Alabama Books

All who lived during those momentous years of Southern turmoil of 1960's were greatly impacted by the laws of desegregation of the white churches and schools. As one renews his/her commitment to religious and social justice, it brings into focus our recent tragedies of Ruwanda, Iraq, Thailand, and Indonesia! Upon my own return to Professor Bass's BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS, I easily conjure up my perennial pictures of his accounts of eight white Ministers, their churches and families being turned inside/out or upside/down by Southern racial injustice.

In Bass's easy reading, documented, and dramatically illustrated account of eight white ministers' appeal for law, order, common sense, before and after the reception of MLK Jr's, "Letter From Birmingham Jail," I was transported back to 1963; Into mid-1965 when Earl Stallings became both my Pastor and my Good Friend! In spite of persistent segregationist pressure, not once did Earl consider turning black vsitors away from First Baptist Church of Birmingham. "If the people came to worship," Stallings wrote days after the incident "we had no Christian justification for closing our doors...if they came to provoke an incident, we were determined to have no part in this action."

Since 1954 the FBC maintained an open-door policy for any black visitors. From an early distinguished Pastor J T Ford, followed by Guy Sloan and Grady Cothen and Earl Stallings they reaffirmed that policy! Yet on the morning after they welcomed the first black visitors, newspapers all over the country printed large photographs of a cheerful Earl Stallings shaking hands with the black visitors. They included both the NEW YORK TIMES and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution!

From my perspective or from Prof. Jonathan Bass's perpspective, it appears that he gave a deeper account of the introspective thoughts or words of Earl Stallings, than from the other white ministers! Since MLK's Letter referred to outstanding persons' writing: Ralph McGill, Harry Golden, James McBride Dobbs, Ann Braden, Lillian Smith, and Sarah Patten Boyle, it seems that the author added deserving comments beside the eight pictures of those Ministers. Next to Earl Stallings picture he quoted his recent sermon: "We hear the call of truth, of righteousness, of justice, but we are not men enough to heed its challenge!"

From 1965 thru 1975 in his next pastorate, I often needed Earl's commitment to equality and social justice, as when I chose music of Fred Waring's "Easter Story of Black Spirituals" over Church dissent: "It's getting much too close for those Black threats of violence in our streets of Marietta on Good Friday, April 8th of 1968!" That same evening for the Good Friday Worship we had a full house with a few black families present! Retired Chaplain Fred W Hood

It was just a letter written by a man in jail, on behalf of his race, attempting to address the social injustice of the time-right? Wrong! Martin Luther King's Letter From the Birmingham Jail is much more compelling, and the circumstances surrounding its final composition more complex than the average person knows. Ostensibly written to the eight white clergymen of the embittered and embattled steel city, it was intended for a much wider audience-namely the media and the American public. Blessed Are the Peacemakers provides the reader with individual profiles of the eight and their struggles of conscience as they saw an old social order collapse. What has been taken as the almost spur-of-the-moment reflections of Martin Luther King, in jail for civil disobedience, turns out to be a document much longer in the making and more calculated in its delivery. This disclosure in no way detracts from its rightful place in American folklore or its power in fueling Civil Rights Movement. Rather, it helps us understand the care with which the deep conviction of racial rights was presented. The book is not an apology for the eight clergy, some of whom were more progressive than others, but it does provide much needed insight for the serious student of history into the complex struggles, powerful emotions, and vitrolic attacks perpetrated on even the most moderate voices of the white clergy. What it does not do, of course, is speak of the many white clergy of lesser rank who paid a much higher price for their fight for justice for their black brothers and sisters. Still, to read about these eight leaders, (Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, and Jewish) and their struggles is instructive. As an Alabama-born, white clergy expatriate from that period, marginally involved in the Civil Rights Movement, I hung on every word. These are reflections that should help black and white readers alike better understand this turbulent period. Statements from the eight white clergy as well as King's Letter are included in the appendix.

In this review in brief, I'll be taking a look at Larry J. Daniel's Cannoneers In Gray: The Field Artillery of the Army of Tennessee, 1861-1865. Daniel's book seeks to take a look at this neglected arm of a neglected army. In other words, the redlegs of the Army of Tennessee appear to be red-headed stepchildren of a red-headed stepchild. I had high hopes for this particular book, as I am a fan of the western theater, but unfortunately it fell a little short of my expectations. Daniel simply does not cover the subject in enough detail, and the lack of any maps is a bit of a disappointment. Some of the editing lapses and typos almost drove me to distraction. I would say the book has a place on everyone's bookshelf, but I believe this could have been done better.

The Army of Tennessee's artillerymen were faced with shortages of pretty much everything during the war. Almost all of the pre-war artillery militia units were sent to the Army of Northern Virginia when they reached battery strength. The Army of Tennessee had to make do with brand new units whose men had little or no artillery experience. If the Army of the Tennessee was bereft of experienced men, the types and numbers of guns was even worse. Early in the war, the western men had to make do with obsolete and nearly useless smoothbore 6-pounders, and rifled artillery was almost unheard of. Lastly, the western theater was often hilly and full of forest, poor terrain for the proper use of artillery. Daniel says these were factors which the men and leaders of the Army of Tennessee could not control. However, he also points out that the Confederate government and military also mostly failed when dealing with factors they could control. Artillery doctrine was rapidly changing in the Civil War, and men such as Bragg (ironically an old Army artillerist) did not or would not recognize this fact. For far longer than other comparable armies on both sides, the Army of Tennessee continued to use the obsolete method of grouping one battery with one infantry brigade. This made it difficult for higher level commanders to quickly gather a large number of guns in the few effective spots for artillery on western battlefields. To add insult to injury, the western battery commanders rarely saw promotions throughout the war. Time and time again, men from the east were brought in over their heads to command them. This did not do much for the already poor morale of the army. Daniel believes that the only real breakthroughs came during Joe Johnston's tenure as army commander. He attempted to group the batteries in battalions assigned to each Corps, and kept an Army reserve as well. In addition, he tried to increase morale with constant drilling. Daniel says Bragg didn't understand the role of artillery and Hood simply didn't care.

I really wanted to give this book high marks, but it simply falls short of that, in my opinion. The Army of the Tennessee's artillery deserved a more in-depth study than this. The Army of Northern Virginia received a two-volume history from Jennings Cropper Wise which totaled over 1,000 pages. Daniel, on the other hand, gives us a total of 234. To make matters worse, there are no maps which could have shown the positions of various batteries in the major battles of the army. To his credit, Daniel does have some tables showing types and numbers of guns for each artillery battalion in the army, but he could have gone further and done this for each battery where known. Likewise, he gives an artillery OOB for each major battle in an appendix at the back of the book, but he doesn't include numbers of men, or numbers and types of guns. The entire book is full of partial information like this. The chapters on major battles seem to focus on a few individual batteries and then Daniel calls it a day. Dennis Kelly (of Blue & Gray magazine) is quoted as saying "For Civil War enthusiasts who prefer the Western campaigns, for Southern partisans, academics, wargamers, or today's military personnel, this book should be must reading." This is definitely not a book that is going to help wargamers much. Those are my thoughts at least as a person who has played every Civil War computer game over the last fifteen years, and who has also dabbled in board games and miniatures.

In addition to the above problems, the book (I am reviewing the gray-covered paperback, there is a newer revised paperback out as of May, 2005) is plagued by annoying, repeated typos. Stephen Hurlbut is referred to every time as "Hulbert". This continues to happen throughout the book. Other examples include Arnold Elzey being referred to as "Elzy", Kenner Garrard as "Garrand", and in the most annoying typo of all, the town of Resaca, Georgia is referred to as "Reseca" at least 10 times (and probably more, I quit counting after awhile).

To be fair, the book does an excellent job pointing out the struggles of the western long arm throughout the war. The fact that not a single battery remained to surrender with Johnston in North Carolina is a microcosm of their story as a whole. I consider the book to be a decent addition to my collection, but I really think Daniel (or someone else) could have done a much more thorough job with this subject.

Such was the artillery of the Army of Tennessee. Larry J. Daniel is my favorite author who focuses on the Western Theater of the Civil War, and from the very first page this book draws you in and gives you a well-written and detailed history of the Army of Tennessee's field artillery. Even from the very beginning of the war, they had serious problems. Many volunteer batteries in the early 1861 South had antique field guns or none at all, giving them a serious disadvantage to the well-trained Union artillery. Those batteries that did have between 4-6 field guns often lacked the proper amount of ammunition, resulting in little use of training using ammunition. One (Confederate) battery that fought at Shiloh was firing its cannons for the first time! Thankfully, there were well-trained batteries like the Washington Artillery of New Orleans that had been militia units before the war. Because of the limited funds of the Confederate government, the best field guns the Army of Tennessee possessed were those captured from the Yankees in battle. Also, there was help from Great Britain, with the occasional Whitworth cannon finding its way into the Army of Tennessee. This book is both gripping and informative, and has some great photos of artillery units and officers. The appendix is truly awesome, giving the organization of the artillery for the battles of Shiloh, Stones River, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Dalton (Georgia), Atlanta, and Nashville. The bibliography is extremely helpful for those who want to read more about this overlooked branch of the Army of Tennessee. This book belongs on every Civil War buffs bookshelf!

What is the temperature of "very hot" or "almost frozen"? How many inches of rain are in a "torrent"? Douglas Southall Freeman speaking in 1955 cited a need for detailed information on weather during the Civil War. With the exception of Joseph L. Harsh's, book "Sounding the Shallows"; no one has tried to address this subject. Harsh's book only considers weather during the month of September 1862 as part of his detailed study for the Antietam Campaign. Part of the problem is detailed weather records were not a government responsibility. The little detail we have is from amateur meteorologists and the families that preserved their work. The record have gaps, illegible entries and areas where no one kept records. All of these problems, taken together, make a detailed weather record spanning years a difficult undertaking. Robert Krick recognizes this by saying the Victorian title would be "Civil War Weather in Washington, D.C., and in the Virginia Theater of War, Encompassing Virginia and Maryland and Pennsylvania, including Weather Affecting Some Military Operations in what became West Virginia Halfway through the War." The current title is much easier to use but the Victorian title gives you a much better idea of what this book contains.

Each month from October 1860 to June 1865 is a one page. The monthly format is a few pages of contemporary observations about the weather and a daily table for the month. Table entries are date, day of the week, sunrise and sunset in Richmond and the DC temperature at 7 AM, 2 PM and 9 PM. Each day has a remarks entry for comments like overcast, amount of rain or an observation about the day. This may not seem to be much but it is invaluable in building a picture of the war. Using September to November 1861, as an example, I developed a real understanding of why sickness could become such a problem. The volunteers lived in tents and subjected to constant drilling suffered about a 30-degree drop in the 2 PM temperature coupled with 23 days of rain. Snow fell starting November 24 adding to their misery. The tables are clear, concise and very easy to use. The above took only a couple of minutes and presents a clear impression of weather during these months. The tables allow us to check contemporary accounts and help us understand what the writer thinks happened. Robert Krick observes that based on the readings, it is doubtful that bodies froze overnight at Fredericksburg. This will not cause us to reject the accounts but requires we understand other factors may have contributed to the memory. Gettysburg College maintained the 7 AM, 2 PM and 9 PM schedule for temperature readings and these are included for the battle.

This is not a "sit down n read" book. It is a much-needed book and the information will help complete our picture of the war. Only an author with the status of Robert Krick could have brought this book to the public. I thank the University of Alabama Press for publishing so valuable book and adding to the understanding of the war in Virginia. This type of technical reference is invaluable in gaining a fuller understanding of the conditions that the armies faced. This knowledge helps a student of the war to more fully understand those decisions on which battles and campaigns turn.

Bob Krick is the unquestioned authority on the Army of Northern Virginia and the Virginia theater. He is also my favorite historian and has been for a number of years. I have greatly enjoyed reading his many books and monographs. His most recent work, "Weather in Civil War Virginia," is an unusual study in that it is a subject so infrequently discussed or addressed in major campaign studies. Most historians give the weather only a passing remarks. This is a reference book, and as such will be invaluable when reading about marches or battles. The weather played a major role in battles and campaigns. Krick has done a wonderful job of putting together this data that documents the weather conditions on each day of the war in Virginia. He fleshes out the book by adding anecdotes and personal experiences from letters and journals of the men who endured some very harsh weather conditions at times. I now know how cold it really was during the Romeny campaign or how hot it was at the battle of Cedar mountain. The one major drawback to the book is the price. This is a small hardback book, only 177 pages, yet the price is close to forty dollars. Granted, a lot of research went into a work of this type, and the information can be very helpful. But it could have served the same purpose by being published in soft cover and priced under $20.00.

Dr McMillan has done a great service to Civil War historians in particuliar and American historians in general with this book. Though an older book, it still is the best survey of a Confderate state's experiences on the home front both before and during the Civil War. He relied heavily on the state archives in Montgomery to furnish much of his information. There are numerous first person accounts in his book along with much information from the state of Alabama (various offical/wartime papers).

He recounts Governor Moore's manuevering prior to the Lincoln inaugaration to place Alabama on the side of the seccessionists. This he did despite a considerable minority,(if not majority)of the population wanting to conduct a wait and see first on the election, then on any Lincoln moves towards the South. He froze the specie (metal monies) in state banks, purchased firearms, and before the election sent troops to help seize Federal posts in Florida. The history of the three wartime Governors alone makes this an interesting read.

The story shows almost 1/4 of the state(northern part and coastal regions)becoming a home to then thousands of deserters from Confederate service who joined up with local Unionists to make Confederate control of the areas at best weak. Picture the Confed homefront that was portrayed in the movie Cold Mtn for some clues of the abuse and lawlessness

Deserters, starving civilians, embittered Unionists, battling guerillas from both sides, a crumbling infrastructure, all are written of here. It is a story that few know or even want to know anymore. The Solid South is shown, at least in Alabama, to have never been very solid and before the war's end to not even exist....

In this intriguing study, Malcolm McMillan focuses on the office of the governor of Alabama to elucidate the demise of one Confederate state during the Civil War. McMillan, as emeritus Hollifield Professor of Southern History at Auburn University, has spent a lifetime studying and reflecting. When first published in 1986 this short study pointed toward new avenues of research yielding valuable insights about the southern homefront during the Civil War.

The three governors of Alabama who served during the Civil War era each had different perspectives, priorities, and problems. Each sought to conduct state affairs efficiently and resolve crises effectively. Tracing chronologically the challenges faced by each of the wartime governors--Andrew Barry Moore (serving 1857-1861), John Gill Shorter (serving 1861-1863), and Thomas Hill Watts (serving 1863-l865)--McMillan seeks to discover the failure of the Confederacy at the state level. More important, he has tried to tell how a Confederate governor thought and acted as he executed his office in the midst of war and internal crisis.

The author's approach is semi-biographical, taking each governor in turn. Andrew Moore was a moderate politician who supported Stephen A. Douglas for the Presidency in 1860, with the hope that a united Democratic party would hold the nation together as it had during the l850s. Once the election of Lincoln was assured, however, Moore moved swiftly to help guide the accelerating secession sentiment. He sought to ensure it was not premature, was well developed from a legal perspective, and that the state supported secession after Lincoln's election only because he thought it was the best answer to the South's problems. With the formation of the Confederacy, Moore supported the new entity's prerogatives with as much steadfastness as his own political position would allow.

The second wartime governor, John Shorter, was more supportive of the Confederacy than Moore. His governorship coincided with the high tide of the Confederacy, which Shorter believed was because God had granted "inward approval" to it. It was his duty, therefore, to cooperate with the Confederate government despite a growing instability in Alabama because of its policies. The result was a deteriorization of local economic conditions, the stripping of the state of valuable resources and a rise in dissention from the population.

The last of Alabama's Confederate governors, Thomas Watts, was the quintessential practical politician. Watts had served the Confederacy as Attorney General, where he had been a persistent advocate of a strong central government. During his administration as Alabama governor, however, Watts defended strongly his states' prerogatives. Perhaps inadvertently, he obstructed the prosecution of the war effort and contributed to the collapse of his state.

This is a fine book, pointing toward several important possibilities of further research. The author delves into such questions as desertion as a factor in the disruption of the state's stability: the differences in ideas, priorities, and commitments between various individuals and sections of the state: and economic issues as seemingly esoteric but really as critical as the manufacture, distribution, and hoarding of salt. All are insightful areas of consideration. His biographical and chronological approach, however, hampers the consideration of some of these questions, and this deficiency is mildly disturbing. Without criticizing too harshly in this regard, it would seem that a different organizational approach--one that was less wedded to the biographies of the governors--would have been more appropriate. Despite this rather mild reservation, "Disintegration of a Confederate State" is an important addition to the literature of the home front of the Civil War.

Very interesting book about a young Marine's experiences in Viet Nam. Written as a journal it gives a unique perspective on a soldier's daily challenges during war. Author Griffis's role as both a defense counsel and a prosecuter exposes us to some of the lesser known trials and tribulations that soldiers encounter during war time. It also does a good job of showing the sacrifices that soldiers are more than willing to make when called upon to do so by their country.

Written in journal entries, "Eagle Days" is an interesting look at the day-to-day life of a man at war. One would expect that such a book might be dry as West Texas land, but Mr. Griffis has written with wry humor that lets one see the young man behind the uniform. Overall, I recommend the book not only for those who have been to war, but for those who have not. The name of war has changed, but not the pride and bravery of the soldier who fights it.

It surprises me that this book is already out of print. I read every Wallace book I can find and this is the most complete I've seen.

This is one of the best books written about George Wallace, and by far, the most objective. While most writers tend to either praise or revile the former Alabama Governer, Mr. Lesher remains objective throughout the book. Not only does this book document Wallace's life and political career, it also details the impact that Wallace had on American Politics, an influence which is felt today. Overall, a superb read.

Arthur has an unusual, perhaps unlikely, job. He researches the history of abandoned company towns. One summer, he takes his mother, his 11-year-old daughter Josie, and his 7-year-old son Ron to live in the ghost town of Whitner, Alabama, while he studies the town's sudden failure.

It isn't long before Josie finds out they are not alone in the dusty ruins. We know right away that Josie's new friend Lucy is a ghost, but it will be several more days before Josie figures that out.

GHOSTS OF WHITNER is almost a junior version of Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird." Author J.A LeVitt has done a wonderful job of weaving a message of friendship, forgiveness, and family into a story that, at points, is genuinely suspenseful and scary. In spite of the simple language she uses, the images pop right into the mind. They are graphic but not gory. The ending left me quite satisfied, unlike many other young adult titles in this genre that discredit their own plots by turning them into misunderstandings, dreams, or even jokes on their waning pages.

This book has a slight gender bias to it, but I don't think most boys would notice, so go ahead and buy one for your son. Lucy the ghost is obviously a black character, but the children in the story do not realize there is any difference. That is a good thing, and I'm grateful that the author doesn't diminish it by getting on a soapbox and proclaiming it.

Yes, there is murder behind the death of the town of Whitner, and the kids witness death there; so, if that makes you nervous, read the book before you pass it on to your 9-year-old. Hey, even if it doesn't bother you, read it anyway. You'll be treating yourself to a short, entertaining read.

-Byron C. Justice, author of
Violent Night
and Haunted Camps

Josie's family spends every summer in an old "company town" as part of her father's academic research. This year, in Whitner, Alabama, Josie gets to help, too. When she meets Lucy, she discovers that her new friend needs help, too. This is a chapter book that is part ghost story, part mystery, and part what-did-YOU-learn-on-your-summer-vacation! I will confess: I couldn't put it down. I read the book in one sitting and went to bed later than I should have! This is an enjoyable read that I'll probably pick up again. The story moves quickly, and the writing is clear, albeit awkward at times. The imagery and mystery blend well, making it a story where you can follow along with Josie and Lucy. It might have been nice to have a map of Whitner for visual readers. Some may find the plot troubling, as Josie and her brother entice the two-time murderer back into Whitner by themselves. The story debunks traditional myths/stereotypes of ghosts, and looking past it, there are opportunities to talk about compassion, empathy, and taking responsibility for one's actions.

This was a great book which expanded my knowledge of the T.V. production and industry. I highly recommend it for research purposes.

I have no idea who Joseph Udelson is - his only other published work is a biography of British author Israel Zangwill - or what got him interested in the highly technical and convoluted beginnings of American television. But he managed to unearth a rich mine of obscure and arcane history in this densely written little paperback.

His main qualification is obvious: the completeness of a compulsive and tireless scholar, who finds an untouched or neglected story and proceeds to explore it from every possible angle. The Great Television Race is tough reading for any but the most curious TV historian - but that reader will find plenty of information available nowhere else, and hopefully be spurred on to further research and discovery in what is still a largely unexplored sub-specialty in media studies.

In his drive for completeness, Udelson inevitably uncovers gems that make an otherwise dry narrative come alive. He quotes, in its entirety, the hourly station identification of the Boston Television Station W1XAV, which encouraged enthusiasts in 1930 to write for free TV literature, or even come and be televised in person!

Happily, Udelson also seems unaware of the prevailing wisdom that TV was strictly a laboratory affair before it found its mass audience. This allows him to explore early attempts at program planning, the machinations of the radio industry, and the growing regulatory power of the federal government. The purely technical histories won't tell you that third party TV sets went on sale in New York in 1938, a year before RCA intended the public to look in on its experiments; Udelson does, although perhaps inevitably, there is no follow-up. (RCA, in response, simply went off the air.)

If anyone ever gets the idea to write another (and hopefully better) popular history of pre-TV along the lines of Michael Ritchie's Please Stand By, The Great Television Race is an ideal place to begin.

Elizabeth Bishop's poems are amazing! very tought provoking. Buy this book if you're a fan of Elizabeth Bishop, you wont regret it. it's well worth your money!

The world of poetic criticism is often murky. Having read and loved Elizabeth Bishop's poems, I was disappointed by much which literary critics have composed in regard to her fantastic work. However, Colwell's book does a fantastic job of illuminating Bishop's individual poems in light of her much larger opus--without sacrificing any of Bishop's artistic vision as so many others have done in an attempt to force the poems to "mean" a certain thing. Furthermore, Colwell's emphasis on how the body constantly influenced Bishop's poetic vision has not only prompted me to reread Bishop in a new way, but also has prompted me to reread many of the poets by whom Bishop was influenced, and thus gain a new understanding of their work as well.

In 1862 Island No. 10, so named because it was the tenth island south of the junction of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers at Cairo, Illinois, was a natural fortress 1 mile long and 450 yards wide. It was shallow, 10 feet above low water, in the middle of the channel, and straddled the boundaries of the states of Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri. It was an ideal site from which the Confederates could maintain control of both rivers, effectively choking all northern river traffic and thus the export of all Union production north of these rivers as far east as today's West Virginia. It was a critical site indeed.

But in March and early April of 1862, the combined Union army and navy launched a campaign for command of the Island No. 10, which became the site of the first extensive seige of the Civil War. Success here launched the elevation of General John Pope to command of the Army of the Potomac and set the stage for the Union's subsequent disaster at second Manassas. But this engagement also demonstrated the strength of Union control in the Mississippi River Valley and set the stage for the Union's ultimate triumph at Vicksburg and the opening of the Mississippi River system over a year later.

An often mentioned yet overlooked Mississippi River battle, Larry J. Daniel and Lynn N. Bock render an excellent analysis of this key, early Civil War Union victory.

Island No. 10 is always there but never really part of the story. It happens off to the East if you are reading about the Trans-Mississippi. It happens off the West when you are reading a book on Shiloh. When you read about Forts Henry & Donelson, they clear the way for it to happen and it had to happen to allow the Vicksburg Campaign. If you read about the 1862 campaigns in Virginia, Island No. 10 makes Pope into McClellan's chief rival. Setting up all the questions about Second Manassas and did or did not the AOP with hold troops allowing Pope to be defeated. In 1862, Island No. 10 is one event that seems to be included in every story but is not important enough to be a story. We all know about it but we lack knowledge of the campaign falling into the always their but never central to the story.

With no large battles or star players, it is easy to see how this happened. Pope's reputation is destroyed in six months and Foote dies within a year canceling the Union leaders. The Confederacy never commits a major player to the defense of the island. After surrendering, reputations destroyed; captured and imprisoned the commanders are relegated to minor positions when exchanged.

This small book covers the actions of both sides as they struggle for control of a critical position on the Mississippi River. Island No. 10 is the tenth island south of the Ohio River and a key defensive position in stopping the northern advance from Cairo. Generals Polk, AS Johnston and Beauregard all had other things on their mind and the island was never a primary position. We are given an excellent but concise understand of the "bigger issues" caused this to happen. When Union General Pope took New Madrid, he cut the position off from most river traffic. Flag Officer Andrew Foote with ironclads and mortar ships launched a prolonged bombardment. Each side builds and abandons positions on the river, conducts raids and endures the boredom of siege operations. The reader gets a good understand of the move counter move of constant action. The book's maps keep the positions clear, while photos and illustrations give us the feel of history unfolding. The infighting between the armies and navies is a piece of ACW history seldom seen. The Confederate commander would not risk his ships wanting to save his ships for use in defending New Orleans. The Union commander was convinced his ironclads were all that stopped Confederate control of the Mississippi. The Confederate ships fled as Pope tightens control below the island and Foote faced with increasing pressure and near mutiny allowed a couple of ironclads to run past the defenses.

The Union City series ironclads, weak by later standards, were the decisive weapon in 1862. We see that here, as they are able to defeat anything the CSA can throw at them. Reading this book, helps us to understand the CSA's withdrawal to Corinth and the thinking behind the attack at Shiloh.

Larry J. Daniel is one of our better authors and Lynn Bock complements his style producing a readable informative book that is fun to read.