All these suggestions and no one has mentioned The Red Badge of Courage yet?

I've just re-read the Grant book. I do that with alot of books and learn quite a bit more the second time around. It talks about the election after Grant was done and how close it was. It also talked about how important it is for people to trust election results. The dems needed a copy. Good book!


Jim

Another vote for Team of Rivals by Doris Keairns Goodwin

I thought about Red Badge of Courage, but that's more of a morality theme with an individual soldier without much history of the war.

Having said that, it is an excellent book and highly recommended. Also a movie starring Audie Murphy.

Jack Hinson's One-Man War

Want a chuckle? Get Confederates in the Attic.
author: Pulitzer prize winner, Tony Horowitz

The Red Badge of Courage is set in the Civil War, but it isn’t about the Civil War. It’s a story everyone should read, but not to learn about that particular war.

Lee's Lieutenants: A study in Command by Douglas Southall Freeman

April 1865; The Month that Saved America by Jay Winik

All the Confederate officers showed exceptional personal bravery in the face of the enemy --- however my favorites are the young artillerymen John Pelham (the Gallant Pelham) and W.R.J. "Willie" Peagram (The Little Man with the Glasses).

My favorite general is Maxie Gregg of SC. D.S. Freeman said he (& his brigade) won Homeric fame at 2nd Manassas. His death at Fredricksburg (Dec. 1862) was no less heroic!

You might want to "read up" on these almost forgotten three; they deserve to be remembered!

It's worth your time to learn what transpired at Ft. Gregg (Petersburg, VA) on April 2, 1865. One of the grandest "last stands" in US history.

This will be an obsure one and an easy read. My Uncle wrote a book tracing the history of a Sharps rifle he has

The Search for Corporal Dow. Gene Solyntjes

The Killer Angels by Shaara is one of my favorites.

I'm currently reading Shiloh: Conquer or Perish by Tim Smith. It is extremely detailed, including troop movements. But a fascinating read.

Two of my favourites for bringing vividly alive the daily lives of ordinary soldiers are Hardtack and Coffee by Josh Billings and Co. Aytch by Sam Watkins. If you read these two, you will have a detailed idea of what it was like to camp and to march in the Union and Confederate armies.

https://www.amazon.com/Hardtac...e%2Caps%2C150&sr=1-1

https://www.amazon.com/Co-Aytc...TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

I guess to start is would be nice to read and learn about the lead-up and causes of war. Kind of the politics of the time, before diving into the actual battles.

quote:

Originally posted by dmac82:
I guess to start is would be nice to read and learn about the lead-up and causes of war.

To be a serious student, that’s true. But although I wouldn’t discourage anyone from learning more about what led to the conflict than 99.99…% of the American populace ever knew or ever will know, that can be a somewhat daunting goal. Most histories of the Civil War, like most histories of most wars, start with their beginnings and end when they’re over. To satisfy a goal like yours, when do you start? Apologists for the South’s decision to secede from the Union claim that the war wasn’t about slavery, but if the institution of slavery and therefore the pressures to abolish it had never existed, would there have been any desire or reason for them to secede? The answer is obvious and then how far back does that issue go?

And if we want to know what effects on the country the war had, we can’t stop with Appomattox. I saw a review just recently of a newly-published book that reportedly examines the repercussions the war and its aftermath have to this day.

SigFreund, it appears living at 10,150 feet doesn't affect your cerebral oxygen supply. That's very close to the altitude at the summit of Hale'akala on Maui, and not being used to it I always had to take it easy after driving up.

Anyway: I fell in love with Bruce Catton's Civil War trilogy years ago (want a reason? Read about Sheridan at Cedar Creek), and have re-read it since.

Chernow's Grant includes an extended exposition of Grant as president, dealing with the South during Reconstruction. Highly recommended.

For a book about a specific battle, Landscape Turned Red about Antietam is excellent.

dmac82
One you've never hear of and about the largest all cavalry battle of the Civil War....25.000 troops engaged and it happened in KANSAS!
"OCTOBER 25TH AND
THE BATTLE OFF MINE CREEK"
by- Lumir F. Biresh
The Lowell press/ Kansas City, Missouri
The reason it's little known is because no reporters were present. It followed the confedrate
battle of West Port in KC and the reporters to write about that were still arriving by train to
Kansas City.
The southern army ( All regular both sides) were trying to get 500 wagons with loot across flooded Mine Creek
Capt. Benteen___laater at the Little Big Horn was
with the Yankee forces.
G'luck and enjoy reading about the beggest all cavalry battle of the civil war.
Poli Viejo

quote:

Originally posted by dmac82:
I guess to start is would be nice to read and learn about the lead-up and causes of war. Kind of the politics of the time, before diving into the actual battles.

Shelby Foote does a good job of covering the causes prior to the outbreak of hostilities in his Civil War trilogy.

quote:

Originally posted by dmac82:
...I’ll head over to the local library this weekend.

i do everything online and only visit to pick up or drop off.

If you read just one book about the lead up and politics of the war, I recommend The Election of 1860 by Michael Holt.

https://www.amazon.com/Electio...2956&s=books&sr=1-21

Although it vaguely mentions the civil war, it is more involved with the mid-west expansion of the US. But it does mention issues between Union and Confederate forces during the expansion. It’s mainly focused on Kit Carson.

Blood and Thunder by Hampton Sides. Very good read.