Thomas F. (hardtack) -
I found this book to be both interesting and boring at the same time. While the author concentrates on the campaign from which this book took its title, he also steps back occasionally to place the campaign into the larger scheme of events nationwide.
Parts of the book read like the duller memoirs of some Civil War generals, describing movement of troops back and forth in dull prose. And McMurry often delves into the infighting of the generals, politicians and their egos, which, while important in the context of the campaign, I had read my full of elsewhere.
Where this book shines is when McMurry takes old, established historical analyses of people and events and either questions them or turns them on their heads.
I disagreed immediately with a number of his conclusions, but for many others I had to admit that he raised some very good points. Good enough to make me doubt that what I had thought I knew about the war might not be true. As such, this book had value for me and I'll be mulling over many of his arguments for some time to come.
Parts of the book read like the duller memoirs of some Civil War generals, describing movement of troops back and forth in dull prose. And McMurry often delves into the infighting of the generals, politicians and their egos, which, while important in the context of the campaign, I had read my full of elsewhere.
Where this book shines is when McMurry takes old, established historical analyses of people and events and either questions them or turns them on their heads.
I disagreed immediately with a number of his conclusions, but for many others I had to admit that he raised some very good points. Good enough to make me doubt that what I had thought I knew about the war might not be true. As such, this book had value for me and I'll be mulling over many of his arguments for some time to come.
