5 comments about Bloody Roads South: The Wilderness to Cold Harbor, May-June 1864 (Bloody Roads South).

1. Good, concise overview of the very bloody (84,000 casualties in approximately 40 days of continuous battle)Virginia Overland Campaign between Robert E. Lee and U. S. Grant in May and June of 1864. Actual battle narrative is relatively brief and to the point. The strength of Mr Trudeau's book comes through his excellent use of personal anecdotes and observations. To hear the actual participants describe the scenes, smells, sounds, and pathos of the battles gives one a better understanding of the horrors of those grisly conflicts. The time of chivalry was over; TOTAL WAR was afoot. As Mr. Trudeau points out, Grant knew how to win, but could his men withstand the gruesome sacrifice during almost 40 days of constant battle? Lee also knew that this was the ultimate crucible and he must use every trick he could to defeat this foe. But, in the end after Cold Harbor and a combined 84,000 casualties, of which only 30,000 were Confederate, who was the victor? Lee knew that he could never replace his valiant fighters, but, Grant knew that he had an almost inexhaustible supply of soldiers and with each battle they were getting better and better. So in the end Grant, "The Butcher" as he was called behind his back, literally ground Lee and his army to dust.
   One inexcusable flaw in this otherwise good Civil War history was the lack of battle maps. To discuss a battle without a good map makes if very difficult to follow the action even for a good civil war buff. I have no clue as to why Mr. Trudeau did not include any good maps in his book. Therefore, I highly recommend that you get several good maps to follow along with his otherwise excellent description of the battles.



2. One of the biggest difficulties authors of war-history are confronted with is keeping the imparitality. Even if you read books about the Roman wars you can read between the lines the admiration for the technical perfection of the invaders or the sympathy for the brave Gauls fighting against all odds. As a rule Civil War historians succumb to the same problem.
   This book is a wonderful exception. That may be because of the structure of the presentation: It is a day-by-day-account, the standpoint, the decisions and the events of either side separated in own phrases. If you are interrested only in the Confederate point of view, you can read the respective phrases and then you only know, what they saw, thought and did. Even between the lines there are no polemics. And the told stories are not only the generals' view but also testimonies of officers, non-commissioned officers and common soldiers.
   The only thing I missed badly were appropriate maps. With the included ones you will get a rough overview, but a lot of the mentioned places you won't find in that book. That's a pity, because otherwise it would have been a perfect one.



3. This is a 330 page account of the entire Overland campaign that reads much like a diary from April to mid June as the Army of the Potomoc goes from north of the Rapidan to Petersburg. The account shifts back and forth from the workings of the two armies to Richmond/Washington and elsewhere.

   Most of the book focuses on primary sources to tell the story, with nice anecdotes on just about every page. However, without the use of footnotes and with only 4 maps total (which are incredibly hard to comprehend), the flow of battle is exceedingly hard to follow.

   This book certainly doesn't compare to the Rhea trilogy that covers the same campaign in any way whatsoever. This is more of a primer for the beginner before reading Rhea's books.




4. An entertaining read to be sure, but also a cut-and-paste account that offers no real analysis and relies too much on post-war sources.



5. This first book of Noah Andre Trudeau's trilogy covering the final stages of the Civil War offers an excellent account of the fighting in the Wilderness and at Cold Harbor between May - June 1864. The personal accounts of the soldiers experiences during the fighting are well presented. The action scenes are well written and the book flows along quite well. An enjoyable book to read for anyone interested in this period of time.

1 comments about Out at the Soldiers' Home: A Memory Book.

1. I have the original version of this book as well as the newly updated version and I have only praise for the reprint. Besides telling the wonderful story of a girl (the author Elizabeth Corbett) growing up at the historic Milwaukee Soldiers Home in the 1890s, it also is illustrated with historic photos of the various places mentioned as well as some of the old soldiers. I can not recommend this charming book highly enough and the reprint does Miss Corbett proud.

2 comments about The View from the Ground: Experiences of Civil War Soldiers (New Directions in Southern History).

1. This excellent collection of essays moves away from the "grand man" approach to Civil War history which focuses too often on generals and politicians to refocus on the common soldiers who actually endured the war. The basic assumption of the collection's authors, according to editor Sheehan-Dean, is that "soldiers are real historical actors who have the potential to shape, not simply respond to, their environment."
   
   So, for example, the various authors argue (1) that Northern soldiers, disgusted by their firsthand experience of slavery as they moved southward and recognizing that slavery was a key point of Southern resistance, began to advocate for emancipation long before the Northern public; (2) that Southern soldiers grew in hatred for their Northern enemies as the war took on "total" qualities, and that tales of fraternization between Rebs and Yanks are much exaggerated; (3) that Christian soldiers on both sides were religiously ambivalent about their participation in the horrific killing of the war, often undergoing religious crises in their efforts to reconcile religious rhetoric encouraging holy war and Christ's commands to love one's enemies; (4) that after a certain point in the war, southern soldiers tended to be so trapped in their own horrible world of fighting, privation, and diminished hope that they misunderstood and resented civilians who complained about their own (very real)hardships; (5) that the voluntary nature of the northern and southern armies stamped many soldiers in the ranks with a self-confident autonomy that ill-tolerated self-important by-the-book officers; and that (6) the rough conditioning of the battlefield left at least some Northern troops with few inhibitions about calling for the exile or death of Copperheads.
   
   Now, all this is fascinating, and the essays that defend these theses are well-written and well-researched. But there seems a crucial tension in all this that I wish the authors had explored. Granted, Civil War soldiers were historical actors, not simply pawns. In fact, given the voluntary nature of the armies, they probably exerted more autonomy than any U.S. soldiers since. But at the same time, they were also the same men who allowed themselves to be slaughtered time and again by stupid or foolhardy or enraged officers who ordered them to make impossible or unnecessary assaults. What is needed is more thought on this unbearable tension between autonomy and powerlessness in the Civil War soldier's experience. I look forward to the authors in this collection taking on such a project.



2. As a non-American, my knowledge of the American Civil War is very limited. To be quite honest; I don't know a whole lot of it, besides that the two sides were the Union in the north with soldiers wearing blue uniforms, and the Confederacy in the south with soldiers dressed in gray. The slave issue wasn't the only matter fought over - even though it was obviously a very important matter indeed - and throughout the war several of the great battles of military history were fought, for instance the battle at Gettysburg, which also became the turning point of the war.
   
   This is, in a nutshell, basically all I knew and thought of whenever someone mentioned the American Civil War. (Okay, fine... I also thought of Patrick Swayze's character Orry Main from TV-series North and South. Well, actually, the one I really thought of was the lady he secretly dated. And especially her cleavage. But don't blame me, I was young and impressionable.)
   
   This highly limited knowledge - combined with the fact that when it comes to books about war and war history I find it much more stimulating to read about the ones who actually fought the war instead of what tactics the leaders used and the politics behind their decisions - resulted in me eagerly anticipating to get started on The View From the Ground.
   
   Because this book does indeed focus on the soldiers who were maimed and killed on the battlefields. The reader is invited to share the thoughts and feelings of these men about such issues as slaves and race relations, the image of the enemy, the conflict at large, the civilian population, and the multitude of religious and moral dilemmas that soldiers of faith had to deal with.
   
   At large, all ten contributions are highly interesting; especially since the reader realizes that the war wasn't exclusively about the issue of slaves and that many of the Union soldiers didn't care too much either about the non-whites. However, the two contributions that really stand out are David W. Rolfs' "No Nearer Heaven Not but Rather Farther Off: The Religious Compromises and Conflicts of Northern Soldiers" and Kent T. Dollar's "Strangers in a Strange Land: Christian Soldiers in the Early Months of the Civil War", two essays dealing with the bizarre compromise where faithful Christians were able to justify the ritualized and sanctioned mass-killings that active warfare, when it comes down to it, actually means.
   
   The book contains no photographs or illustrations whatsoever, and that's definitely most unfortunate.

3 comments about Buffalo Bill Cody: The Man Behind the Legend.

1. This is an edit of my original review. I was chastised in a kindly manner by the author for some of my original statements, and as I reread my review I belive with good reason. Though I am entitled to my opinion I don't have the right to presume that which I do not know for a fact. Based on Mr. Carters comments I will remove the those which he has refuted or corrected. Mr. Carter, my humble apologies. The boys of my generation have a firm tribal memory of Cody. His career as a pony express rider, the "first scalp for Custer", the Wild West show performance before Queen Victoria is the kind of knowledge one just seems to "know". Perhaps the generations that have followed my own have forgotten and this book will redeem his reputation as well as rescue him from the haze of the 19th Century. It is a "good read" and is full of facts and anecdotes. Mr. Carter often presents the evidence and leaves it up to the reader to decide the verity of the story. This is a great technique and it leaves the reader with the feeling he has uncovered the truth. It might be called the multiple choice method of biography. However, it is the use of this technique that detracts from a well researched study. That said and in spite of some barbs on my part I do think this is among the finest and possibly best researched treatment of the man.



2. Robert Carter has brought Buffalo Bill back from near oblivion, and presses his case that Cody was a major American figure in graceful and masterfully written prose.



3. Here is that rare kind of book that's equally rewarding to two kinds of readers -- people looking for a ripping good yarn, and serious students of the Old West. It's beautifully written in clear plain language that captures the epic sweep of the period, its tragedies, and even its bawdily comic moments. The text is tastefully sprinkled with excellent photos and illustrations. Thorough source notes are also included -- at the end, where they don't get in the way of your reading, along with a bibliography and useful index.

   "Buffalo Bill Cody, the Man Behind the Legend" is the first complete biography of this marvelous old cuss in more than 30 years, and far and away the most accurate one ever written. It traces the life and many careers of Buffalo Bill from ox-driver, prospector, and Pony Express rider barely out of his childhood to adult adventures as Army scout, Medal of Honor winner, and finally as the boozy myth-making old showman whose geniality could accommodate both Sitting Bull and Annie Oakley under the same tent.

   Buffalo Bill Cody knew virtually everyone worth knowing in the Old West, and most of those people make guest appearances in this book -- Wild Bill Hickock, Bat Masterson, George Armstrong Custer, and many others.

   Robert A. Carter manages to tell the vivid story of his subject while also treating the reader to insights into the sights, sounds, smells, and ethos of the period in general, and he does it in a writing style remarkable for its wit and charm. I intend to keep this book in my personal library, both as a reference and to read again.

No comments about The Life of James Francis Leonard.

No comments about The Spirit Divided: Memoirs of Civil War Chaplains-The Union.

5 comments about Billy the Kid, His Real Name Was .....

1. The author is not a historian or professional researcher. He has no bibliography. He got most of his info off the internet which you know is not usually too accurate. I also believe that he purposefully changes what Brushy Bill Roberts has said in order to make his case against him. He tells countless lies throughout the entire book. It is an absolute waste of time for those who are seeking the truth. It is not professional by any standard. I am open minded to Billy the Kid history and have read countless books on him. You will learn absolutely nothing from this book nor what his real name is as the author ends the book with the title. In other words he has no conclusion.



2. I have enjoyed reading this book, and the different perspective it offers as to the question of "who was Billy the Kid?". The only reason I could not give it a higher rating is that I did find in on occasion to be hard to follow at times. The main cause of this is that the author would some times drop off the last name of people involved at the start of a new section, making it hard to know at times which "Joe" or "John" they were reffering to. Other than that I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the legends of Billy the Kid.



3. This book is not a good read. I have researched Brushy Bill Roberts, and find this book to be full of misinformation. I would not recommend the serious reader buy this book. If you want a good laugh then please but it. I would loved to have known the truth about the book before I purchased it.



4. A good book if you want to learn the facts against Brushy Bill Roberts ridiculous claim. No other book gose into the detail against Brushy and Jim Miller's claims like this one. Otherwise, reads like what it is, a book by an amature author who paid to have it published, and the author makes some bizarre claims to boot. If you want to read the story of Billy and the Lincoln County War, you're better off with the works of Nolan, Utley, and others.



5. This book is definitely for those who have long wondered about the claims of various people that they were indeed the true Billy the Kid. The
   author has researched for years everything he could find about the characters in the book. He uses a nice format of plain print for theories
   about each and, if available, their own words, then in bold type the only conclusion to reach from all of that. At times it reads almost like a novel, at other times gets very technical so you realize the author knows about which he is "speaking." At the back of the book are quite a few certificates of births and marriages, further revealing how well researched this book is.

1 comments about Jonathan Edwards: The Great Awakener (Heroes of the Faith).

1. ~Jonathan, Edwards: The Great Awakener (Heroes of the Faith)~ an intriguing, albeit succinct, biographical sketch of the great Puritan evangelist Jonathan Edwards who inaugurated the Great Awakening with his sovereign grace preaching. The author captures his early childhood and his gradual cognizance and acceptance of the sovereignty of God, particularly in our redemption. It is fairly objective and features selections from his writings, though academic readers might prefer the larger tome on Edwards by George Marsden. The Heroes of Faith series features biographies of other Sovereign Grace preachers such as C.H. Spurgeon, George Whitefield and John Bunyan, though I haven't looked at them. It features an appendix with a copy of his most famous and powerful sermon,

1 comments about Lige Langston Sweet Iron: Sweet Iron (Literature of the American West, V. 4).

1. Every now and then a book comes along that is so well written, so unique, so marvelous that it stays with you long after you have laid it aside. This book is like that. If there is any justice in the publishing world this book will be a best seller and earn a place in the classic catagory. It's that good. Henry Elijah "Lige" Langston was born in 1908 in the Great Basin outback on a homestead. He worked his entire life as a wrangler and rawhide braider in the region known as the Sagebrush Corner of northeastern California and northwestern Nevada. Hussa tells his story with a mosaic of memories blending oral history, storytelling and poetry. Interspersed throughout are Lige's own words which fill in the gaps in an honest, unflinching, matter of fact manner. The character that emerges from the experiences of love, fear, courage, and pride in overcoming adversities of every stripe is one you will never forget. The story of individuals growing up in the West has been told many times. But never like this. This is a gentle, respectful, lyrical book that quietly tells the story of a real man, living in a hostile environment, in a most remarkable manner. Hussa has succeeded in a way most writers strive for but never achieve. Sweet Iron? After reading this masterpiece you will never look at a horse's bridle in the same way.

1 comments about Ultimate Sacrifice at Kernstown: William Gray Murray,.

1. Ultimate Sacrifice is a quick and interesting read on the military career of a Union Civil War colonel. As the biography of William Gray Murray, the book has a nice pace, easy prose, and covers a lot of ground. Mr. Gainer does a very good job of capturing the trials and tribulations of an immigrant turned soldier in the 1800's United States, right down to the bullet which took Murray's life. The book also works as a survey of the life of a 19th century American soldier. One has to wonder how many other Col. Murrays there were serving on both sides of the War Between the States. This book provides a glimpse into the men who were surely the heart and soul of the American and Confederate armies.