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U.S. Grant: The Making of a General, 1861-1863 (The American Crisis Series)
Michael B. Ballard
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Ulysses S. Grant: The Soldier And the Man
ASIN: 0742543080 |
Book Description
In this book Michael B. Ballard provides a crisp account of Grant's strategic and tactical concepts in the period from the outset of the Civil War to the battle of Chattanooga.
Book Description
When Confederate troops surrendered Vicksburg on July 4, 1863--the day after the Union victory at Gettysburg--a crucial port and rail depot for the South was lost. The Union gained control of the Mississippi River, and the Confederate territory was split in two. In a thorough yet concise study of the longest single military campaign of the Civil War, Michael B. Ballard brings new depth to our understanding of the Vicksburg campaign by considering its human as well as its military aspects.
Ballard examines soldier attitudes, guerrilla warfare, and the effects of the campaign and siege on civilians in and around Vicksburg. He also analyzes the leadership and interaction of such key figures as U.S. Grant, William T. Sherman, John Pemberton, and Joseph E. Johnston, among others. Blending strategy and tactics with the human element, Ballard reminds us that while Gettysburg has become the focal point of the history and memory of the Civil War, the outcome at Vicksburg was met with as much celebration and relief in the North as was the Gettysburg victory, and he argues that it should be viewed as equally important today.
Customer Reviews:
A popular history.......2007-01-11
Mr.Ballard's book is another popular history,it contains little if any new information excepting a defense/excuse of the CS commander Gen. Pemberton.
US Gen.Grant is given considerable credit and deservedly so. The various Union naval commanders; Farragut, Porter etc get much attention also. Mr. Ballard does do a fair job of placing credit on both side's better commanders and lambasts CS Gen. Joe Johnston constantly. He lists the manuevering and prior failures of Union forces throughout the Mississippi region but successfully does so without losing the reader.
However, detail is lacking and the writing style itself is tepid and uninspiring. Contrary to some of the other reviewers, I found the maps poorly drawn and overly cluttered. Done in one color, roads and streams litter the maps; competing with arrows listing advances and retreats and unit markers do not differ between CS/US, infantry or cavalry...an attempt to clarify this on this small maps lists various brigade/division unit commanders but without listing what side is what. Numerous misspellings imply either poor editors or poor research. He consistently describes units as "crack" outfits to the point of the reader wondering, were there any "normal" units present? Any force smaller than a battalion or regiment is listed as a patrol or roadblock. His handling of first person history, the best aspect of recent military writings, is slipshod and often generalised. Few regiments are listed and in general, brigades get the most mention in combat descriptions.
A bright spot was the emphasis on the various naval movements in and about the Vicksburg area. Union naval ability and the Confederate lack of, gets serious and well deserved attention.
Mr. Ballard's theme of the Western Theater being the war winner is well supported by many other current works. Overall, this book is no masterpiece nor is Ballard a Pfanz as a writer. Well read students of this theater will not be well served by purchase of the book but it is a fair one for general or new readers to the subject.
A good start to an important history.......2006-12-14
The newer research on the Civil War suggests that it was won in the west and that the action in the east is not what caused the end of the war. Vicksburg was the crucial campaign in the west and while this book can get bogged down in details it does a very good job of providing information. The challenge of taking this city on a hill and the importance of the navy are all well explained here. A look at what happened to the south as the war progressed is not readily apparent but if read in between the lines it is easy to see what happened. The analysis about the importance of opening up the Mississippi to union forces is very good and brings new light on a subject that needs a lot more exploring and debate.
Honest and sincere account of an inmensely important campaign.......2005-07-14
I like this book for several reasons.Number one, Mr Ballard is very sincere and called everything by its name.When it comes to describing generals and soldiers on either side of the conflict,he tells it like it is.Number two, the way Mr Ballard describes the military campaign in all its details it's terrific which helped me understand the imporatnce of every battle and the strategies involved.The only flaw in the book is really a minor one which is that sometimes the author gives too many details in things that i dont think are not that important.BUt ,in general, it's a very good book!
Excellent book on the key Civil War Battle of Vicksburg.......2005-06-24
Dr, Michael Ballard has written an excellent book on the Vicksburg Campaign. Ballard has had good mentors in his study of the Mississippi River City which fell to US Grant in July, 1863
He is has been guided by Terry Wenschel the National Park Chief Historian; read the massive three volume work by Mr. Civil
War Ed Bearss on the campaign and is a lifelong native of Mississipi who has visited Vicksburg since his youth.
Vicksburg was a complex campaign pitting the inept Northern Born Confederate General John Pemberton against the aggressive and brilliant US Grant. Grant's Union Army worked well as a team.
Even though Grant did not like McClernand he used him well in launching the blue horde against the city on the bluffs. Grant
worked well with Sherman and McPherson, Logan and others as they tried many ideas to conquer Vicksburg. Grant and David Dixon Porter worked well on coordinating army-navy operations.
Grant succeeded when his forces crossed the Mississippi to
Bruinsburg, Ms. Union victories at Port Gibson, Jackson and
most importantly Champion Hill (May 16, 1863) led to a 47 day
siege of Vicksburg which fell to Federal forces on July 4, 1863
Vicksburge the key to victory in the Western Theatre was then
put into Mr. Lincoln's pocket. The fate of the Western Confederacy was sealed.
I am surprised how little many Civil War buffs seem to know little about the Western Theatre of the War. Those whose approach has been "Virginia-centric" will find much to explore as they gaze at the Western Theatre.
Grant emerges as a tough, imaginative, never say never commander while the Confederates Pemberton and Joe Johnston wee weak and indecisive leaders. Grant's star rose in the West as Lincoln discovered the man who could beat Lee and win the war!
Ballard's book is well illustrated; the maps are clear and
easy to follow. Ballard has done his homework as the many pages of bibliography attest to his acumen. While dealing with the battles he also quotes the thoughts of civilians of Vicksburg and Misssippi who saw their society rent asunder by the blue
hordes from the north.
Ed Bearss is still the dean of Vicksburg scholars but Michael Ballard has also contributed greatly to our understanding of this vital, complex, too often overlooked campaign. This book
can be read by the buff or the neophyte with equal pleasure. Thank you Dr. Ballard for your work!
Good Book for the Libary of a Civil War Buff.......2005-02-18
This is a good book for anyone interested in studying on the Civil War. As the author mentions, this campaign to capture Vicksburg is a rather unknown period of the war and this is a good book on this campaign. It has its plusses and its minuses. On the positive side, it covers the campaign in detail with a number of human interest stories. The experiences of the citizens and soldiers who lived in Vicksburg, e.g. living in caves, the casualties, the experiences of soldiers in the hospitals (for example, he goes through the procedure that a doctor used to remove a leg - interesting although somewhat gruesome but it highlights the suffering). He is an apparent fan of Pemberton (although he recognizes his mistakes well) and not a fan of Joe Johnston (but I haven't found a Civil War writer who is...). He covers them well and also the top Union generals: Grant, Sherman and McClernand, including Grant's supposed bouts with alcohol and the feud between McClernand and Grant. This is a balanced coverage. On the minuses side, I found myself getting confused at times about what was really happening. For example, the coverage of the battles including the maps which are very confusing, which ramble about this unit and that unit going this way and that. The early book with this Confederate general and that Confederate general doing this and that is also confusing and may cause you to get you to get frustrated with the book, but stick with it. At one point, he has Pemberton in Vicksburg and needing to go to Vicksburg in the same paragraph. So, I read it again, and... huh. But then the story picks up when Grant tries one approach versus another to reach Vicksburg and decides on approaching it from the South. This is very interesting showing the chess moves between Grant, Pemberton and Johnston which Grant ultimately won. This is a good book, on a period that should be covered more. It may be confusing because unlike Gettysburg, where each writer can read the other books and build on them, there are few sources. So, I recommend it.
Book Description
The 1863 Vicksburg campaign was to prove decisive to the outcome of the American Civil War. Known as the 'Gibraltar of the West', Vicksburg was the last Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River. In a masterly campaign Grant used riverboats and steamers to land his army south of the city. He then defeated the armies of Generals 'Joe' Johnston and John C. Pemberton. Pemberton allowed his force to become bottled up in Vicksburg and after an epic 47-day siege he was forced to surrender the remnants of his force to Grant on 4 July 1863, one day after Lee's defeat at Gettysburg.
Book Description
The companion volume to Stars in Their Courses, this marvelous account of Grant's siege of the Mississippi port of Vicksburg continues Foote's narrative of the great battles of the Civil War--culled from his massive three-volume history--recounting a campaign which Lincoln called "one of the most brilliant in the world."
Customer Reviews:
Vicksburg and the Rise of U.S. Grant.......2006-01-22
"The Beleaguered City" is an extended excerpt on the Vicksburg Campaign from Shelby Foote's absolutely superb three volume narrative history of the Civil War. The Vicksburg Campaign is a gripping story in its own right, the central dramatic thread of which is Union General U.S. Grant's struggle to capture the great Confederate citadel on the Mississippi.
Grant, stubborn and taciturn, will try a variety of methods to close with and subdue the Confederate forces defending Vicksburg. His initial approaches fail, sometimes spectacularly, and it is only when Grant takes the great risk of cutting loose from his own supply lines to cross the Mississippi river and place his own army between two Confederate forces that he is finally able to place the city under siege. The Vicksburg campaign marks the coming of age of Grant as a mature senior leader, the kind of general who can plan, fight and win campaigns at the operational and strategic level. His success at Vicksburg will lead directly to his summons by Lincoln to lead all Union armies.
This book is highly recommended to the student of the Civil War and to the casual reader looking for an absolutely page-turning account of the Civil War meant to be read as literature.
An Intimate Study of a Crucial Campaign.......2005-01-06
As the country experiences the greatest philosophical and political division since the Civil War, I return to study the very bloody war that defined America as a nation. The best way to study this war is through the excellent narrative of Shelby Foote, featured in the acclaimed Civil War documentary by Ken Burns.
Shelby Foote has written infinite volumes about the civil war. However, I wasn't ready to immerse myself into those thick encyclopedia-looking things. Instead, I tried to ease myself with The Beleaguered City, which is an excerpt from these volumes. And it was an excellent choice.
This book, gave me an intimate account of what the seventeen-month campaign was like. From the infinite marches, to the bloody battles, the constant skirmishes, the digging of the trenches, was visualized in front of my eyes to the realization that this was one of the bloodiest campaigns the humanity has ever known.
Foote does a great job with the character development as well. From the worried, on the edge, ready to be labeled a scapegoat Grant, he evolves to the "Unconditional Surrender" Grant. The opposite happens with the Confederate generals, as they go from overly confident winners, to being slaughtered battle after battle.
Vicksburg is the turning point of the Civil War, and Shelby Foote is the present day authority on this war. If you want to really understand what happened during this campaign this is the book to buy. The excellent prose, and wealth of details will make it a fascinating read.
Vicksburg: The Cliff Notes.......2004-10-29
This is the same type of feel-good no-footnotes-it-just-crowds-the-page pseudo-history for which fiction writer Shelby Foote is famed. Others have written three volume sets on the Vicksburg Campaign (Bearss), but Shelby Foote seems comfortable boiling it down into a novella. It makes for a nice quick read, but others wishing to get their hands dirty with some real history should opt for Bearss, Grabau (98 Days), Winschel, or Timothy B. Smith (Champion Hill).
History at its' best.......2003-02-15
This is, without a doubt, the best book on the seige of Vicksburg that maybe was ever written. Never have I gotten more insight into the heart of Grant as well as a blow by blow description of the problems that befell this Union Army in undertaking what some have called an impossible victory.
Very informative! Just how did Grant take Vicksburg?.......2002-04-12
For some it may be unclear just how Grant finally took the city of Vicksburg and who to tell it wisely but Shelby Foote! Shelby Foote is probably one of the best authors of the Civil War around and it is certainly easy to understand why in this very informative book! Foote carefully explains all engagements in and around Vicksburg that eventually come to light towards the finish. Every event is descriptively written covering many naval strategies along the Mississippi, Yazoo and other rivers which were of importance to naval affairs of each opposing side. Grants struggles to capture the city are indeed covered by many in depth chapters which cover the naval and land assaults. Also to help build the story, strategic moves in and around the city by Sherman and other generals make it easy to understand the Union grip upon Pemberton towards the end. Another interesting part of this book was about Grant's personal dealings with daily life and how alcohol was a problem. Besides just mentioning movements and battles in this book, condition of troops, officers and citizens of Vicksburg is also presented well. Pemberton's decisions towards the end to surrender easily give the reader a true sense of desparation upon the part of Pemberton to seek help from Johnston for most of the seige which never came. Such writing makes it clear of Pemberton's motives to defend yet finally surrender the city to Union forces as a the stranglehold is built up from the start of the book and to the end!
Book Description
To the leaders of the North and South, Vicksburg, Mississippi, was the "key" to the Civil War. For the Union, control of the vital Mississippi River would never be regained unless Vicksburg was subdued. For more than a month and a half, the citizens of Vicksburg and Confederate soldiers in the surrounding fortifications endured a violent, almost constant bombardment.
On July 4, 1863, when the Confederate soldiers in the fortifications around the city surrendered to Union forces led by Ulysses S. Grant, the capitulation simultaneously ended a 47-day siege and forever linked the loss of Vicksburg with that at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. These were the dual blows that assured the demise of the Confederacy.
Vicksburg: Sentinels of Stone reveals the breadth and scope of Grant's siege and the city's stalwart defense in eighty-five color photographs of the monuments, the bluffs, the Mississippi river, the redoubts, and the redans that remain in the modern national park.
Accompanying text explores the stories of the soldiers and citizens who participated in this devastating engagement. In words and images, Vicksburg: Sentinels of Stone creates an ideal memento and a superb photographic record of the monuments and scenery that make a visit to Vicksburg National Military Park an unforgettable encounter with Civil War history.
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- Grandpa Scrugg's Civil War Stories
- Surviving Elmira
- amazing research
- Tramping with the Legion
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Tramping With the Legion: A Carolina Rebel's Story
C. Eugene Scruggs
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1425102336 |
Book Description
The Carolina Rebels of Company K, Holcombe Legion, were true sons of the Upstate. Brothers, cousins, and neighbors- all were well-suited for service in the independent brigade commanded by Ol’Shanks (Brig. Gen. Nathan Evans). The “boys†of Company K wore out many a set of boots “tramping†with the Legion wherever the regiment was needed- Charleston, Richmond, Malvern Hill, Rappahannock Station, Manassas Junction, Kinston, Wilmington, Jackson, Savannah and Petersburg.
One member of Co. K tells the story of his adventures with the legion, his capture at Stony Creek, his dramatic escape from the infamous Union prison in Elmira, New York, and his harrowing trek back to Virginia through the mountains of Pennsylvania and Maryland, helped along the way by copperheads, Dunkards and Dutch.
Customer Reviews:
Grandpa Scrugg's Civil War Stories.......2007-02-02
I enjoyed reading Grandpa Scruggs' account of his experiences in Company K, Holcombe Legion of South Carolinians fighting for their state's freedom from the tyranny of the Union. The format of night time stories told by Grandpa Scruggs to his grandchildren kept a dramatic tension in the book that helped keep me reading. We learn about the courage and commitment of Judd and other soldiers to their cause. We learn of the hardships, boredom,and horror of life as a foot soldier. The ways captured soldiers were treated changed as the war progressed. Judd experienced both ways. Because of the personal focus of this book, we also learn how the war caught up extended families and effected them. We also get glimpses of life back at home while the men were at war. I highly recommend Eugene Scruggs' book.
Surviving Elmira.......2007-02-01
Eugene Scruggs has made a valuable contribution to the history of the War Between the States with his account of the exploits of his great grandfather, Judson Puryear Scruggs, as an enlisted man in the Holcombe Legion, South Carolina Volunteers. To be sure, Scrugg's book is another in the "Johnny Reb and Billy Yank" tradition of oral history accounts from the point of view of the ordinary foot soldier. However, it is given context by a body of historical research, and a truly insightful introduction to some of this conflict's enduring themes. For many readers, the most interesting parts of the narrative will be those about life under horrible conditions in the POW camp at Elmira, NY, Judson's resourceful escape therefrom, and his traverse through enemy territory to Virginia.
In my opinion, however, as an avid student of the conflict rather than a professional historian, Scrugg's finest achievement was in his reconstruction of Judson's narrative within a quasi-fictional framework, in which he recreates not only the voice of his great-grandfather, but also that of the grandchildren who are auditors of the story. This teachnique not only creates a sense of immediacy in the flow of the narrative, but instills a kind of novelistic suspense which makes it enjoyable for the reader. This approach also permits Scruggs to render narrative as a truly "oral history," in that he has recreated the language of the period --- the regional dialect of 19th century Southerner. His handling of the artistic problem of the use of "eye dialect," moreover, is deftly handled: instead of generating pages of mangled orthography, Scruggs includes only occasional phonetic spellings, opting instead for the dialectal phrase, the idiom, and the speech rhythmns of his people. Professional historians may take issue with Scrugg's decision to treat his material in this way; other readers may enjoy it as thoroughly as I did.
Roger Cole
January 29, 2007
amazing research.......2007-01-29
I thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Scruggs' book. It is written in such a manner that it draws the reader into the family circle while providing an amazing amount of detail into the history of the Legion and the personal recollections of Jud, the author's great grandfather.
Tramping with the Legion.......2007-01-16
With the help of his older relatives, Gene Scruggs has gathered together the oral history left by his great grandfather, Sergeant Judson Scruggs, who served in South Carolina's Holcombe Legion during most of the Civil War.
Almost nothing has been written about this effective fighting unit which was organized early in the war by Peter F. Stevens, a former superintendent of The Citadel. 'Shanks' Evans, whose brigade included the infantry regiment of the Holcombe Legion, regarded it as his best fighting unit. During Lee's 1862 campaign, the accomplished Stevens often led Evans' entire brigade on the many occasions when Evans was posted to the divisional level.
In his stories, Judson recalls training camps around Charleston, the battles of Malvern Hill, Rappahannock Station, Second Manassas, Lee's First Maryland Campaign, Kinston (NC), and Jackson (MS). In the summer of 1864, the Holcombe Legion was detailed to guard the Petersburg & Weldon Railroad and (luckily) was not with Evans' Brigade at the Battle of the Crater. However, Judson was captured while guarding the Stoney Creek (VA) station and bridge and sent to the infamous Elmyra (NY) Prison. Perhaps Judson's most interesting stories recount his tunnelling out of prison in October 1864 and his experiences of running, hiding, and working his way home by late May of 1865.
Gene Scruggs includes glimpses of the daily lives of his Spartanburg District ancestors as he fashions the war stories as if his great-grandfather was telling them to his grandchildren in nightly installations. This is a "good read" for anyone interested in this troubled time in American history.
Book Description
During the late summer of 1862, Confederate forces attempted a three-pronged strategic advance into the North. The outcome of this offensive—the only coordinated Confederate attempt to carry the conflict to the enemy—was disastrous. The results at Antietam and in Kentucky are well known; the third offensive, the northern Mississippi campaign, led to the devastating and little-studied defeats at Iuka and Corinth, defeats that would open the way for Grant's attack on Vicksburg.
Peter Cozzens here presents the first book-length study of these two complex and vicious battles. Drawing on extensive primary research, he details the tactical stories of Iuka—where nearly one-third of those engaged fell—and Corinth—fought under brutally oppressive conditions—analyzing troop movements down to the regimental level. He also provides compelling portraits of Generals Grant, Rosecrans, Van Dorn, and Price, exposing the ways in which their clashing ambitions and antipathies affected the outcome of the campaign. Finally, he draws out the larger, strategic implications of the battles of Iuka and Corinth, exploring their impact on the fate of the northern Mississippi campaign, and by extension, the fate of the Confederacy.
Customer Reviews:
Very Good Book, But Caveat Emptor.......2007-05-30
This is a very good battle study of three key battles in one of the war's most overlooked theatres of operations. Cozzens has produced an excellent study of Corinth, Iuka, and Davis' Bridge, and by the end of the book has made a good case for this being a minor turning point of the war in the west.
However, there's a major caveat emptor: Cozzen's is looking to take potshots at Ulysses S. Grant, and often times covers over the mistakes or even outright malfeasance of others to make his points in that regard. Two examples come to mind. First, Cozzens ignores good evidence that Rosecrans attempted to smear Grant by having a staff member claim that Grant was drunk at Iuka. Secondly, Cozzens gives credence to Rosecrans' claim that he could have marched to Vicksburg in 6 days and easily destroyed Van Dorn's army in the process, when in reality Vicksburg was a months' march away and reinforcements were already on the way to Van Dorn.
Without the egregious Grant bashing, this book gets five stars.
excellent.......2007-03-26
I was very pleased with the purchase and the time it took to reach me. The condition of the book was excellent.
The BEST on the Iuka-Corinth campaign!.......2005-06-21
In 1862, Jefferson Davis proclaimed that there were two crucial places that the Confederacy must hold if it was to survive - Richmond, VA and Corinth, MS. While Richmond is a major focal point of the American Civil War, Corinth and Iuka, Mississippi have had little if any attention, except by those who study the western and Trans-Mississippi armies of the war.
Peter Cozzens has written THE definitive work on the battles at Iuka and Corinth in the fall of 1862. The writing is full of the facts and research that are a hallmark of Mr. Cozzen's previous efforts, and the descriptions are so vibrant that one can almost smell the gunpowder and feel the earth shake to the rumble of cannons.
Not only does Mr. Cozzens provide great detail on the battles themselves along with the Battle of Davis Bridge (Hatchie River) that followed the fight at Corinth; he provides an understanding of the importance of these battles, how they fit into the scheme of things (Van Dorn / Price were defeated at Corinth during the same week that Bragg was defeated at Perryville). We see one of the few attempts at a Confederate "Grand Strategy," but like many of the Confederate operations, this one is beset by political intrigue between Van Dorn and Price with Richmond; nebulous orders, rank insubordination and a failure to follow through on opportunities earned on the battlefield. In downtown Corinth and at Batteries Robinette and Powell, some of the bloodiest fighting of the war occurred.
Winning at Corinth allowed the Federals to control the extremely valuable north-south and east-west rail roads that crossed in downtown Corinth and set the stage for Grant's victory at Vicksburg the next summer. It deprived the Confederacy of the means to ship food, men and supplies from the Mississippi to the East by rail.
Mr. Cozzen's book served as the "bible" for the planning and execution of the huge re-enactment of the Battle of Corinth staged Oct. 1-2, 2005 near Corinth, MS.
Another Winner from Cozzens.......2004-06-17
Cozzens has written many fine books about the less well known Western Theater campaigns. The Darkest Days of the War: The Battles of Iuka and Corinth is perhaps the finest yet. It goes into great detail about 2 obscure, but ultimately important battles in the western theater. It manages to describe the battles in clear terms, set out convincing portraits of the key players and place these campaigns in context. At the same time, Cozzens avoids the pitfalls common to many Civil War books. (No, not everyone who dreams that they are going to die, dies. Its just that those dreams, when related to others, are the ones that are remembered. Cozzens doesn't treat us to the umpteenth take on this old saw).
Highly recommended.
This Guy Should Write More Books....!.......2004-04-28
Peter Cozzens is, arguably, the greatest writer today of the Western Theatre of the Civil War. I live 90 miles from Corinth and have been to many of the sites related to the Battle of Corinth of fall-1862 (and some sites from the April-May 1862 siege of the city), but never knew even the basic series of events of this battle. Not so after reading Mr. Cozzens' great book.
Of course, Cozzens brings back his great writing style and research, then adds the maps by one George Skoch, one of the best mapmakers of military history today. Along with all this, many good illustrations are spread across the book.
But this book does not only cover the Battle of Corinth; it covers the Battle of Iuka, the engagement precipitating the much larger battle at Corinth, and the Battle of Davis Bridge, which followed the Battle of Corinth.
On my most recent trip to Shiloh and Corinth in early-April, on the way home I decided to stop by the Davis Bridge Battlefield, and happily found it to be in pristine condition, and interpreted. I never would have visited the battlefield had it not been for this book.
If you are a fan of the Western Theatre, your book collection is definitely incomplete without this fine volume; if you are a fan of the Eastern Theatre, Trans-Mississippi Theatre, or the Civil War in general, I would also urge you to purchase this book!
Book Description
The struggle for control of the Mississippi River was the longest and most complex campaign of the Civil War. It was marked by an extraordinary diversity of military and naval operations, including fleet engagements, cavalry raids, amphibious landings, pitched battles, and the two longest sieges in American history. Every existing type of naval vessel, from sailing ship to armored ram, played a role, and military engineers practiced their art on a scale never before witnessed in modern warfare. Union commanders such as Grant, Sherman, Farragut, and Porter demonstrated the skills that would take them to the highest levels of command. When the immense contest finally reached its climax at Vicksburg and Port Hudson in the summer of 1863, the Confederacy suffered a blow from which it never recovered. Here was the true turning point of the Civil War.
This fast-paced, gripping narrative of the Civil War struggle for the Mississippi River is the first comprehensive single-volume account to appear in over a century. Vicksburg Is the Key: The Struggle for the Mississippi River tells the story of the series of campaigns the Union conducted on land and water to conquer Vicksburg and of the many efforts by the Confederates to break the siege of the fortress. William L. Shea and Terrence J. Winschel present the unfolding drama of the campaign in a clear and readable style, correct historic myths along the way, and examine the profound strategic effects of the eventual Union victory.
Customer Reviews:
The Battle for Vicksburg Ably Related.......2006-11-05
Vicksburg Is the Key: The Struggle for the Mississippi River, written by William Shea and Terrence Winschel, reflects Abraham Lincoln's view that (page 1) "The Mississippi is the backbone of the rebellion. . . .[I]t is the key to the whole situation." And central to the Confederate strategy to hold the Mississippi after 1862 was Vicksburg, "The Gibraltar of the West." This book does a serviceable job of explaining the Vicksburg Campaign and the context in which that campaign took place.
It begins by laying out the Civil War in the West, and the efforts by the Union to assert control over the Mississippi, from the taking of New Orleans to the success of John Pope at Island # 10. Confederate strategists came to realize the value of Vicksburg as Union forces moved upriver from New Orleans and downriver from island # 10 and Memphis. Vicksburg was transformed into a bastion to control the river from high atop the steep hill overlooking the Mississippi River.
The book proceeds by describing Grant's original plan, with him heading to Vicksburg overland and Sherman by the great river. After one of Carl Van Dorn's few great successes in destroying the Union base at Holly Springs, forcing Grant to retreat, Sherman ran into a stout defense alone and was repulsed. Thereafter, the book discusses the various failed "experiments" that Grant carried out, trying to figure a way to get at Vicksburg without what would surely be a sanguinary frontal assault on the bluffs.
Finally, Grant marched down the west bank of the Mississippi, crossed over at Hard Times, and began one of the most well implemented campaigns of the Civil War. First, Grant prevented General Joe Johnston from reinforcing General John Pemberton, Commander of the Vicksburg forces. Johnston was pushed out of Jackson. Thereupon, second, Grant turned to take on a mobile force sent to defeat Grant by Pemberton. At Champion Hill, Grant's forces won the day. After another reverse at the Big Black River, Pemberton's forces retreated to Vicksburg. After a futile attack on the city's works, Grant settled in for a siege. On July 4th, 1863, the defending forces surrendered to Grant. At that point, and with the later surrender of Port Hudson to Union General Nathaniel Banks, Lincoln could note that the Father of Waters flowed unvexed to the sea.
The triumph of Grant was a key turning point in the Civil War. This book does a solid job in describing the events leading up to the opening of the Mississippi River as a Union stream. It provides useful maps to clarify the geography and the nature of the campaign.
Good, but with an odd ending.......2004-07-12
This slim work actually speaks volumes, and is written in an engaging, fast-moving account that will satisfy either the Civil War buff, historian or general reader. The final chapter on Port Hudson is the only downside. That city's capture was part of the campaign described in this book, but its exclusion from the rest of this work makes it oddly out of place.
The Beginning of the Confederacy's End.......2004-05-12
The text notes that General Winfield Scott observed "The Mississippi is the backbone of the Rebellion.... it is the key to the whole situation." The rapid movement of men and equipment from one front to another in the vast western theater was a strategic advantage rivers gave Union military leaders. Conversely, with its seaports blockaded, unhampered ability to move men and supplies eastward on and across the Mississippi River was critical for Confederate survival. Thus, the Mississippi River was of strategic importance to both the Union and the Confederacy.
The text notes that New Orleans was the South's largest, wealthiest, and most industrialized city. However, New Orleans surrendered to Farragut in 1862, only one year after Fort Sumter. The Federals then began the complex/long campaign, not completed until July 1863, to clear the entire Mississippi River. By the spring of 1863, Vicksburg and Port Hudson were the only two Confederate forts blocking the Mississippi River. The authors, William L. Shea and Terrence J. Winschel, present an interesting narration of the campaign of Grant's progress down the river to Vicksburg and General Banks march north to an unfilled union with Grant. In many respects this was a trial and error campaign; Grant found that it was almost impossible to attack Vicksburg from the north or west, and he decided to cross the Mississippi River south of Vicksburg and attack the city from the southeast or east.
Most interesting during this campaign was the successful combined operations of army and navy resources. Admiral Porter made a dramatic run down the Mississippi past the Vicksburg batteries in order to ferry Union soldiers across the river below Vicksburg. In addition, while Vicksburg was under siege, Porter bombarded the city with his naval cannons.
After much bloody fighting east of Vicksburg, in May 1863 Grant's army reached the Vicksburg fortifications. After two unsuccessful direct assaults on the Rebels, a series of thirteen trenches were dug to the very face of the Confederate fortifications bringing Vicksburg under siege and sealing its doom. When completed over sixty thousand feet of excavations, manned by Union troops, were completed. By July Vicksburg's Confederate General Pemberton and his soldiers were hungry, sick and despaired of rescue. On July 3 General Pemberton asked Grant for surrender terms; Grant's answer was "unconditional surrender." Grant rejected Pemberton proposed surrender terms and promised to send amended terms of surrender that night to Pemberton that he accepted early on July 4.
The authors review the question of the lack of Confederate aid for Vicksburg noting that by early June, Richmond had sent Johnston thirty-two thousand troops and urged General Joe Johnston to relieve Vicksburg. Apparently Johnston never intended to save Vicksburg. Grant next moved east to turn on General Johnston. After eight weeks, Johnston abandoned Jackson, Mississippi and fled east eastward away from Grant.
The text concludes with an account of the battle for Port Hudson. Like Grant, Union General Banks, made a direct assault on the Rebel fortifications with disastrous results.Banks next initiated digging the way into Port Hudson; but impatient for results, tried another disastrous direct assault on June 14. Upon receiving word of Vicksburg surrender, Port Hudson surrendered on July 9, and General Banks informed Grant "The Mississippi is open.". On July 16 the steamboat Imperial, eight days out of St. Louis, docked in New Orleans. The struggle for the Mississippi River was over.
This is a readable account. Most interesting is to witness the development of General Grant into a first rate field general. The last chapter in the book is an EPILOGUE that provides a brief account after Vicksburg of several major commanders after Vicksburg.
Strong entry in a strong series.......2003-11-05
The University of Nebraska Press's Great Campaigns in the Civil War Series has become a great boon to period historians. It offers concise overviews and refreshing new perspectives on the conflict written by knowledgable scholars. I have yet to be disappointed with a volume in this fine series, but this entry has become my favorite, so much so that I felt compelled to praise it. Shea and Winschel simply provide the clearest and most useful one-volume history of the war around Vicksburg. I learned quite a bit that soon will find its way into lecture notes, and I'm suddenly yearning to revisit Vicksburg after many years. Highly recommended.
Book Description
Now available in paper for the first time. Ten fascinating chapters on the complex and decisive campaign to capture the city of Vicksburg and sever the Confederacy in two.
Author Terry Winschel, chief historian at Vicksburg National Military Park, weaves a professional lifetime of personal experience and scholarship into this remarkable study. His chapters cover every major aspect of what many consider to have been the decisive military achievement of the war--the capture of "The Gibraltar of the Confederacy."
How good was General Grant's generalship? Was Confederate Lieutenant General John Pemberton really as inept as we have been led to believe? Which battle of the months-long campaign was decisive and sealed the fate of the city? How did the civilians deal with the lack of food and supplies? What role did cavalry play in this critical campaign? Winschel discusses these issues and many others with articles on General Grant's march through Louisiana, Grierson's Federal cavalry raid, the battles of Port Gibson and Champion Hill, the infantry assault on Vicksburg, siege operations, John Walker's Texas Division, the citizens of Vicksburg, and much more.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Terrence Winschel is the Chief Historian of Vicksburg National Military Park and the author or editor of several books and dozens of articles on the Civil War. He lives withi his family in Vicksburg.
Customer Reviews:
Soup to nuts book on Vicksburg, but skips the main course.......2004-12-01
This book is a collection of separate articles written by Winschel, Chief Historian of the Vicksburg National Park. The rather thin book makes for a great addition to the library of any fan of the Vicksburg campaign. However, as a collection of articles, it really fails to involve the reader in many of the important dynamics between the main characters in this Confederate tragedy. What really makes the Vicksburg campaign fascinating to me is the endless interpersonal conflict: Loring's insubordination bordering on treason, Davis' meddling, Johnston's passive agression, Pemberton's equivocation, Sherman's doubting stoicism, Grant's audacity, McClernand's political manuevering, and Kirby Smith's apathy towards activities outside his department. In addition, the book fails to give ample consideration to some of the battles leading up to the siege. Chickasaw Bayou, Raymond, Jackson, and Bovina were all mentioned only in passing.
I thought the passages on the movement south through Louisiana, Grierson's Raid, the Battle of Port Gibson, Champion Hill, the belated attempt to cut the federal supply line through Louisiana, and the siege operations at Vicksburg were all very well written and informative. But I would have loved to see him add an additional 100-200 pages and complete the book as a one-volume resource on Vicksburg. At best, for the Vicksburg enthusiast, this will remain on your shelf as a quick reference for some of the particular operations mentioned above.
And now there are two........2004-11-23
Triumph & Defeat
And now there are two. It has been well established that the historian of the all important Vicksburg Campaign in the Civil War was none other than Ed Bearss. His fame and knowledge is uncontested, or was, until now. Terrence Winschel may, proudly, take his well deserved and hard earned place beside the legend. With Bearss and Winchel as impetus, it would well serve the Civil War community to have a quarterly publication concerning Vicksburg that would rival if not surpass its counterpart of the battle that took place at that small village in Pennsylvania. Terrence Winchel, Chief Historian at the Vicksburg National Military Park has put together ten great essays regarding ten different aspects of the Vicksburg Campaign. Some of the strength of the ten essays lies with a fresh and different handling of some of the same events of that campaign. Each essay retains the accuracy of the information with a freshness of the writing.
Triumph & Defeat, published by Savas Publishing Company, begins with a concise explanation of U. S. Grant's options in taking the river town and explains fully why each of these efforts failed. He shows us Pemberton's abilities or lack of abilities and also presents often overlooked critical problems that Pemberton suffered in his defenses of the Gibraltar of the Mississippi. Winchel points out the place of birth of General Sherman's well know ability to destroy the land in his marches. Not on the Meridian Campaign but on the Louisiana side of the Mississippi River, west of Vicksburg, from Lake Providence to Hard Times first saw Sherman's destructive abilities.
Essay #3, concerning the celebrated Grierson Raid, does a splendid service in the brief but accurate explanation of what the raid meant to both Grant and Pemberton. It was here that this reviewer found that "one error" that perhaps places a hint of shadow over the entire presentation. Lt. Colonel Reuben Loomis, 6th Illinois Cavalry, was not "killed in action later that year" but was indeed murdered by a fellow officer of the 6th Cavalry, Major Thomas G. S. Herod who was sentenced to 10 years in prison but was released in 1866 by President Andrew Johnson.
Winchel does, however, give credit to Major General Charles Hamilton who made the first suggestion to Major General Stephan Hurlbut regarding the celebrated raid. Neither is known for other major contributions to the war effort. The expansion of the initial idea was, however, instigated by Generals Grant and Sooy Smith and thus the raid was a total success and a great hindrance to Pemberton at Vicksburg.
Following with essays on Port Gibson, Champion Hill and the Assaults on the Vicksburg works, the author continued to demonstrate his vast knowledge on the subject. Port Gibson, a small relative "unimportant" battle in the big picture was indeed hard fought and brutal to the utmost. The Champion Hill essay explained some of Pemberton's problems, such as defending the area with poor staff, mediocre subordinates, and late messages from staff, supply train mishaps and other mishaps. It well may have been an impossible assignment. Of course Joe Johnston should receive his fair share of the blame, if there is blame to be shared.
The remaining essays, all of different aspects of the complicated campaign all contribute well to an overall understanding of the event. In the "Spades are Trump" essay may be the key to explaining Grant's actions and philosophy which seemed to be a large factor in his failure to support the tunneling endeavor later in the war near Petersburg, Virginia. Some may read this as Grant learned from his previous mistake while others may see it as he was a slow learner. Whichever, the Vicksburg action did indeed influence grant when he was placed in command in the east. Rescuing Vicksburg, by the Trans-Mississippi troops, is yet another fine example of the many untold stories of the Vicksburg Campaign. Other such stories, effort of new research, are undoubtedly present and "Western Theater historians" almost have an obligation to reveal them.
Anyone interested in the Vicksburg Campaign or anyone wishing to know more detailed information concerning the Vicksburg Campaign must make "Triumph & Defeat" a part of their Civil War library.
Submitted by Frank Crawford
Personal Visit by the Chief Historian.......2004-11-15
Approach this slim volume as if the Chief Historian for the Vicksburg National Military Park was giving you a personal tour and you won't be disappointed. It is composed of ten essays that cover the important events and incidents of the battle for and seige of Vicksburg. There are a number of illustrations and maps that illuminate the text and anecdotal images narratively entertwined to add the personal touch to historical events.
I would have enjoyed it even more had the author taken the time to go ahead and write the full volume this could have been. The essays are stand alone and somewhat repetitious. He knows the material better than perhaps any other. Make this one composite, whole narrative and throw in the kitchen sink. Nevertheless, if you're interested in the battle for Vicksburg, this will provide a decent overview that doesn't fall down to the minute level.
Triumph.......2004-10-09
This very impressive slim book proves the old adage that good things can come in small packages. This is not Ed Bearss three volume 1,800+ page detailed history of the Vicksburg Campaign and no one should mistake it for a substitute to that work. It is not a one-volume history of the campaign either, being to small for that. My first statement was this is an impressive book but then I told you what it is not. You might now ask what is this book and why should I part with my money to own it?
You are buying ten articles on the Vicksburg Campaign, an introduction, Epilogue, endnotes and index contained in 220 pages. Interspersed are maps and photographs of the participants. Even with the reasonable price, this will not sound impressive to many people. The physical characteristic of the book hide some very interesting and sometimes startling articles dealing with a person or aspect of the Vicksburg Campaign. Together, they form a very coherent picture of the campaign that is both captivating and informative.
Highly recommended is "Playing Smash with the Railroads", "Spades are Trump" and "First Honor at Vicksburg". The first covers the Grierson Raid from La Grange to Baton Rouge. This is the story of fast movement and misdirection as Grierson moving south cuts the railroads and upsets Pemberton. An excellent map complements the article, making it easy to follow the path of the raiders and their pursuers. "Spades are Trump" provides a look at siege operations and the progress Grant's army was making toward reduction of the defensive works. Scheduled was a major assault for July 6. The closeness of siege lines to the defensive works, the several mines in place, forced Vicksburg to surrendered rather than be stormed. The story of the 1st Battalion, 13th U.S. Infantry both explains the desperate initial attacks, the decision for a siege and ties the Civil War to the present day. This unit attacked the Stockade Redan on May 19 and today wears "First at Vicksburg" with pride.
The city and the citizens have full coverage with a quick history of the city and life was like under siege. Both are well done and convey the carnage and disruption of war. Unlike many books, the surrender and events leading up to it are covered. Grant finds himself forced to give more "generous terms" by the realities of transport capacity and not wanting to deal with thousands of half starved POWs.
This is a strong book that does not require the second volume, however, the two volumes provide a more complete history of the campaign and siege. Each book complements the other providing a better picture of the campaign and siege.
Offers ten chapters detailing every major aspect.......2004-09-11
Triumph & Defeat: The Vicksburg Campaign by civil war expert Terrence Winschel (Chief Historian of Vicksburg National Military Park) offers ten chapters detailing every major aspect of what is widely considered to be the key watershed battle that sealed the ultimate defeat of the Confederacy at the hands of Union forces. Meticulously reconstructing details and events from the critical battle that would capture Vicksburg and divide the Confederacy, Triumph & Defeat narrates history in a matter-of-fact tone that clarifies the complex interplay of forces, personalities, and events. Black-and-white photographs round out this superlative contribution to civil war reading lists and reference shelves.
Book Description
The study of the Civil War in the Western Theater is more popular now than ever before, and the center of that interest is the months-long Vicksburg Campaign, which is the subject of National Park Historian Terrence J. Winschel's new book Triumph and Defeat: The Vicksburg Campaign, Vol 2.
Following up on the popular success of his earlier book of the same name, Winschel offers ten new chapters of insights into what has been declared by many to have been the most decisive campaign of the Civil War. Designed to appeal to both general readers and serious students, Winschel's essays cover a wide range of topics, including military operations, naval engagements, leading personalities, and even a specific family caught up in the nightmarish 47-day siege that nearly cost them their lives.
Smoothly written and deeply researched, these fresh chapters offer balanced and comprehensive analysis written with the authority that only someone who has served as Vicksburg's Chief Historian since 1978 can produce. Bolstered by photographs, illustrations, and numerous outstanding original maps, this second volume in the Triumph and Defeat series will stand as a lasting contribution to the study of the Civil War.
About the author: Winschel is author of many books, including Triumph and Defeat: The Vicksburg Campaign (1998, 2004), Vicksburg is the Key: The Struggle for the Mississippi River (2003), Vicksburg: Fall of the Confederate Gibraltar (1999), and The Civil War Diary of a Common Soldier (2000). Terry is also a popular speaker on the Civil War Round Table circuit and has made frequent appearances on the History Channel. He lives in Vicksburg, where he works as the battlefield's chief historian.
Customer Reviews:
A second Triumph.......2007-07-23
This is the second volume of Vicksburg stories that the author wrote for Round Table presentations or articles in magazines. In the preface, the author admits to "a mental block" about writing a book but has no problem with 10 to 30 page articles. After reading both volumes, I feel this might be a blessing for us. These well-crafted articles are informative and very easy to read. They provide a varied approach to the campaign & siege that is impossible in a standard history. Many articles have the intimate feel of a Round Table presentation, bringing the reader closer to the author and the subject.
This is a varied selection dealing less with Vicksburg as a military siege and more with the campaign, civilians and aftermath of the surrender.
Two articles deal with crossing the Mississippi River and the battles leading to the siege. Two articles cover the role of Jackson, Mississippi. One is the capture of the city as Grant is advancing on Vicksburg; the other Sherman driving Johnston away from the city after Vicksburg surrendered.
The article on the Gunboat Cincinnati provides a glimpse of life and death in the Navy. Gunboats are critical to Grant's planning and should be included in more books on Vicksburg. This shows that they are much more than a floating battery.
John A. McClernand: Fighting Politician gives the reader a very balanced look into a controversy that continues with no end in sight. This is a balanced and thoughtful portrait that lets the reader decide if Grant is right or wrong.
The Lords of Vicksburg is the story of one family and the campaign. This is one of the strongest articles in the book, experiencing the siege through children's eyes.
Joe Johnston's efforts or lack of effort to lift the siege is a fine article. The author is on very firm ground as he explores the problems and opportunities Johnston faced.
The last two articles are excellent and badly needed. The first covers why Vicksburg is so important to the war. Detailing the provisions shipped through the city, how it kept the Confederacy one nation and the impact opening the Mississippi had on the Union states boarding the Mississippi/Ohio river basin. The second deals with making Vicksburg a National Military Park. We have little information on the development of the NMPs! This article provides us with a look at what was needed and how it was done.
This is a strong book that does not require volume one, however, the two volumes will provide a more complete history of the campaign and siege. Each book complements the other providing a better picture of the campaign and siege.
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- Wizard 6: A Combat Psychiatrist in Vietnam (Texas a & M University Military History Series)
- 1921: The Great Novel of the Irish Civil War (Irish Century)
- A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
- A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
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- Agincourt: Henry V and the Battle That Made England
- Agincourt: Henry V and the Battle That Made England
- America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It
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