The Civil War For Dummies®The Civil War was America’s trial by fire; its battles forged the nation we know today. We’re still fascinated with it – the national reckoning with slavery, the legendary generals and leaders, the epic and bloody clashes of armies, the impact on the daily lives of ordinary people. We visit its battlefields – mostly idyllic patches of countryside near small towns and creeks – where more Americans died in combat than in all other wars combined, except for World War Two. And we tell its stories – of last charges, brother fighting brother, imprisonment and emancipation, and tragedy and rebirth. It is our country’s epic; the story of how we became who we are, and what price we paid. The Civil War For Dummies is your complete introduction to this seminal conflict. Eschewing tedious historical pondering and military micro-analysis, this fun and information-rich guide gives an accurate overview of the event, from the war’s causes through the fighting to the aftermath. Inside you’ll discover:
Full of sidebars and illustrations, The Civil War For Dummies brings history to life with personalities, factoids, battle reports, strategic maps, and “what ifs.” In addition to the military and political history, you’ll also find out about:
Written in an accessible style so you can start reading at any point in the story, The Civil War For Dummies makes a great cornerstone for learning about this violent and compelling chapter of American history. |
Contents
Title | |
Opening Moves 18611862 | |
How Did the War Happen? | |
The Five Steps to War 18501860 | |
Secession and War 18601861 | |
Civil War Armies Structure and Organization | |
Union and Confederate Strategy | |
Organizing and Training the Armies | |
The Battle of Chancellorsville May 1863 | |
The Battle of Gettysburg and Vicksburg July 1863 | |
The Battle of Chickamauga and Chattanooga AugustNovember 1863 | |
Lee and Grant The Virginia Campaign MayJune 1864 | |
The Atlanta Campaign and a Guarantee of Union Victory May | |
The Battle for Atlanta | |
Assessing Shermans Impact | |
A Matter of Time Petersburg and Appomattox JanuaryApril 1865 | |
Starting the War Bull Run First Manassas July 1861 | |
The Road to Shiloh April 1862 | |
Setbacks for the South MarchJuly 1862 | |
Stonewall Jacksons Valley Campaign MarchJune 1862 | |
The Seven Days of Robert E Lee JuneJuly 1862 | |
Second Bull Run Manassas August 1862 | |
The Bloodiest Day Antietam Sharpsburg September 1862 | |
Bragg Fails at Perryville | |
War So Terrible Fredericksburg and Murfreesboro December 1862 | |
The Confederacy at War Creating a Nation and Vying for Recognition | |
The Union at War Creating a New Banking System and a Strong | |
The Life of the Common Soldier Women and Other Participants | |
Getting Ready to Travel | |
The Ten Worst Generals of the Civil | |
The Ten Biggest Firsts of the Civil | |
The Ten Biggest What Ifs of the Civil | |
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Common terms and phrases
advantage American Antietam Army of Northern Army of Tennessee arrived artillery attack battle battlefield Beauregard became began Bragg Braxton Bragg brigade Burnside campaign cannons capture casualties cavalry Chapter Chattanooga Civil combat power commander Confederacy Confederate army Confederate forces Congress corps cotton decision defeat defensive Democrats division enemy enemy’s fight Figure fire Fort Sumter fought Fredericksburg Frémont Gettysburg Grant Harpers Ferry Heroes Hood Hooker infantry Jackson Jefferson Davis Johnston Kansas-Nebraska Act Kentucky leaders Lee's Lee’s army Lincoln Longstreet lost major Manassas maneuver McClellan military Mississippi move nation North and South officers orders Party Petersburg political Pope Potomac president protect rail railroad regiments Republican retreat Richmond rifle River Rosecrans Shenandoah Valley Sherman Shiloh ships slavery slaves soldiers South Carolina Southern Stonewall Jackson strategic Sumter surrender tactical terrain territory took Union army Union forces Union troops units Vicksburg victory votes Washington weapons Western Theater wounded Yankees