Documentary Review: Civil War 360: The Confederacy: Trace Adkins

This is a very poignant presentation of the Civil War from the perspective of the South.  Trace Adkins' great-great grandfather served for the South, and was part of the defense of Vicksburg.  He was one of the 30,000 soldiers surrender to General Ulysses Grant.  Adkins tells other stories from the South.  This includes the presentation of the superiority of the calvary, and the ability of the calvary to attack well behind enemy lines, and bring back supplies.  There is also a presentation of the music of the war.  Maryland, was written as a response to the attacks in Baltimore when civilians were rioting against federal troops.  There is also a section on Jefferson Davis, and his younger wife.
I think the most poignant part of the film was viewing a portrait of General Robert E. Lee.  Adkins points out that there is sadness in his eyes.  Lee was prepared to lead the union, and did not  want Virginia to secede.  However when it did, he decided he could not raise his sword against Virginia.

Book Review: Fields of Fury: The American Civil War, James. M. McPherson

Fields of Fury: The American Civil War, James. M. McPherson, Antheneum Books for Young Readers, 2002.

This book is written by the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for “Battle Cry of Freedom.”  This book takes much of the information from that book, and combines it with many pictures, to tell the story of the Civil War.  It is mostly a chronological telling of the story, but also has other information.  It has a good explanation of the Anaconda Plan, which became the strategy of the North—to surround the South, cut it off and then squeeze the advantage.  There are chapters which dealt with paying for the war, brother fighting against brother, and slavery.  There are chapters comparing President Lincoln and President Davis.  There is another chapter comparing General Lee and general Grant.  This book adds some good insight into the Civil War.  One thing I didn’t know was that the Battle of Chickamauga was the battle with the second most casualties in war.  The South almost over rode the North in that battle, but the Rock of Chickamauga, General George H. Thomas was able to fill the breach.