Product Description

Includes a listing of Civil War re-enactments A comprehensive overview of America's bloodiest war-from the first shots fired at Fort Sumter to Lee's surrender at Appomattox. Featuring a clear chronology of major events and detailed explanations of key battles, this second edition includes: a¬ Instructions on how to trace Civil War ancestry a¬ An in-depth look at the weaponry a¬ Coverage of the lesser-known but still pivotal battles a¬ An expanded glossary and appendixes, and more

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #353403 in Books
• Published on: 2003-12-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 448 pages

Customer Reviews

Good reading!
An excellent book on the Civil War, however there is one major disappointment. Mr. Axelrod's coverage on the Vicksburg Campaign is most disappointing. He barely brushed on the fact in his rush to concentrate on the Eastern Theater, mainly Chancellorville and Gettysburg. He failed to mention Benjamin Grierson's Raid through Mississippi, the fact that Grant fought and won five battles to reach the eastern city limits of Vicksburg and that during the siege, he beseiged the city and at the same time, kept Gen. Joe Johnston at bay. Nor did Mr. Axelrod mention the fact that Sherman's March Through Georgia was based on Grant's Vicksburg Campaign.

GRANT WINS A CLOSE ONE!
As a history buff, this book intrigued me from the get-go. After minoring in American History in college, I was under the impression that I knew a great deal about the Civil War...I was wrong. "The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Civil War" clarified terminology which I was unfamiliar, showed battle maps that I had never seen, and offered up some quotations from a variety of participants in this conflict that were incredibly enlightening. This was a page-turner, which is not a term that I would normally apply to a history book, but the term is appropriate. I was very impressed with the author's attention to detail, and I came away with information on the Civil War that I never knew existed. This book made such an impact on me, that I am going to purchase "The Complete Idiot's Guide to American History". If you are at all interested in the Civil War, this could be among the best investments you will ever make in both time and money.