Books about the Civil War

[Saris]

What are some good books about the Military history of the Civil War? I am looking for some to read. Right now I have this called A Great Civil War: A Military and Political History, 1861-1865 https://books.google.com/books/about/A_Great_Civil_War.html?id=BuFIAAAACAAJ

[[WoR] Kiff]

Team of Rivals is a really good read

[Johnny_Reb_1865]

Official report relative to the conduct of federal troops in Western Louisiana

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=dul1.ark:/13960/t86h5c681;view=1up;seq=3


Is Davis a traitor: or, Was secession a constitutional right previous to the war of 1861?

http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/aew5150.0001.001?rgn=main;view=fulltext

[FrancisM]

Someone who starts his article by declaring the southern commanders heroes probably isn't very trustworthy with regards to the question if secession was legal. Which it isn't.

[Bravescot]

The book "God's and Generals" is a fantastic read

[FrisDrim]

Co Aytch wrote by Sam Watkins, and All for the Union by Elish Hunt Rhodes are really good.

[Johnny_Reb_1865]

Keep in mind that Is Davis A Traitor was written in 1866.

[Saris]

The book "God's and Generals" is a fantastic read

I actually got the Killer Angels too!

[Johnny_Reb_1865]

I actually got the Killer Angels too!


Oh i've heard so many good reviews of those two!

I haven't read them yet. :(

[[WoR] Kiff]

The book "God's and Generals" is a fantastic read

The movie is good as well!

[A. P. Hill]

HOPE you've got some time on your hands .... (http://ebooks.library.cornell.edu/m/moawar/waro.html) Probably the most definitive source of Civil War Information.

Enjoy.

[Jeb Bush]

"Guns of the South" is a good read if you're looking for something interesting.

[thomas aagaard]

HOPE you've got some time on your hands .... (http://ebooks.library.cornell.edu/m/moawar/waro.html) Probably the most definitive source of Civil War Information.

Enjoy.

Yep that is a great "Book"... I read in it often.

[A. P. Hill]

Yep that is a great "Book"... I read in it often.

Well ... there are after all 70 "Book"s No one said he had to read all of them. :p

[1SGT Shannon]

https://www.amazon.com/History-15th-South-Carolina-Infantry/dp/0979738318

[yoyo8346]

Being a Canadian and loving American Civil War history, I was naturally drawn to Blood and Daring

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51xfgi2XtFL._SX329_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

Although its focus is not pure military history, it covers Canada's political involvement, and explains Canada's confederation in reaction to Union victory. It details some very interesting and impactful events, including when confederates hiding in Canada snuck across the border to raid the town of St. Albans, Vermont. St. Albans became known as the northernmost "battle" of the civil war. 1 person was killed.

I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the topic.

[Rainbow_Flyer]

a yankee friend of mine who always debunks my confederate counterattacks with "remember who won the war" got me a book called the life and death of the 1st Minnesota

[michaelsmithern]

a yankee friend of mine who always debunks my confederate counterattacks with "remember who won the war" got me a book called the life and death of the 1st Minnesota

GG i've seen that book at barnes and noble, but i never have the money to get it when i do.

Is it any good?

[Rainbow_Flyer]

GG i've seen that book at barnes and noble, but i never have the money to get it when i do.

Is it any good?

Ive read the first few pages, quite intresting, (sure i want to read it but school gets in the way.... and its a yankee book....) but the book i got had a news paper type thinggy where it had a interesting artical about the 1st Minnesota Volunteers

[[WoR] Kiff]

I got this incredible book for Christmas, it's called "Unusual and often overlooked facts about the the americans civil war, CIVIL WAR TRIVIA AND FACT BOOK" I'll even insert a fact that I found to be interesting!

Fact: Out of the 292,000 men drafted in August, 1863, only 18% payed their commutation fee.

Just an example but it's full of great facts that you can quiz your friends on, as well as yourself!

[crazychester1247]

I'm a purist. Shelby Foote's "The Civil War" is the most definative and entertaining account of the war I've read. It's a must read for any ACW fan. Beware though, it's quite large. Three volumes of seven-to-eight hundred pages each if my memory serves me right.:eek:

You could just watch Ken Burn's mini-series of the same name if your not in for all the reading though.:)

[thomas aagaard]

I'm a purist. Shelby Foote's "The Civil War" is the most definative and entertaining account of the war I've read.

Great narrative that should be read by anyone who like to read about the war.

But Very very bad history books for anyone like to study the war.

The issue is the simply facts that he don't give us his sources for what he tell us... and that make it pretty useless for any serious study of the war.

And he do have some errors in his books, (including the myth that Bufords men had repeaters at Gettysburg...)

[[WoR] Kiff]

These are all really good suggestions! I might have to read a few of these.

[LukeYoung]

Nine months to Gettysburg is a lovely and detailed book put together of the 2nd Vermont Brigade , It is the story of the men who signed up and went off to war. It's one of the best i'v yet to read and not just the story of one or two people , but of an entire brigade.

The diary of a Tar Heel Confederate is also another amazing book of one man from the time he enlisted too the end of the war in a prison camp.

[Henry_Love]

Probably already mentioned but all the Shaara books, both mike and Jeff. Confederates in the Attic was a cool read as well. There is a book(now out of print I think) called Cadet grey and Butternut brown. Its about all the different Confederate uniforms. I've yet to read it but have heard a lot of good things about Coffee and Hardtack. Lastly(for the artillery folk) I would suggest Cannoneers in Grey and Artillery and Ammunition of the Civil war.

Edited to add From Manassas to Appomattox. It was written by Longstreet in the 1890s

[William F. Randolph]

Captain Little Ax, written by James Street, very good fiction and I'd say it is the Confederate version of The Red Badge of Courage.

You can pick a copy up on Amazon here https://www.amazon.com/Captain-Little-Ax-James-Street/dp/B0007E0UN6

If any of you read it let me know what you think!