The Civil War: A Narrative: Volume 1: Fort Sumter to Perryville

Even as an avid reader of US history, I'd read nothing about the Civil War before reading Foote's work. I was frankly intimidated by a topic that plenty of people spend their entire life studying. This spring, I finally tackled the Civil War and I jumped into the deep end by starting with Foote's 3-volume set. I couldn't be happier with my choice. There is no doubt that this set requires quite a committment of time and energy, but the reward is huge. Foote's attention to detail and narrative style draw you into the Civil War in a way that would be otherwise impossible. You get to know the characters, you feel their frustration and elation along with them, you develop an appreciation of the scale and scope of the struggle for the soldiers and civilians in a terrible time for the United States. The payoff is that you get to appreciate a few moments as if you were there: I cried when I read the Gettysburg Address, I felt the mutual esteem between Grant and Lee at Appomatox, I was dismayed by Lincoln's assassintation and its impact on the country, I was appalled by the treatment of Jefferson Davis after the war. You couldn't get this from a lesser or shorter account of the Civil War. If you truly want to get a sense of the Civil War, look no further. This masterwork by Shelby Foote will put you into the War and you will never regret your investment.

Shelby Foote presents the Civil War and the events of the time in a highly readable format resembling a novel rather than a history book. The inclusion of numerous private exchanges between officers and soldiers help to bring the characters to life. The book does an excellent job of mixing infomation on the battles, with a look at how event transpired from the perspectives of both the North and the South, and the social transformations and political maneuvering that was taking place in the background.The book begins with a strong background first of Lincoln, then of Davis, and proceeds to explain the state of the nnation early in 1861. Once the first shot at Sumter is described, however, the tone changes and the emphasis is more on the millitary campaigns. However, Foote continues to tie everything together by bringing the reader back to why the war was being fought from the perspectives of both sides.While not for everyone (the three volumes together are more than 3000 pages), these volumes provide an excellent source for a perspective of event during the war. The only downside is an insufficient number of battle maps which, at times, makes it hard to picture events as they unfolded during certain campaigns.

The PBS series "The Civil War" and Tony Horwitz's book "Confederates In the Attic" opened the door to my Civil War interest, and Shelby Foote's first volume of his narrative clinched it. I've heard many who've criticized his narrative style and some inaccuracies in the history, but I believe Foote does what brings history to life, he weaves a story and makes the characters live. I enjoyed all parts of this first volume, but especially two sections. The first was the battle of Pea Ridge, which I had never heard of, yet was analyzed brilliantly. The second was the Peninsula Campaign; I couldn't put the book down reading about that part. Stonewall Jackson sleeping under a tree when he was needed most, the "best men of the Confederacy" being sacrificed in frontal counter-attacks, McClellan's dilemmas (he was often painted here and by others as over-cautious and a brilliant retreater, yet Foote makes us sympathetic to his problems too), and the emergence of Robert E. Lee and the subsequent retreat of the federal troops. There is so much more to read in this book, Sharpsburg, Shiloh, and also the political situations in both capitals. I thank Shelby Foote for bringing this era to life for me, and I am halfway through volume 3 and I have not been disappointed with any of this massive undertaking.

How can one man possibly know so much about such a large and complex historical event? The research required, the understanding of the political issues, and the insight into the motivations of the many key players involved boggles the mind. Foote somehow manages to get his hands completely around the enigmatic thing we know as the Civil War and deliver it to us in clear, complete and compelling fashion. This is the Ring Trilogy of historical military literature. Other worthy efforts such as The Killer Angels or, more recently, The Last Full Measure may delve deeper into one particular battle or limited campaign, but no other work provides such a comprehensive and detailed picture of the entire conflict.The scope is so impressive. Foote does not focus solely on the battles, but rather drills down to the core political and moral issues so that we see the whole chess match. And his rendering of the characters? Words fail me. We follow Stonewall Jackson, or Robert E. Lee, or McClellan, or U.S. Grant for a hundred pages, mesmerized, and then cry out as he swings the scene to another theatre. But two pages later we don't care; we're sucked in again.Foote captures the emotion of the time. His love of the subject is apparent. It is amazing to read the details of such a divisive and horrific event, to taste Lincoln's frustration over McClellan's waffling, to cheer the audacious achievements of Lee and Jackson, to wonder at Lee's tragic march toward Appomattox, and to empathize with both sides along the way. Shelby Foote has done justice to a defining moment in the history of our great union, leaving readers north and south proud to be Americans. --Christopher Bonn Jonnes, author of Wake Up Dead.