armies use fixed forts to control areas but look for "a fair fight in the open". Reality meets theory during the Peninsula Campaign and The Seven Days as first one side and than the other is forced to dig. Hard lessons are quickly forgotten as the main armies struggle with the ideas of offensive or defensive actions and the fear fortifications will foster a defensive mentality. This interplay makes John B. Hood's actions outside Atlanta much easier to understand, something the book does not cover but a student of the war will grasp.
The three chapters on the war in the Carolinas are excellent! "The Reduction of Battery Wagner" alone almost pays for the book. I have not read a better account of Civil War sieges and the impact on the men than in this chapter.
The book ends with Mine Run and the Union not attacking the extensive fortifications in the area. When we reach the fall of 1863, the reader fully understands and appreciates the revolution that has occurred. The stage is set for the second volume "Trench Warfare under Grant & Lee".
A very good Glossary takes care of vocabulary problems. Within a couple of chapters, even a novice reader will seldom have to refer to it. Maps, illustrations and photographs are common and well placed giving us the visual information we need to supplement the text.
This is not a basic book! However, it is not an advanced tome that requires a military education or years of study to enjoy. The reader needs a good idea of the events in the East from 1861 to 1863. You will have to be prepared to check the glossary on a regular basic for the first 20 to 50 pages too. After that, you will have a very informative, intelligent learning experience.
An exploration of a shadowy corner of Civil War history.......2005-07-04
In popular perception of Civil War combat, entrenchments were something that came along late in the war when troops, weary of being targets when marching across open fields, took to digging in the earth to find protection. As Hess amply demonstrates in this new volume, the first of a projected trilogy, entrenchments in fact were an integral part of the Civil War landscape from the earliest months. He backs his narrative with numerous citations from official and unofficial accounts and he discusses the details of how entrenchments were made (and how they evolved as the war went on). This volume is an important contribution to understanding how the war was fought and to better fix its place in the continuing development of military theory and technology.
For Expert and Civil War Buff.......2005-05-08
Dr. Hess has authored one of the most significant books in print on the use of field fortifications during the US Civil War and the relationship of these works to the actual campaigns. Although there are some other books that do include some of this information, including several excellent post-war sources from the 19th century, this book does a remarkable job of putting the subject in perspective. Many so called "Civil War" experts simply do not realize the significance of the role of field and permanent fortifications during many of the key campaigns of the war and reduce everything to simple terms stating "there were breastworks, etc..." They simply give no detail and the reader can not understand such details as why some of these "works" were easily overrun, why some railroad cuts made great defensive positions and others did not, or even why on Cemetary Ridge at Gettysburg the troops of II Corps could not entrench themselves.
Hess not only describes what the defenses consisted of, but also shows how they affected the campaign. He also includes background information as well as detailing the events related to the campaigns. The book does not rehash the old story of bullets and beans in these operations, instead with Hess we see its bullets, beans and spades.
The reader will soon notice this book does not cover all the operations of the Civil War where fortifications were involved, but that is because this is the first volume with two additional ones planned. The publisher did a good job in reproducing the photos. One serious flaw is a lack of maps for the reader to follow everything mentioned in the text. This usually results from the publisher attempting to save on production expenses and there is not much the author can do to correct it. On the other hand, any expert or buff will have other books available with the missing maps they need for folowing the text (the first volume of the old West Point Atlas of American Wars has just about every map you may need).
This volume covers the eastern theater through April 1864 and includes a good deal of information on the defenses of Washington and Richmond (which are more than just field fortifications). It also covers the battles of the Peninsula Campaign of 1862 where fortifications played a key role. The limited role of field fortifications in some of the campaigns of Northern Virginia are included as well as information on how work was done to protect Harrisburg and even far off Pittsburgh with fixed defenses against Lee's second invasion of the north.
This book is not intended for fast reading or skimming, but instead created for those who have a real interest in the Civil War and want to enjoy a good read.
Book Description
In the study of field fortifications in the Civil War that began with Field Armies and Fortifications in the Civil War, Hess turns to the 1864 Overland campaign to cover battles from the Wilderness to Cold Harbor. Drawing on meticulous research in primary sources and careful examination of trench remnants at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Anna, Cold Harbor, and Bermuda Hundred, Hess describes Union and Confederate earthworks and how Grant and Lee used them in this new era of field entrenchments.
Customer Reviews:
DIG, DAMNIT DIG!.......2007-10-10
This is the second book in a series on fortifications in the eastern theater during the Civil War. The first book covers the war up to this point, while reading the first book is not required; it is worth taking the time to do so. 1864 produced a major revision in how digging in and fighting behind entrenchments is viewed by both armies. Open field battle gives way to fighting from behind entrenchments as both sides maintain close contact for months. The war is no longer open fields with a mile between the armies. Both sides dug into the earth often closer than skirmish lines were in 1862. The book details this change and the impact on the commanders and men.
The author continues working fortifications into the overall campaign giving the reader an excellent history of the Overland Campaign in the process. This presentation keeps the subject fresh while presenting the nuanced tactical differences in a logical sequential manner. This is very much a battle history but the emphasis is on how fortifications changed the campaign even as the campaign changed fortifications.
Earl Hess is one of our best authors. In this series and this book, he manages to give the reader a rich learning experience coupled with an enjoyable read. This is not a beginner's book but can be enjoyed by anyone with some knowledge of the Civil War.
Important Work of Civil War Scholarship.......2007-09-09
Earl J. Hess's new "Trench Warfare under Grant and Lee: Field Fortifications in the Overland Campaign" is as good a piece of Civil War scholarship as I have read in years. It is at the most fundamental level a narrative history of military operations in the Overland Campaign of May and June, 1864: the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Anna, and Cold Harbor, but it is a narrative history that focuses particularly on how field fortifications evolved over the course of those six weeks of heavy combat and it details how the use of field fortifications influenced the course of that campaign. In his earlier volume, "Field Armies and Fortifications in the Civil War," Hess dispelled the old myths that such entrenchments were a direct consequence of the power of rifled-muskets or that their use suddenly sprang into being in the spring of 1864 (he documented three years of field fortifications, although not on such a scale as became standard by the end of the Overland Campaign) and that these entrenchments were somehow merely the fruit of the teaching of Dennis Hart Mahan at West Point. Or to quote the author: "The use of field fortifications evolved during the Civil War not due to some irrational fear, but due to a real and potent threat: the continued presence of an enemy army within striking distance. Their use was a rational and logical response to that threat."
Hess reserves most of the technical details of entrenchment and breastwork design for an appendix, leaving his main narrative fast-moving and compelling. "Trench Warfare under Grant and Lee" is an important contribution to Civil War literature and should find a ready spot on the bookshelves of any serious student of the era. I look forward to his planned third volume, to examine field fortifications during the Petersburg campaign.
Inevitably, it must be asked how Hess views the Overland Campaign in balance. Was it a Union or a Confederate success? Although Hess does not absolve Grant of errors in too hastily ordering attacks or in failing to recognize the power of impromptu fieldworks, Hess concludes: "Grant's most significant achievement in the Overland campaign was not in capturing territory, or in positioning his army close to Richmond, or in reducing the fighting strength of the Army of Northern Virginia by 50 percent; rather it lay in robbing Lee of the opportunity to launch large-scale offensives against the Army of the Potomac. In laying claim to the strategic initiative, Grant won an important physical and emotional victory over Lee, and he did it with fewer losses than his predecessors had suffered in attempting the same goal ... Most important, he did not give up the strategic initiative and thereby brought the war to an end. The Overland campaign was as much a watershed in the strategic course of the Civil War as the Seven Days."
Book Description
Wonders and the Order of Nature is about the ways in which European naturalists from the High Middle Ages through the Enlightenment used wonder and wonders, the passion and its objects, to envision themselves and the natural world. Monsters, gems that shone in the dark, petrifying springs, celestial apparitions--these were the marvels that adorned romances, puzzled philosophers, lured collectors, and frightened the devout. Drawing on the histories of art, science, philosophy, and literature, Lorraine Daston and Katharine Park explore and explain how wonder and wonders fortified princely power, rewove the texture of scientific experience, and shaped the sensibility of intellectuals. This is a history of the passions of inquiry, of how wonder sometimes inflamed, sometimes dampened curiosity about nature's best-kept secrets. Refracted through the prism of wonders, the order of nature splinters into a spectrum of orders, a tour of possible worlds.
Customer Reviews:
Educational, but a real pain........2002-11-06
I have been reading this book for school. This book might be for you if: you are very interested in Latin philosophers. you have background in Medieval and Rennisance history. You are well read and have a large vocabulary. you are interested in "wonder".
I've found that this a very boring and difficult book to read because I don't have enough background and I know next to nothing about ancient philosophers. This book is post-college or college level for someone specialyzing in Medieval and Renn history.
Unusual and Engrossing.......2001-05-24
The authors of this study do a magnificent job of looking at a cross-section of the history of Wonder itself, sort of "in the large," as well as the history of wondrous objects, from the slice of time upon which they focus. This book was twenty years in the making, off and on, and it really shows. Every point they make clearly has been carefully weighed, backed up, and illustrated, as often as not, with beautiful selections from poetry, etc. The authors state in the preface that they began with the study of monsters, which in the final, published version of their book is relegated to chapter five. Know, O Reader, that the material in that chapter constituted the starting impetus for this whole study, and you will have a better understanding of various structural oddities in the book.
One of the main themes the authors deal with is not exactly an historical overview of science, but more along the lines of social and cultural history. They write about the relationship of elites, be they religious, social, or academic, to various kinds of wonder. Do the elites embrace wonder? Do they despise it? And what about lone philosophers? Where do they fit in? The answers vary greatly, according to multitudinous factors. For me, one theme to bear in mind while reading this book was my own experience of wonder, or curiosity, and the clashing of that feeling with "The Game" in school... Anyone reading this book will, obviously, have an extremely active, inquisitive mind, to say the least. Think back (or think forward, as the case may be,) to your time in school. Did you tend to keep the topics that provoked genuine wonder in you private? Did you generally avoid mentioning them, lest they should happen to become candidates for impacting "The Game," over which the more sociable people in any classroom preside? These are two very different states of mind, and their interplay can be quite fearfully tumultuous. If you know what I'm talking about, then you already have a feel for the kind of issues that the authors of this book delve into, and deal with on an incredibly grand scale.
By the way, I'd like to recommend a couple of other titles for people looking at this book. For some reason, neither of these are in this book's bibliography. I'm not sure why not -- probably because they are so basic that the authors may have felt that anyone reading their book would already know about them. For people who might NOT know about them, I'd like to recommend "The Great Chain of Being," by Arthur O. Lovejoy, and Rudolph Pfeiffer's two volume study of "The History of Classical Scholarship." These volumes will add whole dimensions to your understanding of the matters that Daston and Park discuss, if anybody out there is interested.
This book is a prodigious feat. Worth scoping out.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Renaissance Quarterly, published by Renaissance Society of America on December 22, 1999. The length of the article is 1516 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Wonders and the Order of Nature.(Review)
Author: W. R. Laird
Publication:
Renaissance Quarterly (Refereed)
Date: December 22, 1999
Publisher: Renaissance Society of America
Volume: 52
Issue: 4
Page: 1139
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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