​A Strange and Blighted Land: Gettysburg – The Aftermath of Battle
Gregory A. Coco
Savas Beatie, 2017 ed., 432 pp., $24.95
Thomas Publications, 1995 ed.
ISBN: 978 – 1-61121-405-5
Image courtesy of amazon.com
 
When it comes to the Battle of Gettysburg, there are numerous books about the battle, the tactics, and the losses which occurred on those three infamous days.  Every once in a while, a book will come along that gives us a new outlook onto the scene which happened at that location and when those books come along, they are grasped as important writings since they give us that which we have not yet gotten.  Gregory A. Coco’s book, A Strange and Blighted Land, is not only one of those books, it is one of the most important works about the town of Gettysburg we have today.  Not only is it a book about the town, itself, but a book about the aftermath of the battle and the toll it took on the people.
                Gregory A. Coco served in the United States Army and after his service, received his degree in American History from the University of Southwestern Louisiana.  During his service, he was a military interrogator and radio operator with the 25th Infantry where he received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.  While living in Gettysburg he was a National Park Service Ranger and a Licensed Battlefield Guide.  He has written sixteen books and many articles on the Battle of Gettysburg and the Civil War. 
                A Strange and Blighted Land is hailed as a classic in the scholastic of the Battle of Gettysburg and as stated in the introduction, for the reason that it brought something different to the study.  Not only was it a study on the town of Gettysburg in some respects, but it was more a study of the effect the battle had on the people there.  Previously published by Thomas Publications, this book was quite difficult to find outside of Gettysburg for the past few years.  This reprint of the work brings an accessibility to the work for those who had a difficult time getting their hands on this seminal work.  Coco’s narrative is interesting as he gives you many tours of places around the battlefield and within the town through the eyes of civilians.  There are some excerpts from soldiers, but the focus seems to be more on the civilians.  He touches on subjects like the care of the dead after the battle, along with the care of the wounded and even touches on some of the aggregate numbers which the people of Gettysburg saw after the battle.  Nevertheless, while this book is about the aftermath of Gettysburg, many of these thoughts could be placed on other towns effected by the war in general.  The experiences might not have been exactly the same, but the book shows that this effect is what happened to the civilian populous throughout the war. 
                There is a reason that A Strange and Blighted Land is hailed as one of the greatest Civil War books ever written.  It gives a look into the lives of the people who had to “clean up” after the battle was over.  It gives the reader a chance to see what life was like for those who endured great sacrifice beyond the life of a soldier.  I highly recommend this book, especially now that it is back in print.  No detail is left unturned and what you read might change the way you look at the battle.  Gregory A. Coco’s will always be hailed for this work.  And a thank you for Savas Beatie for reprinting this wonderful work.  

​Silent Sentinels: A Reference Guide to the Artillery at Gettysburg
George W. Newton
Savas Beatie, 2017, 288 pp., $22.95
ISBN: 978-1-61121-247-1
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If there’s anything I love about Civil War books, it is the occasional reference work on something which I think is needed.  While there are plenty of refence materials out there concerning the Battle of Gettysburg, there was always something which I thought was missing from those texts.  Silent Sentinels: A Reference Guide to the Artillery at Gettysburg is a welcome addition to the reference work of Gettysburg.  While there has been books on the artillery at Gettysburg, only one other is a reference work mentioning Confederate artillery, this book takes the whole battlefield into consideration.  
                George W. Newton hails from Baltimore and graduated from McMurry University in Abilene, Texas in 1973.  He is a veteran of the United States Air Force and served during the Vietnam War.  Newton is retired as an executive of the insurance industry.  He is also a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg National Military Park.
                One of the highlights of this book which I greatly appreciate is that while it is subtitled as a reference guide, Newton also gives a great deal of narrative at the opening of the book, not only on the battle itself, but the nature of artillery.  He gives details into the loading and firing of the machines, the makeup of the cannisters and all around gives the reader details into how the cannons worked.  He even gives the reader a tour of the battlefield when it comes to the artillery meaning that you can easily bring this book along with you on any trip to Gettysburg.  It is in the appendices where the reader will find the organization of artillery given by each state, the makeup of the guns used, and the officers for the grouping.  Overall, there is little to say here besides that this book should be used when researching the Battle of Gettysburg and the effect in which the artillery had on the battle.  While other works have just told the story, Newton gives us what we were looking for.  The book is aided by many photographs and maps of the battle which are always good, but the illustrations of artillery are where this book shines in its descriptions.  There are numerous illustrations on how the artillery worked, how they were organized when it company form, and others on how to load and fire depending on the strategies used.  Those were some of the more excellent additions to the work in my opinion when it comes to accompanying material for a reference work.
                I highly recommend this work to anyone interested in the Battle of Gettysburg.  More and more, we are seeing people scratch their heads at the necessity for another book on Gettysburg, but when they are released, I find them to each bring something new and interesting to the study.  This book is a welcome addition to the Gettysburg scholarship and will be used not only by students of the war, but by scholars for years to come.  Highly Recommended.

​Gabriel Rains and the Confederate Torpedo Bureau
W. Davis Waters and Joseph I. Brown
Savas Beatie, 2017, 168 pp., $16.95
ISBN: 978-1-61121-350-8
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If there is one aspect of the American Civil War I wish there were more works on, it would be the naval activity during the conflict.  While there are some books out there which encapsulate the war as a whole on the seas, there are very few which deal with specific parts of that theater.  One of the new works by excellent publisher Savas Beatie which has been recently released is Gabriel Rains and the Confederate Torpedo Bureau.  The book not only focuses on the torpedo bureau for the Confederacy, but looks at some of the land conflicts which took advantage of Gabriel Rains’ invention.  This work by W. Davis Waters and Joseph I. Brown showcases the man who invented the “subterra shell” and the “submarine mortar battery,” not only spanning his career, but going over the journal and notebooks used for the creation of min warfare.
                W. Davis Waters received his MA degree at Wake Forest University, then working for the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources for over thirty years.  He has authored many articles including “Deception is the Art of War,” for the North Carolina Historical Review.  In 2005, he received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest civilian award given by the governor for his services to the state of North Carolina.  Joseph I. Brown earned his MA from George Washington University and spent time working at the Naval Mine Engineering Facility in Yorktown, VA for thirty-one years.  He aided in the design of mines used in the Vietnam War.
                I have to say off the bat, this book has some fascinating details about an officer which some might not be familiar with.  For that alone, this book is worth picking up.  The explicit descriptions of the designs which Rains created are incredible and a great deal of research went into making this pop off the page for me.  As a reader of Civil War works, I had not though much about the design and make up of land mines, or even the submarine mines, which Rains provided throughout the war, but this book has given me the new perspective on things.  The book opens with a biographical sketch of Rains and mentions his service to the United States Army.  But the meat of the book is when the text goes into the detail about how the mines were used in combat, including many accounts which just make the narrative flow incredibly.  To then learn about his career after the war, writing the book for West Point on mine warfare, shows the breadth of the work this man put into the industrialization of warfare and even pointing us in the direction towards what some would consider modern warfare. 
                I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the American Civil War.  While some might think this book would reach more of a niche market, I would ask that you reconsider.  The art of mine warfare and the creation of such a thing should be looked into and if you are interested in the Civil War, this is one to check out.  I want to thank both W. Davis Waters and Joseph I. Brown for this work.  I did not know too much about Gabriel Rains before reading this book, but now I can see the imprint which he left not only on the Civil War, but the world as a whole now.

​Richmond Shall Not Be Given Up: The Seven Days’ Battles, June 25 – July 1, 1862
Doug Crenshaw
Savas Beatie, 2017, 192 pp., $14.95
ISBN: 978-1-61121-355-3
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The Emerging Civil War Series has introduced many readers across the country to specific cites of the American Civil War.  For all of the writing which has been done, I was surprised that the Seven Day’s Battles had not yet been covered.  Thanks to Doug Crenshaw, Richmond Shall Not Be Given Up is the book from that series which strives to bring an introductory treatment to the Seven Day’s Battles.  Personally, I don’t think those battles get enough attention as it is, but that is only myself as a Civil War reader.  While we focus greatly on the Battles of Antietam and Second Manassas, this book gives us some much needed information regarding the actions between the dates of June 25 to July 1, 1862
                Doug Crenshaw is a volunteer historic interpreter at the Richmond National Battlefield Park.  As a member of the Richmond Civil War Roundtable, Doug is a speaker, presenter, tour guide, and author of books on both Glendale and Fort Harrison.  He is a descendant of the Sydnor family from Beaver Dam Creek during that battle, and the Binford family, who lived in the area of Malvern Hill.  He has also written Fort Harrison and the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm,  and The Battle of Glendale: Robert E. Lee’s Lost Opportunity.
                As it is with all of the Emerging Civil War Series books, there is great appreciation for the photographs, maps, and even drawings placed on every page.  As an introductory to these engagements, they are greatly needed for those who know little.  For myself, one of the most interesting parts about the Seven Day’s Battles as a whole was when Lee took command before the conflicts.  That portion of the work was handled quite well as the narrative places a great emphasis on his leadership.  The other portion which was also handled well was the subject of General McClellan and how his own ego would be bruised in these fights.  In my own personal studies, I have found many mentions of the Seven Days Battles and I enjoyed the narrative and explanations of them more so than other parts of the book.  I felt that the narrative written by Crenshaw brought more light to the subject at hand.  As usual in the Emerging Civil War Series, there are appendices which fall into the book, only three for this installment, and also driving instructions for the reader if they were to take this volume with them to the battlefield. 
                Once again, the Emerging Civil War Series hits it out of the park with this one.  I highly recommend this book to students who wish to gain a deeper understanding of the Seven Day’s Battles and the events which would lead the fall of 1862.  There are not enough books about these engagements and I thank Crenshaw for bringing this introductory study to light here.  After reading this book, I know I will personally seek out his other works on these conflicts, hoping to gain a deeper understanding myself.  Highly Recommended!
 

​Discovering Gettysburg: An Unconventional Introduction to the Greatest Little Town in American and the Monumental Battle that Made It Famous
W. Stephan Coleman, Ill. Tim Hartman
Savas Beatie, 2017, 264 pp., $25
ISBN: 978-1-61121-353-9
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While something can be said for the realm of Civil War academia, there seems to be this massive subgenre which continues to fill with every year.  The books surrounding those epic three days in July, and the weeks surrounding them, are many and there is good reason for it.  No other battle has received such an epic scale of analysis, devotion, and research in the American Civil War.  Discovering Gettysburg strives to bring something different to the study surrounding it.  Not only does the book take a look at the battle, but also looks at the town, and some of the other major areas surrounding the battlefield. 
                W. Stephen Coleman is a professor of theater at the University of Pittsburg and is a specialist in Shakespeare, acting, directing, and stage combat.  He has taught for more than thirty years and has starred in such films as Silence of the Lambs.  Another role of his was of General Braddock in The War That Made American.  After his retirement, he discovered a new interest in his life: the Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg.  This book is also illustrated by Tim Hartman who is a native of Pittsburg and has been professionally acting, singing, writing, cartooning, and storytelling since 1982.  He is also an award winning political cartoonists and illustrator whose work has been widely published in newspapers.
                Discovering Gettysburg is a different book in many ways.  One of the points in the narrative which I enjoyed was the first person account of the author himself, in which he takes you along his journey, almost as if he is telling you his stories through the battle.  The book often felt as though the reader was on a personal tour with Coleman who had such passion upon pointing things out of interest.  The book also deals with the town before and after the battle, including other towns such as Cashtown.  One thing which stood out to me is that Coleman also takes a look at the Eisenhower National Historic Site which I’m not sure I’ve seen covered in other Gettysburg related works.  And possibly one of the most personal chapters which I connected with was the work on reenactors and what they do for the public involving education and the like.  Overall, this book felt very personal which I cannot say for many other books.  Coleman’s passion for this project comes through clearly in the writing and is aided by some well done illustrations.  The illustrations almost made me feel like I was reading a political cartoon in Harper’s Weekly.
                I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Gettysburg.  The way in which the narrative was written was quite unique to the brand of scholarship which is usually brought to the craft.  You can feel why Gettysburg is not only important to the author, but important to all whom it surrounds.  Through this, you can see why there are so many visitors to this pivotal site in American History.  Highly Recommended!

Six Days in September: A novel of Lee’s Army in Maryland, 1862
Alexander B. Rossino
Savas Beatie, 2017, 318 pp., $22.95
ISBN: 978-1-61121-345-4
​ Image courtesy of amazon.com 
 
When I first heard that publisher Savas Beatie was publishing a novel, I was intrigued.  For my own memory, they were always a publishing house of excellent non fiction works spanning most of American History.  But when I read the synopsis of Six Days in September, I was even more interested.  The Battle of Antietam, and the campaign which surrounds it, is a subject that lends itself to fiction quite well.  The subtitle, A novel of Lee’s Army in Maryland, 1862, made me even more intrigued that we would be getting a Confederate view of the battle as the main focus.    Alexander B. Rossino is an award winning historian who has written such works like Hitler Strikes Poland: Blitzkrieg, Ideology, and Atrocity.  He spent a great deal of time working at the United States Holocaust Museum while writing articles and reviews.  His fascination with the Civil War peaked again when he moved to Boonsboro, Maryland close to South Mountain.  There, he began the writing of this book with extensive research on the subject.    The Battle of Antietam has been written about many times before, but there was something about this novel which seemed to ring true with me.  Overall, I felt that the author’s perspective of the Confederate commanders was interesting and yet refreshing.  The story followed the Army of Northern Virginia into Maryland where Lee is looking for that final victory which would bring about the end of the war.  The narrative which flows from this simple idea for the plot makes Six Days in September something to recommend to all.  The Lee we get in this novel is exhausted by the string of mistakes and disappointments he faces.  With the refusal to evacuate at Harper’s Ferry, to the lost plans which fell into the hands of General McClellan, Lee is painted in a different light than I have seen in other novels.  But it is not just commanders who get the treatment in the novel.  The soldiers are written about for their hardships during the war and even the civilians in Sharpsburg are written as well.  Sometimes when writing a novel about the Civil War, one can focus on the commanders too often.  I was glad to see the soldier life and the civilian life presented here in this work.  Six Days in September not only shows the hardship of command, but also shows the humanity of the war itself by bringing those previously mentioned viewpoints.  At the same time, this novel seeks to inform and entertain.  Those who have little knowledge on the battle will find suitable information in this binding.    I highly recommend this novel.  I was pleased to see that even though this is a work of fiction, the information within the binding of this volume is incredible for all.  Rossino’s grasp of the narrative is captivating and often gives the viewpoint of the human side of the war from all those who fought during this campaign.  The tragedy which was taken on those Maryland fields is wholly felt in this book.  Highly recommended.     

​Confederate Courage on Other Fields: Overlooked Episodes of Leadership, Cruelty, Character, and Kindness
Mark J. Crawford
Savas Beatie, 2017, 190 pp., $18.95
ISBN: 978-1-61121-352-2
Image courtesy of amazon.com
 
                When it comes to the study of Civil War history, there are certain battles which garner more attention than others.  Mostly, the studies aimed at Gettysburg, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and even Vicksburg far outshine some of the other fields of glory.  Confederate Courage on Other Fields is Mark J. Crawford’s answer to that sentiment by using four locations in order to tell tales of incredible leadership from the Confederate commanders.  Events such as the Battle of Dinwiddle Courthouse, stories from Missouri, and lesser known areas, are given the just treatment here in this work.  Not only does the book show the stories of these commanders and soldiers, it details lesser known places which badly need attention.
                Mark J. Crawford has spent most of his life as an exploration geologist.  For eighteen years, he prowled forests and deserts mainly in the southeast.  There, he researched this book, which not only showed him the stories which the earth can tell, but also by visiting some of the descendants of these soldiers, and driving up dirt roads.  He has written four other works, including, The Encyclopedia of the Mexican-American War. 
                As stated in the introduction, this book strives to take four events that are not fully covered in the Civil War realm of scholarship, and use them to tell stores of valor from Confederates, both officers and soldiers.  The book opens with the Battle of Dinwiddle Courthouse in Virginia which preceded the Battle of Five Forks.  While the chapter was fascinating in the narrative, the most interesting, and disturbing part, was the tale of the troops which were swept away with the river, some of them drowning in the attempt to get across.  The second section he devotes his writing to is from the letters of a man named Charles Blacknail.  His story is that of a plantation owner who became a Confederate officer.  The letter writing shown in this section of the book highlights the overall problem of being driven and consumed by the war at hand.  The next portion of the work is dedicated to a struggle between officers from both sides in which President Lincoln had to become involved.  Mainly taking place in Missouri, these two men’s quarrels greatly affected those around them more so than they would like to admit.  The last section of the book deals with one of the hospitals in North Carolina and Reverend M.M. Marshall.  The narrative deals with the ways in which he tended to the soldiers while they were in that place, attempting to heal, or preparing themselves to die.
                I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys human interest stories.  This book not only shows some of the human side of the conflict, but the overall humanity which these soldiers faced.  Too many books rely on the maneuvers and overall battles which were fought in the war, but this one pinpoints the stories which touch at the heart of the conflict; these stories show the side of a conflict that we rarely see and the reasoning behind their motivations.  Highly Recommended!

​A Civil War Captain and His Lady: Love, Courtship, and Combat from Fort Donelson through the Vicksburg Campaign
Gene Barr
Savas Beatie, 2016, 342 pp., $32.95
ISBN: 978-1-61121-290-7
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Oftentimes, when we study this conflict, the most reliable primary sources which I have read have been letters, mostly between either lovers or married couples.  Today’s book presents the letters between a Civil War Captain and a woman whom he was courting.  Throughout these accounts, I found some of the most interesting writings about the time of Fort Donelson through the Vicksburg Campaign as a primary source that I have seen in a long time.  Gene Barr has done a great service by bringing these letters to the light of Civil War Scholarship.  In the long run, I do believe that these letters will be looked at when studying the campaigns listed above and the time between.
                Gene Barr is the president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry.  He has spent most of his life in the political and government affairs world, including twelve years with a Fortune 100 energy company.  It is the largest broad-based business advocacy group in the state.  He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.  He also serves on the board and is a former chair of the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  A Civil War Captain and His Lady is the first book he has written. 
                This is an interesting book, most likely I will not be reviewing another like it in some time.  The book covers the relationship between Josiah Moore and Jennie Lindsay.  Josiah is a Captain in the 17th Illinois infantry and Jennie is a member of one of the most prominent families in Illinois.  But this book is not just their letters which showcase the love they had for one another, this collection also showcases some of the actions which the 17th Illinois faced.  Jennie’s letter writing also shows the reader that the role of the sweetheart writing to the soldier in the war was an important one.  The encouragement in her letters, the language she uses in these writings shows the level of hardship with not only Josiah in the war, but her brother as well.  Josiah’s letters show the reader quite a bit about the life of a soldier and the engagements which they were a part of.  This publication of the 17th Illinois’ actions throughout the time of Fort Donelson to Vicksburg give a new perspective of that unit in the war, and this includes the Meridian Campaign which has been highly ignored. 
                I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Western Theater of the war.  I also recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the letter writing between the war and homefront.  This is not just about two lovers sending messages back and forth; it is about the toll that it takes not only on their lives, but on the lives of the loved ones around them.  In a way, these letters are fascinating on a different level and as I said before, I don’t think I’ll be reviewing another book like this one for quite some time.  Highly recommended.

​Battle Above the Clouds: Lifting the Siege of Chattanooga and the Battle of Lookout Mountain, October 16 – November 24, 1863
David A. Powell
Savas Beatie, 2017, 192 pp., $14.95
ISBN: 978-1-61121-377-5
Image courtesy of amazon.com
 
The Emerging Civil War Series has brought introductory books to many in the public who have shown interest in certain parts of the American Civil War.  Battle Above the Clouds continues that tradition by giving the reader an introduction to the Siege of Chattanooga and the Battle of Lookout Mountain for which the book is named.  Written by David A. Powell, this material is in fine hands upon the completion of his Magnum Opus, The Chickamauga Campaign.  I, as a reader, have always felt that this battle was not well covered in the past, but with a renewed interest in this campaign, this book is a great starting point for any reader who might be interested not only in the Siege of Chattanooga, but the Civil War in the West.
                David A. Powell is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute with a Bachelors in History.  He has written many articles and has been focused on the Battle of Chickamauga for which he is nationally recognized.  His other works include The Maps of Chickamauga, Failure in the Saddle, and the previously mentioned, The Chickamauga Campaign.  All three volumes have been released and were widely acclaimed.  His is also the Vice President of Airsped Inc., a specialized delivery firm.
                Once again, as mentioned in the introduction, this book handles a lot of information which can be seen as an introduction to these conflicts.  This book surrounds the first half of the campaign to lift the siege of Chattanooga but within its spine, there is so much more.  Portions of the book which I found to be interesting was the arrival of Ulysses S. Grant as commander and there were even portions of the book which were dedicated to the appendices as it is with previous Emerging Civil War books.  This work, however, limits those appendices to only three which aids the book in the narrative flow.  The coverage of the Battle of Lookout Mountain was well handled, as in my own experience, it is not covered enough in the scholarship of the Civil War.  All of these things help the book to become a great aid for anyone interested in the engagements here.  As always, there are driving tours which shows how versatile these books are, that they can be brought along with the reader in order to help them understand what happened in these locations.  Once again, very well done.
                I highly recommend this book to anyone who has read the Emerging Civil War Series.  These books not only aid in the understanding of the battle, but help those who want to get into the Civil War.  On top of that, Mr. Powell handles this book with the same narrative grace which he offered to his Chickamauga series which has just finished.  With photographs and or maps on every page, this book should be a fine offering to those who wish to gain a further understanding.  Highly recommended. 

​“No Such Army Since the Days of Julius Caesar”: Sherman’s Carolinas Campaign from Fayetteville to Averasboro, March 1865
Mark A. Smith and Wade Sokolosky
Savas Beatie, 2017, 248 pp., $29.95
ISBN: 978-1-61121-286-0              
Image courtesy of amazon.com
 
If there is one thing which I do not believe gets enough coverage in Civil War study, it is the war in the west.  Also, I do not believe that the end of the Civil War in the West gets enough coverage, even when it gets coverage.  While today’s book does not completely cover the end of the Civil War in the West, it is one of the stepping stones which leads us there.  “No Such Army since the Days of Julius Caesar,” chronicles Sherman and his Carolinas campaign in March of 1865.  Mark A. Smith and Wade Sokolosky have brought us a book not only well researched and developed, but a fine book which covers that which is not covered enough.
                Colonel Wade Sokolosky is a graduate of East Carlolina University and a veteran of the United States Army.  He leads tours of Civil War battlefields and is a well seasoned speaker to many.  He also co-authored “To Prepare for Sherman’s Coming,” which precedes this work.  He is also the author of Final Roll Call: Confederate Losses during the Carolinas Campaign.  Major Mark A. Smith is a veteran of the United States Army holding various positions in his career.  He holds a Masters degree in military studies.  He is the other co-author of “To Prepare for Sherman’s Coming.”
                In their previous work, both Smith and Sokolosky showed us the Battle of Wise Forks which occurred in March of 1865.  This book focuses on the fighting immediately following the “March to the Sea” with Sherman’s plan to head north into the Carolinas.  As I was reading the opening pages, I was fascinated not only by the plans coming ahead by moving into the Carolinas, but by Sherman himself.  I will not get into it here since Sherman is so well covered by other works, but as a side note, both Smith and Sokolosky handled the commander quite well.  But what was interesting was the coverage of the Confederate side of the ordeal coming into this campaign.  Most usually focus on Sherman and his movements, but here there is plenty of coverage on the opposition.  Of course, the narrative on the Battle of Averasboro showed that Sherman could be halted.  While it was an inconclusive fight, there was still enough time to be given to the Confederacy for Johnston to assemble his forces.  I have to say that while reading these narratives, I was enthralled by the accounts.  I was happy to see these battles getting their due diligence with research and that both authors continued their dedication to the Carolinas campaign that we saw in their earlier work.
                I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Civil War in the West.  For far too long, these engagements have not been covered in history and I am happy to say that Smith and Sokolosky brought about a well written work for the fighting.  The narrative is aided not only by well drawn maps, but photographs which are relevant to the events at hand.  Highly Recommended!