For readers addicted to histories or novels about the Civil War; a common challenge is the lack of adequate maps. This excellent volume satisfies that need; once and for all: It's the clearest; fullest collection of strategic and tactical maps available; a fine volume on its own and an indispensable aid to understanding many another book. Few works truly are 'must-haves' for a Civil War collection; but this one's essential. --Ralph Peters; author of Cain at Gettysburg and Hell or RichmondThe Civil War: The Story of the War with Maps combines the colorful; detailed maps of an atlas with the vivid storytelling of the best narratives to piece together the nation-spanning jigsaw puzzle of the American Civil War. See the conflict develop from a few small armies into total war engulfing the whole South.The campaigns and battles are all here; with maps zooming in on the maneuvering and attacking armies: Bull Run; Shiloh; Antietam; Fredericksburg; Chickamauga; Chattanooga; the Wilderness; Atlanta; and more.The nationwide perspective--absent from so many other books and shown here on full-page maps--connects these dots into a cohesive story of the entire war; from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River; from Pennsylvania to the Gulf of Mexico. Distilling events into their essentials; the text focuses on the military history of the conflict and its cast of colorful commanders--Lee; Grant; Sherman; McClellan; and Stonewall Jackson.Captures all the war's intensity and human drama; its epic sweep from Sumter to Appomattox.The result is a unique book that educates; enlightens; and entertains. An ideal introduction for newcomers; refresher for buffs; and companion to other books during the war’s 150th anniversary and beyond.
#1912334 in Books 2008-04-10Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 .85 x 6.02 x 8.96l; 1.25 #File Name: 0811702030400 pages
Review
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful. Very Good; Needs mapsBy 5/0"Ghost; Thunderbolt and Wizard" by Col. Robert W. Black This is an examination of the Civil War service of three Confederate Cavalry Generals; John Singleton Mosby; John Hunt Morgan and Nathanial Bedford Forrest. They were three of the most successful generals on either side of the Civil War - by a rather large margin. In a way; it is also a tribute to the "Citizen Soldier" and the Ranger species of warfare that still plays a significant role in our armed forces. None of these three men were "West Pointers". None of them were overly concerned about their personal image within the regular army. All of them embraced new technologies and; when advantageous; broke free from the traditional ideas about warfare. All of them were audacious. All of them fought with smaller; more mobile commands. All of them were respected; even adored; by the soldiers. All of them were considered extremely dangerous by their adversaries. All of them fought to win. And all of them were almost always successful. This book isn't an exhaustive study but rather presents good general portraits of the generals and their activities. It does so in a very readable style. One criticism of this book - and a serious one - is that it contains no maps - none; zero; nada; zip; not any. It's hard to imagine what the author; editors and publisher were thinking when they all made that blunder.10 of 11 people found the following review helpful. Ghost; Thunderbolt and Wizard: How and why Confederate Rangers ExcelledBy John C. ThompsonThis is the best book I've read concerning the War Between the States (WBTS) in ages. And certainly the greatest book on tactics and strategy used by Confederate Rangers;as author Col. Robert W. Black; himself a former Army Ranger; terms John S. Mosby; John H. Morgan; and Nathan B. Forrest and the men they successfully led. What Col. Black brings forth in his exquisitely well-written and meticulously researched book is information that special operations units and shock troops such as Marines and Army Rangers can still aptly apply today in combat. The quote by Confederate Lt. Gen. Richard Taylor on page 216 is a dandy: "Take a boy of sixteen from his mother's apron strings; shut him up under close supervision for four years at West Point--where half of his time will be taken up with pure mathematics and chemistry and the humanities and optical mirage; and all that God-dammed stuff--no use at all to a soldier. Then send him out to a two-company post on the frontier where he does little but play seven-up and drink whiskey at the sutler's; and by the time he's forty-five years old he'll furnish the most complex illustration of suppressed mental development of which human nature is capable." His plain-spoken remarks about; "all that G..-damn stuff;" at West Point helps explains why many West Point educated officers did not perform as expected in the Big War of their life-time. General Taylor's observations also shows why some fearless and gifted "amateurs" such as General Nathan Bedford Forrest exceeded all expectations; and regarding only Gen. Forrest himself; how he out-performed all West Point graduates he joined in combat from either side of the Mason-Dixon line during the WBTS; except for his last engagement in 1865 Alabama; when Confederate resources were totally nil. Too much predictable; often stagnant; regimentation in peace-time service has often caused; literally; the deaths of many otherwise fine officers once they were thrown into the truly; chaotic; melee of a great war of intensity and scope. Unfortunately; the soldiers of these same officers; suffer more when the peace-time transition of their commanders to combat goes haywire. I highly recommend this book. This is Col. Black's third book; his other books dealt exclusively with operations of the U.S. Army Rangers. For sure; Col. Black knows his stuff. "Mosby's Rules for Rangers Operations;" on page 299 and "War according to Nathan Bedford Forrest;" on page 300; should be required reading for all American light infantry. Indeed this entire book should be on the required list to read for Rangers and on the Commandant's required reading list for Marines.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy BRITBORNMy husband loved the book; he highly recommends it.
