1 comments about Into the Western Winds: Pioneer Boys Traveling the Overland Trails.

1. Heartfelt renderings of life along the Oregon/California Trails through the eyes of boys and adolescent young men. Mary Barmeyer O'Brien selects nine different diaries and memoirs of pioneering young men and paraphrases these diary excerpts with her own style of writing. Wonderfully done!
   We read of seven year old Jesse Applegate and their Oregon bound wagon train of 1843 with their many hardships and misfortunes, including the drowning of his brother in the Columbia River.
   Then there is seventeen year old Moses Schallenberger's wagon party of 1844, where due to circumstances of deep snows in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and being left behind to guard the wagons, he oftentimes was referred to as "Robinson Crusoe of the Sierra Nevada" because of his solitary existence in a make-shift log cabin for months.
   The courageous fourteen year old Octavius Pringle in 1844 riding solo to get provisions back to his stranded family on the Applegate Cutoff.
   Eleven year old Elisha Brooks in 1852 traveling hundreds of miles with only his mother and five siblings to California.
   These young boys, along with their families, exemplify the strong, rugged, Herculean efforts these pioneers had to endure in order to reach the land of their dreams.
   As seen through the eyes of youth, this is a different, but at the same time admirable way, to look at westward emigration.

1 comments about A Damned Iowa Greyhound: The Civil War Letters of William Henry Harrison Clayton.

1. A wonderful compililation of letters from an infantryman in an Iowa regiment. Sgt Clayton was involved in actions in Missouri, Louisiana, and Alabama, including a stint as a confederate prisoner. Narrative anb pictures by Dr. Elder really rounded this book out. Clayton was an excellent writer and gives incredible insight into army life and the fighting of the civil war. Best of all you get a flavor for the general perceptions of the common soldier, the ones charged with the dirty work.

   I thoroughly enjoyed this highly readable book, in fact resented any interruptions while trying to read it. Thank you, Dr. Elder!!

2 comments about Second Only to Grant: Quartermaster General Montgomery C. Meigs.

1. David Miller deserves a great deal of credit for bringing
   General Montgomery Meigs to life. Through his incredibly detailed work, the life and times of this gifted builder,
   architect and general become chrystallized in the reader's mind.
   The number of personal letters included in this volume are nothing short of remarkable. The inclusion of so many portions of personal letters from the mid-1800s allows the reader to share directly the thought processes of Meigs, his supporters and his detractors. The copious footnotes are outstanding as well. Not to mention the great photos.
   In a sense, this is a textbook as well as a biographical work.
   I am very impressed. Thank you,!!!
   Signed, A distant relative of the Quartermaster General



2. This is an excellent biography of one of the most important -- although most overlooked and underrated -- members of the Union high command in the Civil War. Montgomery Meigs was, quite literally, second only to U. S. Grant in importance, in that he was the genius who kept the supplies moving up front. He also had outstanding pre- and post-war careers as engineer-architect. A most amazing (though not particularly attractive) man, whose life and works are splendidly described in a well-written, fascinating book. Civil War buffs owe Miller many thanks.

1 comments about Rutherford B. Hayes: One of the Good Colonels (Civil War Campaigns & Commanders).

1. This book is another well done look at Rutherford B. Hayes by Dr. Ari Hoogenboom. In this volume the author tells the story of Hayes' Civil War experiences.

   Before joining up Hayes was not enthused about the War. But as a soldier he quickly became convinced of the value of his mission. By the end of 1861 he had come to see the war as "a crusade against slavery."

   Hayes started out as a major in the 23rd Regiment of Ohio Volunteers. He soon rose to colonel. By the end of the war he was a general. He served four years in all (1861-1865). Hayes last battle was in October, 1864. While still on active duty the voters of Cincinnati elected him to Congress.

   Hayes' war action was mostly in Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland. William McKinley stated that when Hayes was in battle he was "intense and ferocious." He was wounded five times in action but maintained his enthusiasm for being a soldier. He proved himself a capable officer who earned the respect of his men. He often defeated the enemy and helped achieve ultimate Union victory.

   Hayes had the luxury of seeing his family several times during the War. He wrote numerous letters home and kept a diary. These writings proved invaluable sources for this book.

   This book provides numerous detailed maps of the battles which Hayes fought in. There are also several bios given of the various generals Hayes served under or against.

   Dr. Hoogenboom clearly understood Rutherford B. Hayes and described him accurately. The reader gets a clear picture of the 19th President before he attained that office.

5 comments about Abigail Adams: An American Woman (2nd Edition).

1. I was very pleased with the timing and condition of this book. I will look forward to shopping with you again. Sincerely Nontrad stu.



2. While this was a quick read, Elizabeth Cady Stanton's bio was much, much better and far more interesting.



3. I think everyone should know about this incredible woman and this biography is a good place to start. Everyone is always talking about (and writing about) the fathers of the country. What about the mothers of the country? Charles Akers does a good job of bringing Abagail alive.



4. Akers does a great job of placing the information from Abigail's letters into a story, without directly quoting the letters line by line. A story is presented to the reader through the eyes of the First Lady. It was a required text for an American History class, though I did enjoy reading it. The story itself; however, can be deeply depressing while still communicating the accounts of the famous political family. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read about the other side of politics.



5. Akers is limited by the series he is writing for so very little can be blamed on him, in fact he does a good job with what little he is allotted but his use of her first name throughout is not only taboo for historians but could also be considered sexist -- would you call Thomas Jefferson, "Tom" in a biography? Also, major figures in Adams' life have merely the depth of cardboard cutouts. Possibly suitable for the high school freshmen, probably not undergraduate and certainly not for the graduate level.

1 comments about Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War (Ultimate Sticker Books).

1. My 4 year old loves sticker books. For those not "in the know" they are activity books where a child places stickers in the appropriate spot. Sometimes they have to match shapes, and sometimes they have to find the answer sticker (for instance 2+2 would equal a "4" sticker).
   
   Anyways, my daughter always wants a new sticker book when we go to the toy store or the book store. Last time we were at the bookstore, I said no-- until I saw this book. A Civil War sticker book! How perfect!
   
   The DK books are shorter than some of the other ones and can be finished quickly. This isn't usually a positive, as we usually like to buy the larger books with much more to do. But, still, who can complain when she learns even more about Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War? The book includes stickers of soldiers (both blue and gray), cannons, guns, log cabins, memorabilia, Confederate money, a few Generals including Robert E Lee, and more.
   
   As I write this, I can almost guess that some parents may find some of the subject matter objectionable. They might like the idea of teaching about Lincoln, but not yet teaching about the war. I can understand this and, in that case, older children will also enjoy this-- my 11 year old son found this book fascinating, too.
   
   We, however, take our kids to many Civil War battle sites and they know some of the nearby Nashville and Franklin sites like the back of their hands. So my four year old actually enjoyed this immensely since she talks about all the "heroes" and the cannons and the other things she knows about. For us, this Civil War sticker book was perfect, appropriate, and something I felt I was lucky to find.

5 comments about Lincoln's War: The Untold Story of America's Greatest President as Commander in Chief.

1. Written in a clean, clear style, Lincoln's War describes Abraham Lincoln from the perspective of Commander in Chief. Although most of the "big story" has been told numerous times, Perret keeps his narrative interesting by peppering his recounting with numerous factoids and quotes that I had never encountered previously. (After reading other Amazon reviews, I now question them.)
   
   Perret portrays Lincoln as someone who grew in office until he became an effective commander in chief. Lincoln did gain military knowledge and confidence as the war progressed, but the political skills that he brought to the office of the presidency gave him the wherewithal to be not just a good war president, but to be an exceptional civil war president. More than other wars, a civil war is a political conflict and with the capitol surrounded and embedded with Confederate sympathizers, it took great skill to hold things together until the generals could prosecute the war.
   
   I also found the Table of Contents to be expertly compiled. Whenever I wanted to look ahead or behind, I was able to quickly find the material I was looking for.
   
   The Shut Mouth Society
   The Shopkeeper



2. Historian and author Geoffrey Perret has succeeded in writing yet another brilliant book!
   
   This work brings together one of my favorite military historians and my favorite President. Perret can always be counted on to write great history. His works are always well written, researched and compelling.
   
   In "Lincoln's War" Perret shows how Lincoln seized war powers, reserved for Congress by the Constituation, and made them his own. By the end of the war, the President evolved into an effective Commander and Chief who controlled all aspects of national strategy - political, economic, military and even informational - in his hands. The President was driven, as no other American politician was, to first preserve the Union and then to abolish Slavery throughout the United States.
   
   Lincoln succeeded in both, due mostly to his talents as Commander and Chief and the backing of the Union Army. As a result, the modern Presidency owes its war powers to Abraham Lincoln.
   
   This is truly a great read!



3. Despite some of the previous reviews. My husband is thoroughly enjoying this book. He is a Civil War buff and says that this book is tying together much of what he has read in the past regarding the Civil War.



4. I found this a very moving account of Lincoln's presidency which focused
   on his wartime decisions and his relationships with his cabinet, generals, soldiers in the field, and more. For a longtime reader of books on Lincoln and the Civil War it brought several new insights and anecdotes. The author obviously did a great amount of research into correspondence of the time, newspapers, diaries, etc. He is obviously well read in his subject because he doesn't repeat the accounts offered so often in other works.
   
   I don't understand the many uncharitable reviews here of this book, and the poor rating. It sounds like part professional jealousy from other historians, part just plain churlishness. It may be that the title has attracted statistical students of troop movements, constitutional law analysts, who may well find some factual mistakes. Certainly there are NOT errors on every page, poor man!
   
   A very astute, even astonishing work from a learned writer (who sent me quite often to my dictionary) who has not forgotten how to feel.



5. Geoffrey Perret's _Lincoln's War: The Untold Story of America's Greatest President as Commander in Chief_ tells the story of Lincoln's presidency in a readable, entertaining style. As a prelude to Lincoln's presidency, the early chapters describe Lincoln's formative experiences first as a volunteer soldier during the Black Hawk War, then as a successful country lawyer, and finally as a Illinois Congressman. Establishing this background, the biography develops the following thesis: Lincoln's presidency defined our understanding of the scope of the modern executive branch, extending executive power and, to some extent, inventing the role of Commander in Chief in order to defeat the South's insurrection.
   
   Perret portrays Lincoln's humanity and, in particular, his deep affection for the Union soldiers, who looked upon him with reverence even during the most troubled days in the Civil War. Perret also focuses on Lincoln's day-to-day involvement with the military campaign itself, including battlefield visits when Lincoln placed his own safety in risk. Lincoln's studious, perspicacious interest in the new technologies of warfare is a major theme. Perret argues, for example, that Lincoln's personal requisition of multi-loading carbines for a sharp-shooter brigade may have saved Washington, DC, at Fort Matthews, during a Confederate assault in the middle of the war. Throughout the book, Perret chronicles Lincoln's vexations with the commanding generals in the Army of the Potomac prior to Ullyses Grant's accession.
   
   While concentrating on these themes, Perret conveys a sense of the desperation that Lincoln felt during the war and the precariousness of the Union's preservation, especially in the early years. Far from idealizing Lincoln, as the title of Perret's biography might suggest, we see his flaws as well, which make him an ever more impressive historical figure. For instance, Winfield Scott, the aging Commander of U.S. forces at the outset of the war, argued for a strategy of slowly dividing the Confederacy--cutting off supply and communication lines--rather than the quick capture of Richmond. Scott's plan was, in fact, how the Confederacy was ultimately defeated despite the fact that much of Lincoln's attention, from 1861 onward, remained on the Northern Virginia campaign and rapidly seizing Richmond.
   
   A number of reviewers have pointed out the historical inaccuracies in this account and allude to James McPherson's critical review of the biography. I can imagine how for a reader with a detailed knowledge of the Civil War these errors could be quite distracting and/or exasperating. Because I am not an expert on the Civil War or the specifics of military history, much of the book refreshed my memory of the U.S. history that I learned in high school. This was quite enjoyable. My own belief is that a general reader, like myself, still can profit from this book, despite its faults, and likely will not be seriously mislead about the broad historical picture.

2 comments about Riding With Rosser.

1. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. General Rosser did an excellent job of bringing the civil war to the reader. His descriptions of battles and skirmishes and the strategy behind them were entertaining and educational. Not having a real good knowledge of the civil war battles, the sketches of maps helped me immensely with understanding of what was happening. S. Roger Keller has done General Rosser and students of the civil war a great service. General Rosser also reminds the reader the tragedy of the soldiers that fought in the civil war.



2. As a relative of the General, I have to say that I enjoyed this book completely. The only disturbing aspect was the cover; looks like my brother posed for the photo.

   C. Rosser Oklahoma

No comments about Rangers, Jayhawkers, and Bushwakers in the Civil War (Untold History of the Civil War).

No comments about Confederate Guerrilla Sue Mundy: A Biography of Kentucky Soldier Jerome Clarke.