"Period book recommendations?" Topic

I am a bit ashamed to say as an American I am fairly clueless about the civil war beyond what everyone knows (Gettysburg, etc). I want to change this but don't know where to look.

Is there a book that's the equivalent to Chandler's The Campaigns of Napoleon or similar resources (Wellington in the peninsula, uniforms of the Napoleonic wars, Oman,and the like)?

For starters, you could do worse than the four volume Battles and Leaders of the Civil War; Shelby Foote's three volumes on the ACW; and Bruce Catton's three volumes set on the overall war (like Footes), and his three volumes on the Army of the Potomac. Then individual books on specific battles, by Pfanz, Sears, and other newer authors/works.

I would recommend Paddy Griffith's "Civil War Battles". It is a good basic primer with sketches on formations. It is about 8" X 11" paperback and should not be too expensive. I do not know of a Chandler-type book on the ACW, but I am sure some of the knowledgeable people (as mjkerner has above) will direct you to what you are looking for. Good luck and have fun!

I'd recommend "An American Iliad: The Story of the Civil War" by Charles P. Roland. It will not overwhelm you but will give you insight to determine where you would want to go next for a deeper understanding. Paddy Griffith's book is also a good one as mentioned above.

I think the best single volume on the ACW is "Battle Cry of Freedom." Not quite as tactical as CoN but covers all the olitics, campaigns, and major battles.

Battles and Leaders is interesting, as it was written by the participants in most cases. Shelby Foote is great too. But those are both a big reading project.

Thanks friends! :) I Just ordered An American Iliad and Civil War Battles for a good primer. I can expand later on as I need to :)

- Wayne

+1 Extra Crispy's recommendation of McPherson's "Battle Cry of Freedom". Maybe the best one-volume treatment of any war I've ever read.

Wayniac,

Mjkerner's list is good. I'd add Glen Tucker.

I have sold over 100 of my books, but still have around 41 CW books left, if you are interested, just say so here and I can get you information and send you the listing. Prices are better than almost anywhere, as I am cleaning out my collections.

> +1 Extra Crispy's recommendation of McPherson's "Battle Cry of Freedom". Maybe the best one-volume treatment of any war I've ever read.

Thanks for this, I added this one to my order as well! :)

Actually thought it was a good time to update my list. I have far fewer left than I thought. Anyway if interested, let me know which ones ones.

Non smoking home. Will email pictures if you like.

Will send priority mail if requested. Would suggest media mail but it is slow, as priority has gotten expensive in last few months, but will ship the method you request since you are paying. Will give you shipping price when I find out.

US only, as shipping out of country is outrageous postage wise.

Make sure and give me your address and your TMP alias as well in case of e-mail issues.

Can use PayPal. Otherwise will discuss. Will send images on

1. 
Uniforms of the Civil War
Phillip Haythornthwaite
1975 First American edition 
191 pages
Excellent condition 
$3 USD

2.
Sickles the Incredible 
By W. A. Swanberg
(Signed by Author)
Signed for members of the Civil War book club
1956 433 pages
Good shape for 1956. hardcover with dust cover. Ware on dust cover.
$10 USD

3.
Soldier Life in the Union and Confederate Armies
Edited by Phillip Van Doren Stern
From Hardtack and Coffee by John D. Billings
400 pages
Hardcover with dust cover. Very good
Another excellent book on soldiers everyday life.
$5 USD

4.
Lee's Lieutenants A study in command
Volumes 1, 2, 3 complete
By Douglas Southhall Freeman
1970, 1971 versions
Very good shape. hardcover with dust covers
Sold as a set
All 3 for $20 USD total

5.
The Last Cavaliers
Confederate and Union Cavalry in the Civil War
Samuel Carter III
1979 358 pages
Hardcover and dust cover. Excellent condition
$4 USD

6.
Personal Recollections of the Civil War
By John Gibbon
1978 426 pages
Hardcover excellent condition
$7 USD

7.
A Wisconsin Boy in Dixie
The Selected letters of James K. Newton
Edited by Stephen E. Ambrose
1961 188 pages
Hardcover and dust cover excellent for its age.
$6 USD

8.
Rustics in Rebellion
A Yankee Reporter on the road to Richmond
George Alfred Townsend
1950 292 pages
Hardcover and dust cover. Good condition for age. Some minor nicks on dust cover. Outside of pages have some sort of stain marks, but does not effect the inside at all.
$3 USD

9.
Jefferson Davis
Clement Eaton
1977 334 pages
Hardcover and dust cover. Excellent condition
$4 USD

10.
The Civil War
Strange and Fascinating Facts
Burke Davis
249 pages
Hardcover and dust cover. Excellent condition
$3 USD

11.
The Old Man
John Brown at Harper's Ferry
Truman Nelson
1973 First Edition
304 pages hardcover and dust cover
Like New
$5 USD

12.
Jeb Stuart the Last Cavalier
Burke Davis
462 pages
Good condition. Some yellowing on the first and last page only. Hardcover and dust cover
$4 USD

13.
Lee
Clifford Downey
781 pages
Hardcover and dust cover. Book in great shape, dust cover damaged
$4 USD

14.
The Battle of Pea Ridge 1862 hard Paper bound. 44 pages. Very good condition.
$2 USD

15.
The Civil War in the West
Alvin M. Josephus Jr.
1991 first edition 448 pages
Hardcover with dust cover.
Like new. This is the true western civil war. New Mexico, Pea Ridge, Minnesota, etc.
$5 USD

16.
Mathew Brady's Illustrated History of the Civil War
512 pages
Hardcover and dust cover. One small tare on dust cover otherwise excellent
$5 USD

17.
The Great Military Campaigns of History
The Shiloh Campaign
March-April 1862
David G. Martin
1987
184 pages
Hardcover and dust cover. Like new
$5 USD

18.
The Great Military Campaigns of History
The Gettysburg Campaign
June-July 1863
Albert A. Nofi
1986
192 pages
Hardcover and dust cover. Like new
$5 USD

19.
The Great Military Campaigns of History
The Chickamauga Campaign
December 1862-November 1863
Patrick Abbazia
1988
184 Pages
Hardcover and dust cover. Like new
$5 USD

20.
Historical Times Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Civil War
Patricia L. Faust
1986 First Edition
860 Pages
Hardcover and Dust cover. Pretty much new condition.
$6 USD

21.
Peoples pictorial edition The Blue and Gray a history of the conflicts during Lee's invasion and battle of Gettysburg
Replete with Incidents
Prof J. Warren Gilbert
1922
166 pages
Map still in front, but a small section stuck to opposite page. Good shape for its age.
Hard paper back
$10 USD

22.
The Images of War: 1861-1865
Volume II
The Guns of ‘62
William C. Davis Editor
1982 First Edition
460 Pages
Hardcover and dust cover. Some tares on dust cover, but book excellent shape.
$6 USD

23.
The Images of War: 1861-1865
Volume III
The Embattled Confederacy
William C. Davis Editor
1982 First Edition
464 Pages
Hardcover and dust cover. Some tares on dust cover, but book excellent shape.
$6 USD

24.
The Images of War: 1861-1865
Volume I
Shadows of the Storm
William C. Davis Editor
1981 First Edition
464 Pages
Hardcover and dust cover. Small tare on dust cover, but book excellent shape.
$6 USD

25.
The Blue and the Gray
Two volumes in one
Henry Steele Commager
1982
Pages 1201
Hardcover and dust cover
Excellent shape
$5 USD

26.
The Civil War
The Bloodiest Day
The Battle of Antietam
Time Life
176 Pages
Like new. Hardcover
$4 USD

27.
The Civil War
Brother Against Brother
The War Begins
Time Life
176 Pages
Like new. Hardcover
$4 USD

28.
The Golden Book The Civil War
Introduction by Bruce Catton
1965
My first book on the Civil War
I loved those battle maps with the soldiers in them!
Hardcover very good condition
$5 USD

29.
Campfires and Battlefields
The pictorial history of the Civil War
Rossiter Johnson
1967
Hardcover and dust cover, some Tears on dust cover. Otherwise very good shape
Around 540 pages
$12 USD

Battles and Leaders should be used with caution. It was written largely by participants and is often more exculpatory than factual.

That is true, but great for orders of battle

Paddy Griffin's book is great – there are so many great ACW books hard to recommend one

If you want a great book on high level command (political) I would recommend Team of Rivals by Mary Kearns Goodwin – amazing book about Lincoln's cabinet

Best single work on the war is the epic poem JOHN BROWN'S BODY by Stephen Vincent Benet.

There was a death-torn mile of broken ground to cross, And a low stone wall at the end, and behind it the Second Corps, And behind that force another, fresh men who had not yet fought. They started to cross that ground.  The guns began to tear them.

From the hill they say that it seemed more like a sea than a wave, A sea continually torn by stones flung out of the sky, And yet, as it came, still closing, closing and rolling on, As the moving sea closes over the flaws and rips of the tide.

You could mark the path that they took by the dead that they left behind, Spilled from that deadly march as a cart spills meal on a road, And yet they came on unceasing, the fifteen thousand no more, And the blue Virginia flag did not fall, did not fall, did not fall.

They halted but once to fire as they came.  Then the smoke closed down And you could not see them, and then, as it cleared again for a breath, They were coming still but divided, gnawed at by blue attacks, One flank half-severed and halted, but the centre still like a tide.

Cushing ran down the last of his guns to the battle-line. The rest had been smashed to scrap by Lee's artillery fire. He held his guts in his hand as the charge came up to the wall And his gun spoke out for him once before he fell to the ground.

Armistead leapt the wall and laid his hand on the gun, The last of the three brigadiers who ordered Pickett's brigades, He waved his hat on his sword and "Give 'em the steel!" he cried, A few men followed him over.  The rest were beaten or dead.

Benet, Stephen. John Brown's Body . Aegitas. Kindle Edition.

Bruce Catton is, in my opinion, still the best overall military historian of the Civil War. He had the advantage of being able to talk to some of the veterans. His two volumes on Grant are superb.

Shelby Foote, by his own admission, was a novelist and not a historian.

Allan Nevins is excellent, as is Battles and Leaders. There are also excellent regimental and unit histories, such as A Brave Black Regiment by Emilio that are invaluable. He was the senior unwounded survivor of the assault on Battery Wagner in July 1863.

There are numerous other books, general histories, regimental and brigade histories, etc. that are invaluable for the study of the war.

Best single work on the war is the epic poem JOHN BROWN'S BODY by Stephen Vincent Benet.

Benet was a poet, short story writer, and a novelist. He was not a historian. And there is fiction in his epic poem, John Brown's Body, which overall detract's from the idea of it being the 'best single work' on the Civil War.

I would recommend the Army of the Potomac trilogy by Bruce Catton. He also wrote a short history of the ACW that was one of two of my college textbooks when I took the Civil War in college, the other is "Lincoln and his Generals" by T. Harry Williams. For a more in-depth analysis of the Civil War era go no further than "Battle Cry of Freedom" by James M. McPherson. These books are a good place to start.

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You cannot go wrong with Shelby Foote's 3-volume set. Beautifully written, lots of focus on the Western Theatre. I own or have owned over 300 volumes on the ACW. Michael Priests books are excellent. Anything by Cozzens is very well done. Rhea's books are detailed and loaded with anecdotes. Glenn Tucker is also excellent. But for an immersive civil war read, pick up Foote's set.

Shelby Foote was a novelist, not a historian. And his 'world view' of the Civil War was reflected, apparently, with little knowledge of European warfare.

In my opinion, without a solid background in European military history, any view of the Civil War might be tunnel vision.

I completely agree with Old Contemptible on his recommendations.

To: 35thOIV I would be interested in grabbing items 6 and 7 from your list. Not sure how to contact you directly, yet. My email address is d.carp72@hotmail.com.

6.
Personal Recollections of the Civil War
By John Gibbon
1978 426 pages
Hardcover excellent condition
$7 USD USD

7.
A Wisconsin Boy in Dixie
The Selected letters of James K. Newton
Edited by Stephen E. Ambrose
1961 188 pages
Hardcover and dust cover excellent for its age.
$6 USD USD