From james mcphersons definitive history to tony horwitzs adventures among obsessives, here are the 11 best books on the civil war in time for the. He engaged in extended petty quarrels with generals and cabinet members. Fiction and nonfiction books about or set during the american civil war. Civil war generals, union generals and confederate generals. Brief comments by professor mcpherson on books in his list have been included. It is the definitive history of the us civil war it gives equal treatment to both sides, and is more than one million words, but is never boring. Kids learn about the leading generals of the civil war for the union and the confederacy including ulysses s.
Civil war generals civil war generals abraham lincolnpresident and commander in chief. There were 625,000 people died during the american civil war. General works, dictionaries, encyclopedias atlases and. This book offers a wealth of comparative biographical data on these men in a convenient form that will serve the purposes of both academic. He won several important victories in the western theatre of the war. Gods and generals is a novel which serves as a prequel to michael shaaras 1974 pulitzer prizewinning work about the battle of gettysburg, the killer angels. As i have stated before american civil war is one of the deadliest wars ever. For serious historians of the civil war, william c.
Trying to name the top dozen civil war books of all time is, admittedly, a brazen act on my part. Even with the war s vast bibliographymore than 60,000 books have been published since the last shot was fired, in june 1865some of the odder coincidences and bizarre facts of the period. Biographies of civil war leaders, generals, heroes. Union and confederate generals killed in the civil war. Fort sumter to perryville, vintage books nowy jork. The american civil war is not the stuff of musty old history books, it is still claiming lives in america today. The political genius of abraham doris kearns goodwin.
The civil war era, one of the ugliest periods in american history, has produced some of the most fascinating and heartbreaking books, both novels and historical accounts. Aug 01, 2016 the civil war era, one of the ugliest periods in american history, has produced some of the most fascinating and heartbreaking books, both novels and historical accounts. Engineers of the 8th new york state militia in front of a tent from the national archives. A novel of the civil war civil war trilogy, band 1 shaara, jeff.
Nevertheless, the books on this list are, indeed, my alltime favorites cherished works that. The union had literally every advantage imaginable. He himself was shot four times, and he defeated over 30 union soldiers in handtohand combat. A narrative 3 books encyclopedia of the confederacy 4 books battles and leaders of the civil war 4 volumes campaigns of the civil war 12 books. Davis is the ultimate goto source for reliable information on a conflict that spawned a staggering amount of mythology. Award and congratulations are in order to christopher grasso for his winning book bloody engagements. The best civil war books of all time analysis civil. The deeper truth of gods and generals seems to be that the war was the. Since historians dispute exactly who should be counted as union or confederate generals during the american civil war civil war, some officers identified as generals in some past writings may not meet the criteria for identification as fullgrade or substantivegrade, or actual grade or rank generals. American civil war, fouryear war 186165 fought between the. Score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Aug 20, 2017 understanding the civil war and reconstruction as a single era helps us understand the longterm ramifications of the war in a way studying battles and generals alone cannot.
As usual, we enlisted the help of a handful of civil war historians and enthusiasts, avid readers all, and asked them to pick their two favorite books published in 2017. Feb 08, 2019 explore 10 surprising civil war facts, brought to you by the authors of the sevenday scholar. Kirby smith, officers whose appointments were never confirmed or. When the civil war began, general consensus was that it would be a short war.
Jan 06, 2017 most civil war soldiers marched 15 to 20 miles a day. Fredericksburg to meridian civil war library civil war generals the civil war shelby foote volume 2 of the civil war, a narrative, shelby foote, isbn 03947498, 97803947496 volume 2 of the civil war. Biographies of civil war leaders, generals, heroes, soldiers. Most civil war soldiers marched 15 to 20 miles a day. Civil war era historical fiction score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. By the end, 625,000 people had diedmore american casualties than world war i and world war ii combined. Here are the books about the civil war that we should have read in school, because.
Here are ten basic facts you need to know about americas defining struggle. The fort worth civil war round table just announced the 2018 recipient of the a. Written by jeffrey shaara after his father michaels death in 1988, the novel relates events from 1858 through 1863 during the american civil war, ending just as the two armies march toward gettysburg. He is most famous for his stout defense at the battle of chickamauga which earned him the nickname the rock of chickamauga. Dec 27, 2010 trying to name the top dozen civil war books of all time is, admittedly, a brazen act on my part. Grant and william tecumseh sherman are household names.
Unlike most texts on the subject, this one doesnt ignore the skirmishes that took place out west. While most books about the civil war are historical retrospectives written by historians many years after the fact, a diary from dixie was actually written. With lees surrender on april 9, 1865, at the appomattox courthouse, there were only 1 men left to receive their paroles. The civil war trilogy 3book boxset gods and generals, the killer angels. George thomas general thomas is considered by many to be one of the top union generals of the civil war. That was extremely helpful to me because it provided me with a lot of information about the. Apr 16, 2015 when the civil war began, general consensus was that it would be a short war. The civil war books that should have been assigned reading in. Shaara has created human beings of the myths and cold facts. Buy a cheap copy of lincoln and his generals book by t. In civil war trivia and fact book more than 2,000 unusual, interesting, and littleknown facts are assembled in a volume that will tantalize the mind at every page what confederate general could be identified at a distance by the ostrich plume in his hat. Although a great deal has been written concerning every important aspect of the civil war itself, with a few notable exceptions little attention has been given to the personal lives of the 961 generals who commanded the union and confederate armies. Seven obscure facts you didnt know about the civil war amid the vast literature of the civil war, its easy to lose sight of some of the stranger facts, coincidences and quirks of character. Like any good war history book, the civil war books on this list take a deep dive not only into the untold horrors of warfare, but also the perspectives, personalities, and motivations behind it, as well as the ramifications.
The soldiers who died in the battlefield were 210,000 people. That was extremely helpful to me because it provided me with a lot of information about the first half of the civil war without boring me to death. Click to read the fact file or download the comprehensive worksheet collection. The war between the states has raged for nearly two years. Many books about the civil war are shelved in the archives i library in library of congress. Jun 22, 2017 in fact, according to the library of congress civil war desk reference, over 70,000 books have been published on various aspects of the civil war and more are being published every day. Far more books have been written about the civil war than about any other event in american history, and lincolns stack of books towers over that of any other american figure. The southern states were occupied by 9 million people. It is generally known in the south as the war between the states and is also called the war of the rebellion the official union designation, the war of secession, and the war for southern independence. The civil war books that should have been assigned reading. The honor, the only purely transmississippi civil war book award, is handed out on a yearly basis but candidates from the previous twentyfour months. A drums story a veteran and his grandchildren lincoln and tad the defenses of washington story of the second bull run campaigning with grant a drummer boy in gray war story told in churchyard an adventure on the eastn sho heroines of 61 and barbara frietchie down the fairfax pike major mallory of malloryville the strange case of geo. From meticulously reconstructed battle scenes and the politics of war, to journals from slaves and all the horrors of slavery, thousands of civil war books about americas. Here is thomas stonewall jackson, a hopelessly bythebook military instructor and.
Seven obscure facts you didnt know about the civil war. May 06, 2016 while most books about the civil war are historical retrospectives written by historians many years after the fact, a diary from dixie was actually written during the course of the war. In fact, according to the library of congress civil war desk reference, over 70,000 books have been published on various aspects of the civil war and more are being published every day. Any recommended reading list therefore has to be highly selective and at least somewhat arbitrary. Gods and generals is a wonderful combination of fact and fiction. As result, if you want to learn more about the civil war, it may be hard to know where to start. Aug 16, 2017 the american civil war is not the stuff of musty old history books, it is still claiming lives in america today. The list of american civil war civil war generals has been divided into five articles. Reference books on the civil war national archives.
Facts and frequently asked questions relating to the american civil war. Williams of the 34th indiana became the last man killed in the civil war, in a battle at palmito ranch. From james mcphersons definitive history to tony horwitzs adventures among obsessives, here are. The civil war was fought between the northern and the southern states from 18611865. Book recommendations civil war facts american civil war. The best civil war books of all time analysis civil war. Understanding the civil war and reconstruction as a single era helps us understand the longterm ramifications of the war in a way studying battles and generals alone cannot. After the end of the war, he was elected president for two terms during which time he implemented reconstruction and fought to protect citizenship for black americans. Men raised their weapons against their countrymen, and they slaughtered one another in one of the most violent and devastating conflicts in us history. Five months after his death, the body of sarahs estranged husband, a union soldier, finally comes home for burial in philadelphia. Any recommended reading list therefore has to be highly selective and at least somewhat. Nathaniel bedford forrest, the civil war general involved in the early ku klux klan, had a total of 29 horses shot out from under him during the war. Nov 14, 2016 in fact, according to the library of congress civil war desk reference, over 70,000 books have been published on various aspects of the civil war and more are being published every day.
A while back, i published an appalachia reading list. The american civil war, widely known in the united states as simply the civil war, was a war fought from 1861 to 1865 to determine the survival of the union or independence for the confederacy. A handbook to the battles, armies, navies, and commanders. Nov 15, 2011 seven obscure facts you didnt know about the civil war amid the vast literature of the civil war, its easy to lose sight of some of the stranger facts, coincidences and quirks of character.
Those who appreciate a solid overview will find much to. The civil war profoundly shaped the united states as we know it today. Union commanders typically named battles after the nearest river or creek. Armies and soldiers genealogy general government documents guides to records in the national.
The confederate forces lost 63 brigadier generals, 7 major generals, and 3 lieutenant generals during the war. Approximately 2,000 men served in the 26th north carolina regiment during the course of the civil war. Posts may contain affiliate links, meaning cwba might get a commission from purchases made through those links, at no cost to you. A national historic society photographic portrait of the civil war.
The union army of 2,100,000 soldiers was nearly twice the size of the confederate army of 1,064,000. Six books on the civil war these six histories of the civil war that are mustreads if you want to better understand the conflict. This epic threevolume masterpiece is to war what gibbons decline and fall of the roman empire was to history. The civil war was known by more than 25 names, including the brothers war, the war to suppress yankee arrogance, the war for the union, and the war of the rebellion. We wanted to include a variety of volumes to appeal to many different tastes. Nevertheless, the war remains one of the most misunderstood events in american history. Evaluates lincolns ability as a director of war and his influence on the development of a modern command system. The first photographs were taken at the battle of antietam. The last in a long line of generals for the union army in the civil war, he was an essential figure in securing victory for the united states of america. John and george crittenden were brothers who were both generals during the war.
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