Vicksburg: The Campaign That Opened the Mississippi (Civil War America)

Book Description

When Confederate troops surrendered Vicksburg on July 4, 1863--the day after the Union victory at Gettysburg--a crucial port and rail depot for the South was lost. The Union gained control of the Mississippi River, and the Confederate territory was split in two. In a thorough yet concise study of the longest single military campaign of the Civil War, Michael B. Ballard brings new depth to our understanding of the Vicksburg campaign by considering its human as well as its military aspects.

Ballard examines soldier attitudes, guerrilla warfare, and the effects of the campaign and siege on civilians in and around Vicksburg. He also analyzes the leadership and interaction of such key figures as U.S. Grant, William T. Sherman, John Pemberton, and Joseph E. Johnston, among others. Blending strategy and tactics with the human element, Ballard reminds us that while Gettysburg has become the focal point of the history and memory of the Civil War, the outcome at Vicksburg was met with as much celebration and relief in the North as was the Gettysburg victory, and he argues that it should be viewed as equally important today.

Customer Reviews:

A popular history.......2007-01-11

Mr.Ballard's book is another popular history,it contains little if any new information excepting a defense/excuse of the CS commander Gen. Pemberton.

US Gen.Grant is given considerable credit and deservedly so. The various Union naval commanders; Farragut, Porter etc get much attention also. Mr. Ballard does do a fair job of placing credit on both side's better commanders and lambasts CS Gen. Joe Johnston constantly. He lists the manuevering and prior failures of Union forces throughout the Mississippi region but successfully does so without losing the reader.

However, detail is lacking and the writing style itself is tepid and uninspiring. Contrary to some of the other reviewers, I found the maps poorly drawn and overly cluttered. Done in one color, roads and streams litter the maps; competing with arrows listing advances and retreats and unit markers do not differ between CS/US, infantry or cavalry...an attempt to clarify this on this small maps lists various brigade/division unit commanders but without listing what side is what. Numerous misspellings imply either poor editors or poor research. He consistently describes units as "crack" outfits to the point of the reader wondering, were there any "normal" units present? Any force smaller than a battalion or regiment is listed as a patrol or roadblock. His handling of first person history, the best aspect of recent military writings, is slipshod and often generalised. Few regiments are listed and in general, brigades get the most mention in combat descriptions.

A bright spot was the emphasis on the various naval movements in and about the Vicksburg area. Union naval ability and the Confederate lack of, gets serious and well deserved attention.

Mr. Ballard's theme of the Western Theater being the war winner is well supported by many other current works. Overall, this book is no masterpiece nor is Ballard a Pfanz as a writer. Well read students of this theater will not be well served by purchase of the book but it is a fair one for general or new readers to the subject.

A good start to an important history.......2006-12-14

The newer research on the Civil War suggests that it was won in the west and that the action in the east is not what caused the end of the war. Vicksburg was the crucial campaign in the west and while this book can get bogged down in details it does a very good job of providing information. The challenge of taking this city on a hill and the importance of the navy are all well explained here. A look at what happened to the south as the war progressed is not readily apparent but if read in between the lines it is easy to see what happened. The analysis about the importance of opening up the Mississippi to union forces is very good and brings new light on a subject that needs a lot more exploring and debate.

Honest and sincere account of an inmensely important campaign.......2005-07-14

I like this book for several reasons.Number one, Mr Ballard is very sincere and called everything by its name.When it comes to describing generals and soldiers on either side of the conflict,he tells it like it is.Number two, the way Mr Ballard describes the military campaign in all its details it's terrific which helped me understand the imporatnce of every battle and the strategies involved.The only flaw in the book is really a minor one which is that sometimes the author gives too many details in things that i dont think are not that important.BUt ,in general, it's a very good book!

Excellent book on the key Civil War Battle of Vicksburg.......2005-06-24

Dr, Michael Ballard has written an excellent book on the Vicksburg Campaign. Ballard has had good mentors in his study of the Mississippi River City which fell to US Grant in July, 1863
He is has been guided by Terry Wenschel the National Park Chief Historian; read the massive three volume work by Mr. Civil
War Ed Bearss on the campaign and is a lifelong native of Mississipi who has visited Vicksburg since his youth.
Vicksburg was a complex campaign pitting the inept Northern Born Confederate General John Pemberton against the aggressive and brilliant US Grant. Grant's Union Army worked well as a team.
Even though Grant did not like McClernand he used him well in launching the blue horde against the city on the bluffs. Grant
worked well with Sherman and McPherson, Logan and others as they tried many ideas to conquer Vicksburg. Grant and David Dixon Porter worked well on coordinating army-navy operations.
Grant succeeded when his forces crossed the Mississippi to
Bruinsburg, Ms. Union victories at Port Gibson, Jackson and
most importantly Champion Hill (May 16, 1863) led to a 47 day
siege of Vicksburg which fell to Federal forces on July 4, 1863
Vicksburge the key to victory in the Western Theatre was then
put into Mr. Lincoln's pocket. The fate of the Western Confederacy was sealed.
I am surprised how little many Civil War buffs seem to know little about the Western Theatre of the War. Those whose approach has been "Virginia-centric" will find much to explore as they gaze at the Western Theatre.
Grant emerges as a tough, imaginative, never say never commander while the Confederates Pemberton and Joe Johnston wee weak and indecisive leaders. Grant's star rose in the West as Lincoln discovered the man who could beat Lee and win the war!
Ballard's book is well illustrated; the maps are clear and
easy to follow. Ballard has done his homework as the many pages of bibliography attest to his acumen. While dealing with the battles he also quotes the thoughts of civilians of Vicksburg and Misssippi who saw their society rent asunder by the blue
hordes from the north.
Ed Bearss is still the dean of Vicksburg scholars but Michael Ballard has also contributed greatly to our understanding of this vital, complex, too often overlooked campaign. This book
can be read by the buff or the neophyte with equal pleasure. Thank you Dr. Ballard for your work!

Good Book for the Libary of a Civil War Buff.......2005-02-18

This is a good book for anyone interested in studying on the Civil War. As the author mentions, this campaign to capture Vicksburg is a rather unknown period of the war and this is a good book on this campaign. It has its plusses and its minuses. On the positive side, it covers the campaign in detail with a number of human interest stories. The experiences of the citizens and soldiers who lived in Vicksburg, e.g. living in caves, the casualties, the experiences of soldiers in the hospitals (for example, he goes through the procedure that a doctor used to remove a leg - interesting although somewhat gruesome but it highlights the suffering). He is an apparent fan of Pemberton (although he recognizes his mistakes well) and not a fan of Joe Johnston (but I haven't found a Civil War writer who is...). He covers them well and also the top Union generals: Grant, Sherman and McClernand, including Grant's supposed bouts with alcohol and the feud between McClernand and Grant. This is a balanced coverage. On the minuses side, I found myself getting confused at times about what was really happening. For example, the coverage of the battles including the maps which are very confusing, which ramble about this unit and that unit going this way and that. The early book with this Confederate general and that Confederate general doing this and that is also confusing and may cause you to get you to get frustrated with the book, but stick with it. At one point, he has Pemberton in Vicksburg and needing to go to Vicksburg in the same paragraph. So, I read it again, and... huh. But then the story picks up when Grant tries one approach versus another to reach Vicksburg and decides on approaching it from the South. This is very interesting showing the chess moves between Grant, Pemberton and Johnston which Grant ultimately won. This is a good book, on a period that should be covered more. It may be confusing because unlike Gettysburg, where each writer can read the other books and build on them, there are few sources. So, I recommend it.

The History Buff's Guide to Gettysburg (Key People, Places, and Events) (Key People, Places, and Events)

Average customer rating:

A fascinating and compelling book!
The History Buffs Guide To Gettysburg

The History Buff's Guide to Gettysburg (Key People, Places, and Events) (Key People, Places, and Events)
Thomas R. Flagel And Ken Allers Jr.
Manufacturer: Cumberland House Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1581825099

Book Description

Prior to the battle of Gettysburg in July 1-3, 1863, the costliest battle of the Civil War had been Antietam, in September 1862, in which more than 23,000 were killed or wounded in eleven hours. At Gettysburg, approximately 33,000 were killed or wounded and another 10,000 missing in action.

The History Buff's Guide™ to Gettysburg covers the action of those days and the surrounding area by means of detailed top-ten lists, ranking the best, worst, first, and most significant elements of the largest and deadliest battle of the Civil War.

Chapters include:

• Coming to the Crossroads: Why the battle was fought, the people involved, key events leading up to the battle, and the role of the environment
• The Battle: Why Confederate forces prevailed on the first day and Union forces on the second, why Pickett's Charge failed, the bloodiest fields of fire, and the actions of civilians during the battle
• The Last Full Measure: The regiments with the worst losses, the highest-ranking officers wounded or killed, the most common causes of death
• The Wake of the Battle: Military and civilian reactions, civilian activities after the battle, and lasting effects
• In Retrospect: The best and worst performing commanders, myths and misconceptions, and enduring controversies
• Pursuing Gettysburg: Points of interest on the battlefield and in town, the best monuments, Lincoln sites in the area, sites that have been lost to development, and the best books on Gettysburg

From the days leading up to the historic battle and the aftermath in which the townsfolk were left to rebuild their lives and town (and the later establishment of the national battlefield park), The History Buff's Guide™ to Gettysburg is a fresh, new approach to the subject.

Customer Reviews:

A fascinating and compelling book!.......2006-07-01

I took this volume off of the bookstore shelf out of reflex; I look at any new publication on the battle of Gettysburg. Based on the rather commonplace title and the terrible cover design I opened the book expecting to read "Take the next left turn to visit the Jennie Wade house." This book, however, was nothing of the kind, much to my delight. It is in fact a superbly written examination of the battle through a series of highly readable mini-analyses. Who were the best commanders on the field, and why? Who were the worst? What are the facts behind the most common myths and misconceptions about the battle? What are the best books about the battle ?(My own list would now include this one). The authors are exceptionally knowledgable about this battle, and they write in a style that is engaging and literate, providing splendid insights into many often (and some interesting not-so-often) asked questions. Whether you have read any of the dozens of books available on this battle, or whether you are new to the subject, I think that you will find this wonderful volume a welcome adition to your Civil War bookshelf.

The History Buffs Guide To Gettysburg.......2006-06-29

This is an excellent publication dealing with a pivotal moment in the maturation of the American statement of democracy. Gettysburg is far more than a Civil War battle. Those three days in July 1863 restated clearly the definition of what America was, and would become. Gettysburg re-emphasised the notion of the break from "old world ways". Gettysburg ultimately came to define the courage, committment and re-statement of Liberty as espoused by the "New World". Good men and women of the South sought to hang on to what was ebbing away. The goodness and dignity of the South was epitomised in R.E.Lee. However the moving on, and the break with what had been, and simply could be no more, was epitomised in Lincoln. He was the vision of the New Republic. Gettysburg was the beginning of the end of the old, whilst at the same time the re-statement and re-enforcement of what had begun in 1776 and continues to this day.
This publication sets in stark contrast the results of good men hanging on to what has had its day, as opposed to good men striving to materialise a noble idea. The past lost.

Gettysburg--Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill (Civil War America)

Average customer rating:

Experience readers only....
Detailed Account of the Fighting at Culp's and Cemetery Hill
A must for the serious student of Gettysburg
Perhaps Pfanz's best
A splendid historical book

Gettysburg--Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill (Civil War America)
Harry W. Pfanz
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0807821187

Book Description

In this companion to his celebrated earlier book, Gettysburg—The Second Day, Harry Pfanz provides the first definitive account of the fighting between the Army of the Potomac and Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia at Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill—two of the most critical engagements fought at Gettysburg on 2 and 3 July 1863.

Pfanz provides detailed tactical accounts of each stage of the contest and explores the interactions between—and decisions made by—generals on both sides. In particular, he illuminates Confederate lieutenant general Richard S. Ewell's controversial decision not to attack Cemetery Hill after the initial southern victory on 1 July. Pfanz also explores other salient features of the fighting, including the Confederate occupation of the town of Gettysburg, the skirmishing in the south end of town and in front of the hills, the use of breastworks on Culp's Hill, and the small but decisive fight between Union cavalry and the Stonewall Brigade.

Customer Reviews:

Experience readers only...........2005-12-13

I found Harry W. Pfanz's book to be well written, well researched and highly informative on the events that took in and around Culp's Hill and Cemetary Hill during the Battle of Gettysburg. Its pretty obvious to anyone who read this book that the author have great deal of understanding and knowledge of this part of Gettysburg and he spared no expense in writing about it.

However, its pretty clear that this book was not written for novice reader on the battle. Its highly detail, at time almost tedious in some areas, so much information that someone who may not be familiar with Gettysburg may have some sort of an information overload. I would recommend that anyone who's starting out on this battle, should skip this book until later on.

But on the other hand, if you're a experience Gettysburg reader, then this book is for you. I think its probably the best book written on the subject matter at hand, which was the actions around Culp's Hill and Cemetary Hill.

The book comes well illstrated with black and white paintings and photos of leaders. The maps are very useful and detail but I agreed with one previous reviewer, we could use more maps. The book is thick and but I would recommended it highly to any experenced Gettysburg reader who wishes to know more about this battle.

Detailed Account of the Fighting at Culp's and Cemetery Hill.......2005-05-27

Pfanz' final book in his trilogy of Gettysburg covers a relatively forgotten area of the Battle of Gettysburg. Granted, while I have visited Culp's and Cemetery Hill during each of my Gettysburg visits, I tended to spend most of my time around the second day's fighting (Little Round Top, Devil's Den, Wheatfield, Rose Farm and Woods, Peach Orchard, Trostle Farm) and Pickett's Charge. Pfanz has done the public a great service by providing a book of the actions around Culp's and Cemetery Hill. Indeed, no one probably knows more about Gettysburg than Pfanz.

As usual, he provides sometimes overwhelming details of the actions. His narrative is interesting and I enjoyed reading anecdotes of the main characters (Greene, Steuart, Howard, Meade, Ewell, Early, etc.). Pfanz describes terrain features, battle participants, battle actions, and other details like only he can.

However, there is one sticking point that I have noticed in other Civil War books and have noted in other reviews - there simply are not enough maps. While the maps provided are of excellent detail and contain helpful summaries of the actions represented in the maps, there could have been at least 10 more. I believe there are about 15 maps in the book - there easily could have been 25. I say this because of Pfanz' attention to detail - having more maps to support the battle actions would have made it easier for me to follow the actions. On more than one occasion I was bug-eyed trying to follow what Pfanz was describing!

I am certainly not a military expert (although I am an ex-Air Force Officer) nor an armchair general. I simply enjoy reading more about the heroic actions of soldiers on both sides during a tragic period of our great nation's history.

Complaint aside, I highly recommend Pfanz' title as the definitive account of Culp's and Cemetery Hill. Read, enjoy, and be prepared to follow the large amount of detail - you will need to put on your thinking cap for this and the other Pfanz titles!

A must for the serious student of Gettysburg.......2004-11-29

This is an outstanding and complete account of the events that occured on the Culp's Hill/Cemetery Hill line during the battle. This is not for the passing reader but a must for those serious about the battle. For best use of the book, read it THEN take a day and actually walk the Hills using the book as a reference. Far to many people visit the battlefield and never know what occured here or even visit this part of the field. Few know of Gen. George Greene and his role but all who read about the battle know of Col.'s Vincent and Chamberlain. Even fewer know that at one point a Confederate brigade was only a few hundred yards from the Baltimore Pike and for an hour the unguarded Federal Artillery Reserve. W. Culp couldn't have died on Culp's Hill if Co. B, 2nd VA was across Rock Creek on the skirmish line with elements of the 1st NC. Careful study of this material and the times will bring out many not so well known facts that occured on this "forgotten" part of the field and prove other myths wrong.

Perhaps Pfanz's best.......2004-04-08

Harry Pfanz likely knows Gettysburg better than any man around. Head historian for the NPS for many years, he has literally made Gettysburg his life's work. His books on the first and second days of the battle are considered must haves but this book on Culps Hill could be his best.

The battle for Culps Hill and especially East Cemetery Hill are today the most forgotten part of Gettysburg. Look around and you will find many books pertaining to Pickett's Charge, Devil's Den and Little Round Top but how many aimed at Culps Hill? Not many. Even at the park the auto tour has Culps Hill simply as an extra add towards the end of the tour.

With this book Pfanz takes a hard look at this forgotten area. We're use to the names of Chamberlain, Hancock and Pickett but here we hear names like Greene, Avery, Geary and Williams.

The advantage of this book is it's not aimed at the casual reader but the serious Civil War buff. The information included is extensive and detailed. While well written, it is not a piece of fluff or a light read. If you seriously want to find out what happened on Culps Hill this is the book for you.

A splendid historical book.......2004-01-07

My master's thesis was on George Sears Greene and his defense of Culps Hill, so as one can guess this was a very valuable source for information.
Pfanz's book is a continuation of his studies on the various areas of the Gettysburg battlefield. Culp's Hill and East Cemetery Hill are not considered "hotspots" of the national park and therefore have not received the same attention as "The Angle" and Little Round Top. Pfanz's book has and will change that outlook.
Pfanz's look at Culps Hill was both well researched and well written. He argues that the battle itself was determined on its flanks, both on Little Round Top and Culps Hill. The fighting on Culps Hill was not as destructive as the other areas of the battlefield, mostly due to the relatively low casualty figures from the breastworks constructed earlier on July 2nd, but its importance in the overall scheme has been unfairly overlooked.
This book boasts an impressive bibliography that includes various primary accounts that were largely unheard of until this book's publication. In short, it opened my eyes to the real story of Gettysburg.

Forts Henry and Donelson: The Key to the Confederate Heartland

Average customer rating:

Best Book on Forts Henry and Donelson
Brilliant!

Forts Henry and Donelson: The Key to the Confederate Heartland
Benjamin Franklin Cooling
Manufacturer: University of Tennessee Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0870495380

Customer Reviews:

Best Book on Forts Henry and Donelson.......2006-03-27

The events of February, 1862 at Forts Henry and Donelson have long been overshadowed by other Civil War events. While most people, then and now, focus on the Eastern Theatre of the war, it was in the west that the war was won and lost. The fall of these forts opened the door to the Deep South and the end of the Confederacy. In my opinion, these events are among the ten most important events of the war, far more important than Gettysburg.

Unlike in Virginia where the rivers run east-west forming a barrier to the south, the rivers in Tennessee run north-south providing access to the Deep South. The front in Virginia was relatively narrow (Chesapeake Bay to Blue Ridge Mountains) while in Tennessee the front stretched hundreds of miles from the Mississippi River to the Appalachian Mountains. To cover this extensive area the Confederates had a much smaller force than in Virginia. Futhermore, while the Confederacy had an advantage in generalhip in Virginia, the Union had the superior generalship in Tennessee. The result was inevitable and began at the river forts.

Fort Henry on the Tennessee River, partially under the water, easily fell to Union gun boats on February 6. The river was open all the way to Muscle Shoals in northern Alabama. Ten days later, the Confederates surrendered at Fort Donleson on the Cumberland River. This forced the Confederate evacuation of Nashville, an important industrially city of the South. The combination of losses forced the Confederates to withdraw from central and western Tennessee to Corinth, Mississippi than foresaw the Battle of Shiloh.

Benjamin Franklin Cooling has written the best book on this campaign. His experience as historian at Fort Donleson National Battlefield make him well qualified to write on the subject. His knowledge of the material and especially the terrain pay dividends.

Yet there are some flaws. At times, Cooling strays away from military history toward academic's fascination with social history. As some of you know, in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, academics declared war on military history. In their opinion, military history is unworthy of study and have turned to social history even when writing on military topics. But as Dr. Gary Gallagher has said, when you take the military component of history from the study of war, you have nothing. Luckily, Cooling's lapses into social history don't last long and he quickly returns to the reality of war.

For me the book is not an easy read. At times he seems to lose focus on the topic. For example, during his chapter on the aftermath of the Confederate surrender at Fort Donelson he gets away from the specifics of the Confederate experience in prison to a general discussion of Civil War prison experience.

There are lots of good illustrations of events and photos of the chief participants, but the maps are small and are just okay.

Brilliant!.......2005-01-13

The Twin Rivers Campaign, as the Union campaign against Fort Henry, Fort Heiman, and Fort Donelson is also known, possibly was the most important weeks of the Civil War. In the West, as well as East, the Confederates held that vital upperhand in warfare--the momentum. But, after the Twin River forts were captured by a Federal army-navy force and Nashville fell, the momentum lay with the Union. The fall of these forts signaled the beginning of the Confederate collapse in the West, which ultimately decided the war.

Benjamin Franklin Cooling, author of several Civil War studies, conveys the actions of both Federal and Confederate authorities before and during the campaign, as well as give the frontline soldiers their say in the matter. The campaign is described in good detail, and with great writing. With this campaign being so little written about, it is a great joy to read Mr. Cooling's book. Since he wrote this study, one other volume on this campaign has been published (which I haven't read yet. Hopefully, the Twin Rivers Campaign will gain the attention it deserves, as it is a very interesting topic to study and learn about.

The maps in this book, while not the best, are well above average. They cover the fighting at the fort in very good detail, and are plentiful enough considering that, compared to other battles, relatively little fighting actually took place at Fort Donelson. The illustrations are helpful as well. I would say get this book, enjoy it, and then go visit Fort Donelson National Battlefield. It is a very nice battlefield.

Average customer rating:

Excellent
Explosive history from Devils Den to Cemetery Ridge by Harry W. Pfanz
Genious
Excellent Account of Gettysburg's Second Day
Excellent

Gettysburg--The Second Day
Harry W. Pfanz
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

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Military Science | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0807847305
Release Date: 1998-02-18

Book Description

The second day's fighting at Gettysburg—the assault of the Army of Northern Virginia against the Army of the Potomac on 2 July 1863—was probably the critical engagement of that decisive battle and, therefore, among the most significant actions of the Civil War.

Harry Pfanz, a former historian at Gettysburg National Military Park, has written a definitive account of the second day's brutal combat. He begins by introducing the men and units that were to do battle, analyzing the strategic intentions of Lee and Meade as commanders of the opposing armies, and describing the concentration of forces in the area around Gettysburg. He then examines the development of tactical plans and the deployment of troops for the approaching battle. But the emphasis is on the fighting itself. Pfanz provides a thorough account of the Confederates' smashing assaults—at Devil's Den and Litle Round Top, through the Wheatfield and the Peach Orchard, and against the Union center at Cemetery Ridge. He also details the Union defense that eventually succeeded in beating back these assaults, depriving Lee's gallant army of victory.

Pfanz analyzes decisions and events that have sparked debate for more than a century. In particular he discusses factors underlying the Meade-Sickles controversy and the questions about Longstreet's delay in attacking the Union left. The narrative is also enhanced by thirteen superb maps, more than eighty illustrations, brief portraits of the leading commanders, and observations on artillery, weapons, and tactics that will be of help even to knowledgeable readers.

Gettysburg—The Second Day is certain to become a Civil War classic. What makes the work so authoritative is Pfanz' mastery of the Gettysburg literature and his unparalleled knowledge of the ground on which the fighting occurred. His sources include the Official Records, regimental histories and personal reminiscences from soldiers North and South, personal papers and diaries, newspaper files, and last—but assuredly not least—the Gettysburg battlefield. Pfanz's career in the National Park Service included a ten-year assignment as a park historian at Gettysburg. Without doubt, he knows the terrain of the battle as well as he knows the battle itself.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2007-08-10

Considering the author was a former historian at the battlefield, this book offers the most in-depth account of what occurred before, during, and after the three-day battle at Gettysburg. A must-read for anyone interested in the Civil War, but take note that it is very detailed, listing countless names and locations.

Explosive history from Devils Den to Cemetery Ridge by Harry W. Pfanz.......2006-05-14

Harry W. Pfanz attention to detail is what I love the most about this incredible research. Harry spent 10 year assign as a park historian at Gettysburg and he spent it well. Harry learn and walked over every inch of the terrain. Harry's knowledge of the battle is unsurpassed. Harry knows more about this battle then Lee or Meade ever learned. Harry I salute you and thank you for the detail and amazing research you have preformed for our country's history. AWESOME AND HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
*** WARNING this book is not for someone who is looking for the "Cliff Notes" for their history class.

Genious.......2005-05-12

Harry W. Pfanz has written down the most information about the Gettsburg battle in the Civil War then anyother author. The facts just surprise you. I knew alot about Gettsburg before this book but I learned so much more by reading this. I want the world to know that Gettsburg was worse then what people believe it was.

Excellent Account of Gettysburg's Second Day.......2005-04-14

I have heard that Harry Pfanz has probably forgotten more about Gettysburg than many will ever learn about the battle. In my humble opinion, after reading Gettysburg The Second Day, there is much truth to that statement.

Pfanz' narrative is full of details about Little Round Top, Devil's Den, the Stony Hill, the Wheatfield, Rose Farm and Woods, and other important landmarks during the July 2 conflict. He weaves terrain features in with descriptions of several units in the conflicts.

While some people criticize Pfanz for too much battle narrative and little analysis (saves it for the last chapter), I personally enjoyed the book. If you are the kind of reader who enjoys reading battle narratives and descriptions of the participants, then this is the book for you.

The main gripe I have with the book concerns the maps. While excellent (goes down to the regimental level, clear terrain features, and has a unique description of the action portrayed in the map), there are not enough. Unfortunately, this is an all too common weakness in many Civil War titles. While Pfanz' narrative is full of interesting details, not having enough maps is distracting when trying to comprehend the actions of several units during the engagements. While there are 13 maps in the book, there easily could have been at least 20 total to provide more clarity to the action.

Complaint aside, I recommend this book as the definitive title on the second day at Gettysburg. I plan to refer to this book often during my next trip to Gettysburg. Read and enjoy! Recommended.

Excellent.......2005-01-06

Pfanz is the champion of Day 2 at Gettysburg. Although his First Day treatment was very good, he excels with the focus on the Day 2 action.

The action is very detailed and certainly not for a newbie. Definitely read a good one volume account of the entire battle first (maybe even read it twice).

Many will claim that the meat and the potatoes of the battle of GB is on the second day, particularly in the area of The Peach Orchard, Wheatfield, and Little Round Top. Longstreet called it "the best three hours of fighting" and I tend to agree.

Pfanz does an excellent job of setting up the different regimental, brigade, divison, and corps leaders who were in charge of these certain subsections of the fight, along with providing some grunt reports to present a complete picture. Of course the book is meticulously footnoted and you will not doubt his knowledge on the subject.

Movements and phases of battle tend to overlap. The Wheatfield is probably one of the most complex actiions to understand because of the involvement of 2 different Confederate divisions and at least 3 different Union corps, not to mention the ebb and flow of battle. Pfanz handles this action superbly.

Little Round Top, although not as complex a movement, has potential to become magnified in importance and to actual events. However, Pfanz relies of meticulous research and tempers any far flung notions, but simply presents the events as they happen. Well done.

Pfanz is not a big Sickle's fan. Most would agree with him. I'd like to have seen a more neutral stance or at least present the counter argument, but that's okay. When it comes to Sickles, you can write a book alone about his decision to move his corps forward.

There are several maps. The complex action might require a more thorough set if you really want to break down the details. I'd suggest getting a copy of Imhoff's Day Two A Study in Maps. It's an excellent source of about 50 beautiful maps covering all the Day 2 action. Reading Pfanz and comparing against Imhoff's maps is the perfect one two punch you'll ever come across.

Simiply put, if you are student of the battle of gettysburb, your bookshelf is extremely incomplete without a copy of The Second Day, and his other book on the Culp's Hill and Cemetary Hill part of the field. Skip his First Day book and go with Martin there who has written the definitive account.

Battlefield: Farming a Civil War Battleground

Average customer rating:

Interesting attempt that doesn't quite gel
Overblown. Disappointing.
Not Just Good History, Great Writing, Too

Battlefield: Farming a Civil War Battleground
Peter Svenson
Manufacturer: Faber & Faber
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0571197981

Amazon.com

Peter Svenson, a successful artist, bought the field of his dreams in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley and planned to build a home there for his family. But he soon discovered that a Civil War military engagement, the Battle of Cross Keys, was fought on the very soil he wanted to till. Svenson's story of his own moral and physical struggles is masterfully interspersed with the reports, letters and history of the battle, sweeping the reader into the drama of the past and Svenson's reverence for both history and the land.

Book Description

"Quite a literary accomplishment...The reader watches with increasing fascination as the Union and Confederate ghosts of a small but deadly skirmish come alive again between the rows of the author's golden harvest."
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Peter Svenson, a successful artist, dreamed as many people do, of owning a farm where he could live and work in bucolic splendor. But the forty acres of rolling hayfield that he bought in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley turned out to be the site of the Battle of Cross Keys, a Civil War engagement during which Stonewall Jackson's army scored a victory over the Union forces. Intertwining field reports, letters, and histories of the Battle of Cross Keys with the tasks of building a new house and raising a first crop, Svenson masterfully conjures up two separate but deeply conjoined worlds. Even as we come to share his reverence for the land, we become swept up with him in the momentous events that transpired there on June 8, 1862--the strategies of the indecisive army commanders, the emotions of the men in the field, the heavy casualties that both sides suffered. The two stories make BATTLFIELD a beautifully written memoir and a powerful work of historical recreation.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting attempt that doesn't quite gel.......2004-07-30

Like other reviewers, I was attracted not only by this book's subject by also by its award nominations and glowing reviews ("a literary accomplishment" ... "vivid" ... "powerful" ... "a gem"). And while I found the author's blend of history and memoir an interesting approach, the book is finally unsatisfying. It certainly doesn't live up to the hyperbolic reviews.

As someone with an interest in Virginia and the Shenandoah Campaign as well as (to a small degree) farming and rural issues, I'd hoped "Battlefield" would be some combination of, say, Gene Logsdon and William C. Davis. Unfortunately, it's not quite either, and certainly not both. While it may be possible to say Peter Svenson has written the definitive history of the battle of Cross Keys, that's more a reflection on the lack of alternatives. Certainly his discussion of the battle is comprehensive, with extensive quotations from period journals and participants' reports and diaries. The thinner side is Svenson's chronicle of his own farming experiences. Apart from some interesting reflections on old barns, the village's run-down former tavern, and one or two other sections, I never really got the sense that we were experiencing Svenson's farming life on much more than a surface level. We learn a lot about cleaning and restoring old farm equipment, but far less about any sort of personal relationship with the land, or what being a landholder means to the author. When he declares at the end that he will never throw away the battlefield of which he has custody, the statement is almost surprising in its emotion.

The history of the battle is a constant presence in the farm's modern story, and so the two halves of the narrative do fit together to some extent. But while the author makes a good attempt, the blend ultimately never quite "sets."

Overblown. Disappointing........2004-05-11

I had had this book on my bookshelf for the past few years and finally decided to read it last week. Given the awards it had received, I had high hopes for it. Unfortunately, I found it very uneven. The book is disjointed, with the accounts of the battle interspersed with an account of the author trying to be a gentleman farmer. I don't think he pulled it off however, although the idea of the book is an interesting one. There is not enough information to satisfy the Civil War buff, nor is there enough development about the author's own story to have made me care that much about his travails. It is not a bad book, but only a mediocre one. I would not recommend it.

Not Just Good History, Great Writing, Too.......2002-06-19

The battle at Cross Keys, Virginia is not one of the more renowned conflicts of the Civil War. My family had been flummoxed by the lack of information when researching my great-great grandfather's teenage career as a soldier in the 39th New York regiment that fought there. Enter Peter Svenson to save the day, pulling the experience of the battle out of oblivion into an extraordinary narrative. A landscape artist, he had purchased a 40-acre rhomboid shaped tract on which to build a home and studio and to farm hay. He belatedly discovered the land to be the actual battlefield. Turning to original source material, including personal letters, memoirs and formal military reports, he summons a very detailed account of the events and environment of 8 June 1862. Not only does the battle become an important lens through which to critically assess the strategies of Fremont (North) and Jackson (South) and the fortunes of each side in the early part of the war, the account is highly revealing of the experience of the common soldier. Though there were thousands out there that day (far more Union than Confederate, though the North lost this one), Svenson takes pains to identify the regiments and their locations, and what happened to them. I now know where my ancestor most likely fell and the horror he endured for hours until he was picked up and taken to the "hospital," a store that had been appropriated for a surgery. I am astounded that he made it out of there with his limbs intact, that he survived the everpresent danger of disease Svenson describes. Please know there is more to Svenson's book than the battle history, however: he intersperses the history with accounts of life on the land in the late 20th century. In doing so, he shows how deeply connected the present is to a very traumatic part of our national past. It's a thoughtful book, made all the more enjoyable by the author's strong, pleasant voice. BATTLEFIELD was nominated for a National Book Award when it debuted; while it ultimately did not win, it is tops in my estimation.

The battles of Cross Keys and Port Republic (The Virginia Civil War battles and leaders series)

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The battles of Cross Keys and Port Republic (The Virginia Civil War battles and leaders series)
Darrell L Collins
Manufacturer: H.E. Howard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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The Battle of Cross Keys and Port Republic, June 8-9, 1862. 212 pp., photos, maps, cloth.

Key Battles of the Civil War (Americans at War: the Civil War)

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Key Battles of the Civil War (Americans at War: the Civil War)
Diane Smolinski
Manufacturer: Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1588103919

The Battle of Atlanta and the Georgia Campaign

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The Battle of Atlanta and the Georgia Campaign
William Key
Manufacturer: Peachtree Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0931948223

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