Book Review: The Long Road to Antietam

The Long Road to Antietam: How the Civil War Became a Revolution, by Richard Slotkin, Liveright Publishing Corp.,2012.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical novel, which added the political environment to the Battle of Antietam.  President Lincoln was determined to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, but his cabinet convinced him he needed a military victory on which to hand his announcement of the proclamation. Coming off the Battle of Second Bull Run, the Confederacy was emboldened to attack north, into Maryland.  In this battle, the forces under General John Pope.  General George McClellan's men had been withdrawn off the Peninsula, and could have moved forward to change the tide of battle, but McClellan was no so inclined,as he was more interested in destroying Pope than the Confederates. 
President Lincoln had no choice that appoint McClellan over the Army of the Potomac, and McClellan  was always seeking more power, more influence.  This quest for power always tainted what he did and how he lead his men.  However, when the battle plans of General Lee  were found, and given to McClellan, he had the tool to destroy Lee's army.
The Confederate Army had taken refuge behind South Mountain, where there were only a couple of passes, while General Stonewall Jackson took his Crop to capture Harper's Ferry, and the federal arsenal there.  McClellan for once had the ability to get over his habitual slows, and attack the Confederates through South Mountain. The drove them back, and they took up position aaeound the town of Sharpsburg.
Even though capturing took longer than expected, Jackson had most of his men back into the defense around Sharpsburg, although tired.  One division under A.P. Hill was left behind to coordinate the capture of supplies and the surrender and pardon of the over 12,000 men. 
The federal attack started on Lee's left, where Joe Hooker's Corp attacked Stonewall Jackson's Corp.  The where able to stop them initially, but eventually three corp would attack on that wing, and drive them back.  Also there was attack in the center, where the federal came up against a sunken road, which was a natural defense.  It took some time before they could drive the Confederates from the road, but the Confederates finally had to reform around Sharpsburg, and their lines were very thin.
In the meantime, General Burnside was expected to attack on the Confederate right, where he had to attack over a bridge.  There was also a ford, but it took the troops too long to find the ford.  When this flank of Lee's was finally being overrun by superior numbers, A.P. Hill finally arrived and hit the flank of the attack and drove them back. 
Lee survived the day.  McClellan could have continued the attack, and finished of Lee's army, or at least inflicted unrecoverable damage.  However McClellan always over estimagted Lee's forces, or just didn't want an out and out victory which would have pleased the Republicans, and did not pursue his advantage. 
Lee stayed the next day, but there was no attack, and he crossed over the fords back into Virginia the next day. 
The repulse of the Confederates in Maryland gave Lincoln the victory he needed to support his announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation.  They would use the war powers act to emancipate the slaves in the rebellious states as war contraband.  With this decision, the war took on a new meaning.  We had put down on paper what the war was about, the freedom for the slaves.  In addition African Americans could now serve in the military, and almost 200,000 would serve.  This was about ten percent of the total fighting for the North, but represented almost 20 percent of those that fought in the last two years, when the African Americans were allowed to enlist.
On side note is the wealth involved in slavery.  Slavery is an evil, and the South should not have built their economy based on slavery.  At the time of the emancipation, slaves represented an investment of $3.5 billion.  The total net worth of the property in the United States at the time was $16 billion. 

Documentary Review: Titanic: How It Really Sank

Titanic: How it Really Sank, National Geographic, 2012,
This is a story about many things coming together to cause a tragedy.  It is told with narration to reenactment, (this includes reenactment of a 1912 hearing) interviews with experts, and some original footage.  The Titanic was compromised before it set sail, even though it was called "unsinkable."  A few things were changed about the design.  The bulkheads were lowered, especially those midship.  The bulkhead at the stern of the ship still was full, but the others barely extended above the water line.  The ship was made of steal, a newer and stronger material.  Where the rivets were put in by machine, they were usually steel rivets.  However the machine could not reach everyplace, and men put in pig iron rivets.  It was discovered this rivets were class three, rather than the better quality class four.  The witnesses to the breech, mach those investigating conclude that the steel was not torn, but the rivets gave way and the tear was at the seems.  That the iceberg was so far south was an anomaly.  However the ship had been warned about icebergs being farther south than usual.  An early message reached the Captain, and he delayed turning the boat due west for 20 minutes and as a result, it traveled farther south, and was then headed directly for the iceberg.  Another urgent message never reached the Captain who had left the deck.  A third was ignored.  This would have told them they were headed directly for he iceberg.  The wireless operator was too busy delivering messages of the wealthy on ship to deal with these urgent messages.  The iceberg was this far south as the Gulf Stream was traveling farther south than usual, which allowed the ocean currents form the north to travel farther south.  There was an iceberg watch, however they were hampered because the binoculars were locked away an no one had the key.  A last minute staff changed resulted in the key to the locker with the binoculars being taken off the ship.  Lastly, the boat turned enough to avoid a head on collision, but the glancing blow proved to be more deadly.  Had the Titanic struck head on, chances are it would have survived.  The bulkhead was higher and would have prevented a catastrophic inundation of water.  If the Titanic would have sunk, it would have been slower and allowed rescue.  With the breech along the side, where the bulkheads had been lowered, the water was able to overflow the bulkheads, and flood more compartments.  The finally tragedy was the lack of sufficient life boats.  48 life boats were required for all the passengers.  However, only 16 were required by law.  That is how many there were, because the designer did not think passengers wanted to look at life boats.

Book Review: The Civil War: 1861-1865

The Civil War: 1861-1865: An Interactive Package of Image and Text, by David E. Roth, Smithmark, New York, 1992.
This is a coffee table book with the first third of the book dedicated to text, and then the rest of the book an illustrated history of the Civil War.  The illustrations include actual photographs, sketches, newspaper advertisements and headlines.  It offers a very extensive collection and covers the period of the war, with even some of the period of reconstruction included.  This has been a good read as the descriptions of the pictures provide a great deal of information.  CD rom was included which offers uncopyrighted versions of the pictures for person use.  This include pictures of President Lincoln and Davis, General Lee and Grant (and all the other Union commanders.)  It also has a very nice section of Navy pictures.  This collection is very complete.

Book Review: Looking at Lincoln

Looking at Lincoln, Maira Kalman, Nancy Paulsen Books, New York, 2012.

This is a children’s picture book, consequently the art is part of the story.  At first I thought is wasn’t going to include any history, but just a little girl’s story.  However, it did put some basic ideas in the story.  He was born in log cabin in Kentucky, his mother died when he was young, but he had a good relationship with his stepmother.  She encouraged him to read.  They moved to a log cabin in Illinois, and from there he became a lawyer in Springfield.  One of his friends was the first officer killed in the war, removing a Confederate flag from a boarding house in Alexandria.  He gave the Gettysburg Address, and one of the last speeches he gave included this line, “With malice toward none, with charity for all.”

This book is better viewed as an artistic expression. The art work is fantastic.

Book Review: Sitting Bull

Sitting Bull: American Biographies by: Ann Weil, Heinemann Library, Chicago, Ill, 2013.

This book is interesting because it has little boxes of fact vs. fiction.  Some of these challenge what I previously felt I knew about Sitting Bull.  This book is written from a native American angle, and also seems to be dependent on a biography written of Sitting Bull by his great-great-grandson based on oral history.  I must admit I am a little suspect about some of the things it says.  However, some things I learned.  Sitting Bull was the third name.  Prior names included “Jumpng Badger” and “Slow”.  In this case slow refers to Sitting Bull’s habit of taking his time and thinking things through.  The naming of Sitting Bull, I had read in a book growing up was from making a buffalo bull calf sit.  This book contends it was through a religious visitation to his father.  Sitting Bull showed the Lakota virtues, generosity, wisdom, bravery and fortitude.  He proved himself in battle and in counting coup.  He was also a Sun Dance participant, which took great bravery and fortitude.  He had a vision of the Battle of Little Big Horn before it took place, however he did not actually participate in the battle, leaving this to younger warriors.  Crazy Horse actually lead this battle.

After this battle, they were pursued greatly by the American forces.  (This book uses an Indian term for white people, Wasichu, which basically means greedy.)  Sitting Bull escaped with about 1000 followers to Canada rather than become an agency Indian or reservation Indian.  However this life was hard and he returned. 

He was allowed to travel with the Buffalo Bill Wild West show.  He would give his money to poor children.

However he missed his land and people and returned.  He again saw his vision his own death, by the hand of his own people.  There was conflict with regards to the ghost dance.  (This book says Sitting Bull did not believe however previous research says he was studying the religion and Sitting Bull had been participating in the ghost dance either as participant or spectator.  However his arrest was ordered, and in the struggle Sitting Bull was killed, as well as about six members of his family and friends, as well as six native American police who had been sent to arrest him.

Many who had been at the ghost dance fled.  However the government pursued them, which resulted in the Battle of Wounded Knee.  The ghost shirts did not protect them from bullets. 

Book Review: Navajo People

Navajo People: Native American Tribes by Mary Null Boule, Merryant Publishers Inc., 2003.

This is the second of her series I have looked at.  I am disappointed in them both and am not going to look at her books anymore.  Over half the book is taken by a description of Native Americans in general.  She concludes this saying how the Native Americans lived in peace and harmony for thousands of years and then the White man came who rarely even asked permission to take over the land.  I think the author is propagandizing.  These books are not fit for schools.  It appears their production is geared to take advantage of required school reporting on native Americans.  The author’s bias should be left to herself and it was a sad day these books were published.  

I was wondering if I learned anything new.  I liked the description of the hogan and how they are made.  However the author didn't even talk about the matriarchal society nor the clans.

Documentary Review: Evita: The Woman Behind the Myth

Evita: The Woman Behind the Myth: A&E Biography Channel, 1996.
You can always learn a little more about a subject.  For example Eva's hair was not naturally blonde but was dyed.
This video presentation offered considerable information with regards to Eva's foundation.  The foundation was established as an answer to a snub from the Argentine aristocracy.  The Society of Beneficence handles most charitable giving to the poor.  The first lady was always called to be the foundation chair.  Contribution to the fund was mandatory.  Every Argentine worker contributed one to three day's pay towards the fund every year.  In addition to this all Argentine industries were expected to contribute.  This was a way to keep governmental inspectors away. There were also taxes on gambling, casinos, lottery and horse racing and other taxes which also supported the fund.
The fund contributed up to $45 million a years towards the poor.  However, the fund kept no records.  It was impossible to tell how much of the fund was siphoned off into private accounts. 
One of the projects funded by the Fund was Evita City.  This was a city established with government sponsored housing.  The houses, with furniture and clothing, were given to those selected to be recipients.  The documentary interviewed one woman whose family moved into one of these homes.  Before there was no possibility of the family to rise out of poverty.  The children had not even been able to attend school until this charity.
This presentation also explores the efforts of Evita to become vice president when Juan Peron was running for reelection.  She had originally accepted the nomination; but had to rescind due to pressure from the military.
One of the interesting things about Evita is the preservation of her body after she passed away.  She succumbed to uteran cancer at the age of 33.  She did not want to be forgotten.  Her husband had her body embalmed, with the hopes of fulfilling this request.  He had hoped to build a large memorial for her, however this never happened.