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Books > Humanities > History > American history > 1800 to 1900
The American Civil War (1861-65) remains a searing event in the
collective consciousness of the United States. It was one of the
bloodiest conflicts in modern history, claiming the lives of at
least 600,000 soldiers and an unknown number of civilians. The
Civil War was also one of the world's first truly industrial
conflicts, involving railroads, the telegraph, steamships and
mass-manufactured weaponry. The eventual victory of the Union over
the Confederacy rang the death-knell for American slavery, and set
the USA on the path to becoming a truly world power. Paul
Christopher Anderson shows how and why the conflict remains the
nation's defining moment, arguing that it was above all a struggle
for power and political supremacy. Melding social, cultural and
military history, the author explores iconic battles like Shiloh,
Chickamauga, Antietam and Gettysburg, as well as the bitterly
contesting forces underlying them. He shows that while both sides
began the war in order to preserve - the integrity of the American
state in the case of the Union, the integrity of a culture and
value system in the case of the Confederacy - it allowed the South
to define a regional identity that has survived into modern times.
This study describes the creation of the Primitive Baptist movement
and discusses the main outlines of their thought. It also weaves
the story of the Primitive Baptists with other developments in
American Christianity in the Early Republic.
George Crook was one of the most prominent military figures of the
late-nineteenth-century Indian Wars. Yet today his name is largely
unrecognized despite the important role he played in such pivotal
events in western history as the Custer fight at the Little Big
Horn, the death of Crazy Horse, and the Geronimo campaigns. As Paul
Magid portrays Crook in this highly readable second volume of a
projected three-volume biography, the general was an innovative and
eccentric soldier, with a complex and often contradictory
personality, whose activities often generated intense controversy.
Though known for his uncompromising ferocity in battle, he
nevertheless respected his enemies and grew to know and feel
compassion for them. Describing campaigns against the Paiutes,
Apaches, Sioux, and Cheyennes, Magid's vivid narrative explores
Crook's abilities as an Indian fighter. The Apaches, among the
fiercest peoples in the West, called Crook the Gray Fox after an
animal viewed in their culture as a herald of impending death.
Generals Grant and Sherman both regarded him as indispensable to
their efforts to subjugate the western tribes. Though noted for his
aggressiveness in combat, Crook was a reticent officer who rarely
raised his voice, habitually dressed in shabby civilian attire, and
often rode a mule in the field. He was also self-confident to the
point of arrogance, harbored fierce grudges, and because he marched
to his own beat, got along poorly with his superiors. He had many
enduring friendships both in- and outside the army, though he
divulged little of his inner self to others and some of his closest
comrades knew he could be cold and insensitive. As Magid relates
these crucial episodes of Crook's life, a dominant contradiction
emerges: while he was an unforgiving warrior in the field, he not
infrequently risked his career to do battle with his military
superiors and with politicians in Washington to obtain fair
treatment for the very people against whom he fought. Upon hearing
of the general's death in 1890, Chief Red Cloud spoke for his Sioux
people: ""He, at least, never lied to us. His words gave the people
hope.
Originally published in 1975, this assessment of the American Civil
War is a broad treatment of the war as a major historical event,
set in the context of a detailed picture of two governments,
economies and societies at war. It discusses many controversial
topics - the uncertainty and hesitation that surrounded the origins
of the war, for example, its economic impact, the Radicals and
their relationship with Lincoln and reconstruction as a wartime
issue. It offers acute analysis of Lincoln's political skills, and
an evaluation of emancipation and Lincoln's approach to it; the
problems and performance of the opposition during the war;
international reactions; an assessment of some of the leading
generals like McClellan and Lee and the impact of the war on both
Southern and Northern society.
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The Soldier in Our Civil War
- a Pictorial History of the Conflict, 1861-1865, Illustrating the Valor of the Soldier as Displayed on the Battle-field, From Sketches Drawn by Forbes, Waud, Taylor, Beard, Becker, Lovie, Schell, Crane and Numerous Other...; 2
(Hardcover)
Frank 1821-1880 Leslie; Created by Paul Fleury B 1841 Mottelay, T (Thomas) Ed Campbell-Copeland
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Despite the seemingly never-ending torrent of books about the
American Civil War, relatively little has been written about the
role of the United States Revenue Marine Service (now the U.S.
Coast Guard) in the naval struggle against the Confederacy. The
United States Revenue Cutters in the Civil War presents a
ship-by-ship study of this neglected aspect of the war, from the
decisions of individual cutter commanders as to which side they
would take in the struggle to their ships key role in enforcing the
Northern blockade of the South s coasts. The author, an expert on
the early history of the Revenue Service, also tells the amazing
story of the capture of the cutter Caleb Cushing by Confederates
under the command of Lieutenant Charles W. Savez Read, CSN in the
harbor of Portland, Maine, his daring escape, brief battle with
Union ships, and the scuttling of the Cushing. This hard-to-find
publication also documents the other combat actions, nautical
mishaps, and ultimate fates of these unsung participants in the
naval side of the Civil War.
A famous American writer's experiences of the Civil War
The title of this book, of course, refers to the men of the United
States who rallied to their nation's flag and the cause of the
maintenance of the union between all the states at the first
trumpet call to arms in 1861. The dissatisfaction of the eleven
Southern states which would form the Confederacy burst into
violence in April of that year with the attack on Fort Sumter and
these first shots heralded four years of appalling bloodshed and
acrimony before the United States of America could once again be
declared a whole nation. This is not a general history of the war,
it is, in the person of Charles Carleton Coffin, an account of
personal experiences by an expert observer who is now regarded as
one of the most important journalists the American nation has ever
produced-Coffin was also a fine author and accomplished politician.
The term 'embedded correspondent' has become a familiar term to
describe newsmen who accompany an army in the field. The nineteenth
century was however a golden age of special correspondents, of
various nations, who joined fighting forces at the sharp end of
conflict all over the globe and not a few of them-as they do to
this day-paid the ultimate price for their dogged persistence in
placing the facts before the public. Coffin was determined to
experience the Civil War at close quarters and in this substantial
book he takes us on campaign, from the intimacy of the march and
the camp, among ordinary men and officers-and close by the
commanders of the Union Army, as momentous events unfolded and
important decisions were made. All first hand accounts are
invaluable source works irrespective of the skill in penmanship of
their authors. They record events and the exploits of individuals
long gone and are, quite simply, the lifeblood of history.
Nevertheless, when history is seen by a keen eye and related by
those with a vivid turn of phrase and command of language it is at
its best. Coffin was such an observer, he experienced the war in
full measure at Bull Run, the Tennessee Campaign, Pittsburg
Landing, the invasion of Maryland and Kentucky, Fredericksburg,
Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Petersburg and the fall of Richmond
and witnessed many other momentous events on land and afloat.
Available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket.
The Civil War and the men and women who lived during that time
continue to interest, preoccupy, and bemuse a wide and various
population. This volume provides information on 872 men and women
of the Union, covering those who influenced the course of public
policy, opinion, and events. Coverage of political leaders, such as
congressmen and cabinet officers, is comprehensive, while others,
such as editors, photographers, and abolitionists, are covered
selectively. Military leaders are included for specific
contributions to the Union. Each profile provides biographical
information about the person, stressing the war years and offering
an assessment of the individual's place in the Union. Each entry
concludes with bibliographic sources. Taken together, the profiles
illumine those mystic chords of memory that continue to tie us yet
to the Civil War generation.
In antebellum society, women were regarded as ideal nurses
because of their sympathetic natures. However, they were expected
to exercise their talents only in the home; nursing strange men in
hospitals was considered inappropriate, if not indecent.
Nevertheless, in defiance of tradition, Confederate women set up
hospitals early in the Civil War and organized volunteers to care
for the increasing number of sick and wounded soldiers. As a
fledgling government engaged in a long and bloody war, the
Confederacy relied on this female labor, which prompted a new
understanding of women's place in public life and a shift in gender
roles.
Challenging the assumption that Southern women's contributions
to the war effort were less systematic and organized than those of
Union women, "Worth a Dozen Men "looks at the Civil War as a
watershed moment for Southern women. Female nurses in the South
played a critical role in raising army and civilian morale and
reducing mortality rates, thus allowing the South to continue
fighting. They embodied a new model of heroic energy and
nationalism, and came to be seen as the female equivalent of
soldiers. Moreover, nursing provided them with a foundation for
pro-Confederate political activity, both during and after the war,
when gender roles and race relations underwent dramatic
changes.
"Worth a Dozen Men" chronicles the Southern wartime nursing
experience, tracking the course of the conflict from the initial
burst of Confederate nationalism to the shock and sorrow of losing
the war. Through newspapers and official records, as well as
letters, diaries, and memoirs--not only those of the remarkable and
dedicated women who participated, but also of the doctors with whom
they served, their soldier patients, and the patients' families--a
comprehensive picture of what it was like to be a nurse in the
South during the Civil War emerges.
Think you know your Civil War History? No matter how well-versed
you think you are in Civil War facts and trivia, this book will
enlighten and entertain you with little-known details of one of the
most important events in American history. Civil War Trivia and
Fact Book is your ultimate resource for mastering the minutia of
America's War Between the States. Compiled by Civil War expert Webb
Garrison, this book is packed with more than 2,000 fascinating
facts about the war, its prelude, and its aftermath. This treasure
trove of trivia and information includes: events that happened in
both the North and South between 1861 and 1865 the distinguished
military and political leaders of the day key issues that defined
the Union and the Confederacy famous first events of the war, and
more This wealth of information is presented in simple
question-and-answer format and is a perfect book for a history buff
or someone interested in learning more about this historical and
signature event in American history.
When Florida seceded from the Union in 1861, St. Augustine followed
much of the South and widely supported the Confederacy. Many
residents rushed to join the Confederate army. Union forces,
however, quickly seized the lightly protected town and used it as a
rest area for battle-weary troops. Seven Union regiments called the
city home during the war. While no major engagement took place in
St. Augustine, the city is filled with Civil War history, from
supporting the Confederacy to accepting Union generals as respected
residents. Join author Robert Redd as he details St. Augustine's
rich history during the Civil War and in the postwar years.
In 1967, Nigeria was plunged into a brutal civil war with
secessionist Biafra. The war, which lasted for 30 months and led to
the death of over one million ethnic Igbo, has been described as
the first genocide in post-colonial Africa. Although much has been
written about the Nigeria Civil war, most of what has been written
remains the perspectives of the major actors and generals who
conducted the war. This book, through careful analysis of the
experiences of those who witnessed the war on the Biafra side as
well as other primary and archival sources, brings to life the
Civil War-time trials and tribulations of ordinary Biafrans.
Focusing primarily on the Biafran side of that civil war, the book
reexamines the civil war from the perspective of non-military
support of the war effort and the lingering human costs of that
conflict. It also presents the Biafra experience in the context of
issues of genocide, the role of humanitarian and international
civil or advocacy groups; International Organizations and conflict
resolution; and the impact of the Cold War and resources control
(oil) in shaping the contours of the Nigeria-Biafra War. Based on
personal experiences of the Biafra-Nigeria War, this book speaks to
some elements in the causes of the war, the actual conduct of the
war on both sides, and the underlying genocidal rather than
political motivations for the war. As Michael J. C. Echeruo notes
"Biafra should stand in the world's conscience as a monument to the
possibility of successfully resisting 'final solutions.'"' This is
an important book for collections in African studies, history,
international studies, and political science.
In September 1868, the remains of Jacob and Nancy Jane Young were
found lying near the banks of Indiana's White River. It was a
gruesome scene. Part of Jacob's face had been blown off, apparently
by the shotgun that lay a few feet away. Spiders and black beetles
crawled over his wound. Smoke rose from his wife's smoldering body,
which was so badly burned that her intestines were exposed, the
flesh on her thighs gone, and the bones partially reduced to
powder. Suspicion for both deaths turned to Nancy Clem, a housewife
who was also one of Mr. Young's former business partners. In The
Notorious Mrs. Clem, Wendy Gamber chronicles the life and times of
this charming and persuasive Gilded Age confidence woman, who
became famous not only as an accused murderess but also as an
itinerant peddler of patent medicine and the supposed originator of
the Ponzi scheme. Clem's story is a shocking tale of friendship and
betrayal, crime and punishment, courtroom drama and partisan
politicking, get-rich-quick schemes and shady business deals. It
also raises fascinating questions about women's place in an
evolving urban economy. As they argued over Clem's guilt or
innocence, lawyers, jurors, and ordinary citizens pondered
competing ideas about gender, money, and marriage. Was Clem on
trial because she allegedly murdered her business partner? Or was
she on trial because she engaged in business? Along the way, Gamber
introduces a host of equally compelling characters, from
prosecuting attorney and future U.S. president Benjamin Harrison to
folksy defense lawyer John Hanna, daring detective Peter Wilkins,
pioneering "lady news writer" Laura Ream, and female-remedy
manufacturer Michael Slavin. Based on extensive sources, including
newspapers, trial documents, and local histories, this gripping
account of a seemingly typical woman who achieved extraordinary
notoriety will appeal to true crime lovers and historians alike.
On January 19, 1862, Confederate and Union forces clashed in the
now-forgotten Battle of Mill Springs. Armies of inexperienced
soldiers chaotically fought in the wooded terrain of south-central
Kentucky as rain turned bloodied ground to mud. Mill Springs was
the first major Union victory since the Federal disaster of Bull
Run. This Union triumph secured the Bluegrass State in Union hands,
opening the large expanses of Tennessee for Federal invasion. From
General Felix Zollicoffer meeting his death by wandering into Union
lines to the heroics of General George Thomas, Civil War historian
Stuart Sanders chronicles this important battle and its essential
role in the war.
To date, most texts regarding higher education in the Civil War
South focus on the widespread closure of academies. In contrast,
Persistence through Peril: Episodes of College Life and Academic
Endurance in the Civil War South brings to life several case
histories of southern colleges and universities that persisted
through the perilous war years. Contributors tell these stories via
the lived experiences of students, community members, professors,
and administrators as they strove to keep their institutions going.
Despite the large-scale cessation of many southern academies due to
student military enlistment, resource depletion, and campus
destruction, some institutions remained open for the majority or
entirety of the war. These institutions-"The Citadel" South
Carolina Military Academy, Mercer University, Mississippi College,
the University of North Carolina, Spring Hill College, Trinity
College of Duke University, Tuskegee Female College, the University
of Virginia, the Virginia Military Institute, Wesleyan Female
College, and Wofford College-continued to operate despite low
student numbers, encumbered resources, and faculty ranks stripped
bare by conscription or voluntary enlistment. This volume considers
academic and organizational perseverance via chapter "episodes"
that highlight the daily operations, struggles, and successes of
select southern institutions. Through detailed archival research,
the essays illustrate how some southern colleges and universities
endured the deadliest internal conflict in US history.
Contributions by Christian K. Anderson, Marcia Bennett, Lauren
Yarnell Bradshaw, Holly A. Foster, Tiffany Greer, Don Holmes,
Donavan L. Johnson, Lauren Lassabe, Sarah Mangrum, R. Eric Platt,
Courtney L. Robinson, David E. Taylor, Zachary A. Turner, Michael
M. Wallace, and Rhonda Kemp Webb.
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