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Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam (Pivotal Moments in American History)
written by James M. McPherson
Studio : Oxford University Press, USA
by Oxford University Press, USA
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
Released : 2002-09-12
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 9780195135213
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 69 reviews)
List Price : $29.95
Our Price : $6.00
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Product Description |
The Battle of Antietam, fought on September 17, 1862, was the bloodiest single day in American history, with more than 6,000 soldiers killed--four times the number lost on D-Day, and twice the number killed in the September 11th terrorist attacks. In Crossroads of Freedom, America's most eminent Civil War historian, James M. McPherson, paints a masterful account of this pivotal battle, the events that led up to it, and its aftermath.
As McPherson shows, by September 1862 the survival of the United States was in doubt. The Union had suffered a string of defeats, and Robert E. Lee's army was in Maryland, poised to threaten Washington. The British government was openly talking of recognizing the Confederacy and brokering a peace between North and South. Northern armies and voters were demoralized. And Lincoln had shelved his proposed edict of emancipation months before, waiting for a victory that had not come--that some thought would never come.
Both Confederate and Union troops knew the war was at a crossroads, that they were marching toward a decisive battle. It came along the ridges and in the woods and cornfields between Antietam Creek and the Potomac River. Valor, misjudgment, and astonishing coincidence all played a role in the outcome. McPherson vividly describes a day of savage fighting in locales that became forever famous--The Cornfield, the Dunkard Church, the West Woods, and Bloody Lane. Lee's battered army escaped to fight another day, but Antietam was a critical victory for the Union. It restored morale in the North and kept Lincoln's party in control of Congress. It crushed Confederate hopes of British intervention. And it freed Lincoln to deliver the Emancipation Proclamation, which instantly changed the character of the war.
McPherson brilliantly weaves these strands of diplomatic, political, and military history into a compact, swift-moving narrative that shows why America's bloodiest day is, indeed, a turning point in our history. |
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Americancivilwar.com Review |
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The bloodiest day in United States history was September 17, 1862, when, during the Civil War battle at Antietam, close to 6,500 soldiers were killed or mortally wounded and another 15,000 were seriously wounded. Moreover, James M. McPherson states in his concise chronicle of the event Crossroads of Freedom, it may well have been the pivotal moment of the war and possibly of the young republic itself. The South, after a series of setbacks in the spring of 1862, had reversed the war's momentum during the summer, and was on not only on the "brink of military victory" but about to achieve diplomatic recognition by European nations, most notably England and France. Though the bulk of his book concerns itself with the details--and incredible carnage--of the battle itself, McPherson raises it above typical military histories by placing it in its socio-political context: The victory prodded Abraham Lincoln to announce his "preliminary" Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves. England and France deferred their economic alliance with the battered secessionists. Most importantly, it kept Lincoln's party, the Republicans, in control of Congress. McPherson's account is accessible, elegant, and economical. --H. O'Billovich |
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Does a brilliant job of looking at the "meaning" of the battle of Antietam (a review of the audiobook) |
McPherson does an extraordinary job of tying in many of the political and military threads of this war to demonstrate that Antietam was the day that determined the outcome of the war, and not the more popular belief that it was July 4, 1863 with the dual losses for the Confederacy at Vicksburg and Gettysburg.
I have nearly 70 books that cover the Civil War on my bookshelf. Most books that cover the Civil War compartmentalize the battles into little chapters with titles like "Chancellorsville", "Antietam" and "Shiloh". The battles are thoroughly covered but the feel for the larger flow of the war is sacrificed.
McPherson dramatically sweeps the reader along and I was left with a renewed sense of amazement and respect for the fact that Lee's Army of Northern Virginia was able to fight, let alone go on the offensive against two seperate armies and fight multiple, large battles from June through September of 1862.
McPherson provides multiple quotations from those involved in the political and military events of the time. In fact, at times the story is told mostly through choice quotes from generals, ambassadors and prominent private citizens such as Frederick Douglass and Horace Greeley.
The audiobook was well read by Nelson Runger. The audiobook last about 5 hours and 45 minutes and was a joy to listen to. |
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Antietam in its context |
The Civil War has had many books written about it over the years. I've got a small portion of them (several hundred at least I would guess) and they have varying points of view and different attitudes. In the current book, Pulitzer Prize-winner James McPherson convincingly recounts the events surrounding the Battle of Antietam, and places it in the context of those surrounding events. He demonstrates that the battle, because of the circumstances at the time, was the most crucial battle of the war, more important than Gettysburg or any other, because of the international implications that it had, and the effect it had on the civilian populations North and South. The actual battle is only briefly dealt with.
This is one of those books which is hard to categorize. It's not really a full-fledged historical work. It's only 150+ pages, just over 200 with the index, bibliography, and notes, and it really has only one serious theme (that of the battle's importance). As such, it's really more along the lines of an extended essay than an actual full historical account of the battle. This isn't bad, but the reader should know this before they buy the book. I would suggest, if a reader is looking to educate themselves about the battle, that this is a good introduction: Sears or Murfin would provide much more detail and analysis if those were needed. |
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Concise and informative |
This book is in the Pivotal Moments in American History series and the thrust of the book is to show why the battle of Antietam deserves to be considered a pivotal moment. This book focuses on the failings of General McClellan and on the political (both domestic and foreign) importance of this battle. Even a partial Confederate victory would likely have led to Britain and France forcing a negotiated settlement of the war, or at least it would have led to the recognition of the Confederacy as an independent state, which was a major Confederate aim. A complete Confederate victory could have led to their occupation of Washington and a complete collapse of the Union forces. As such, Professor McPherson makes a strong case for this being the most pivotal battle of the American Civil War. Other battles were very important, but it is likely that they would not have been fought had the Union not won the battle of Antietam, even if the victory was less than a complete one. The partial Union victory improved the Republican showing in the congressional elections of 1862, led to the dismissal of General McClellan, prevented the European recognition of the Confederacy, and allowed Lincoln to present the Emancipation Proclamation (which he had formulated weeks before) thereby permanently preventing any European recognition of the Confederacy.
This is a short book (only 156 pages of text). It briefly discusses military events of 1862 and how these led to a continual seesawing of the fortunes of the North and South. It then discusses the factors immediately leading up to the battle and the importance of the battle. However, the fighting of the battle is only covered in a brief 34-page chapter, so those looking for a detailed history of the battle itself may be disappointed.
Professor McPherson shows why he is currently a preeminent Civil War scholar. His writing is entertaining and the points he makes are made forcefully and clearly. This is a great book for those who what to know why Antietam was a pivotal moment in American history, as well as for those who not ready to tackle his 952-page complete history of the Civil War.
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not very interesting |
The author uses personal records such as diaries and letters to add local color to this campaign. Overall the book does not turn much new ground.
McClellan is, as usual, condemned as barely competent. For my two cents, McClellan is the victim of hindsight, and was a serious, effective man, though I have yet to read that in any popular Civil War history. Perhaps McClellan did overestimate the size of Lee's army, but he acted on the data that was provided him. Much like Admiral Jellicoe at the WWI naval battle of Jutland, he did not lose his force, and he held the field, and that was the essential strategic requirement.
The book has a general point of view bias to the Union side. An OK read for someone unfamiliar with the campaign, but Civil War buffs won't find much new here. |
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Another great installment in the Pivotal Mometns in American History |
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Another great installment in the Pivotal moments of American history. I think one of the great triumphs of this book is the explanation as to why this is a more important battle than Gettysburg. This book takes into consideration all of the international factors that went into the significance of the battle. It clearly provides a discussion of what happened and with the pictures and diagrams provided you get a very vivid picture of one of the bloodiest battles in the Civil War. This is an excellent book for civil war buffs and a must have for a civil war library. James McPhereson continues his streak of developing excellent and thoughtful civil war novels. |
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