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Shiloh--In Hell before Night
written by James L. McDonough
Studio : University of Tennessee Press
by University of Tennessee Press
Publisher : University of Tennessee Press
Released : 1977-06
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 9780870492327
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 15 reviews)
List Price : $17.95
Our Price : $10.99
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An interesting and very well documented book about the battle |
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The book was easy to read. It read more like a narrative written in a story format than a historical account. The author made some really good points on why the south failed at Shiloh, and was equally critical of the north in there preparations. He backed up all of his points really well and this book follows well with the only other book I read on the battle (Foote's fiction novel called "Shiloh"). The only area I need to look more into is the author's critisicm of Johnston. I know that other historians and authors will probably not agree with this views on the Southern Sr. General. Overall a well written and interesting historical account of the battle. |
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The first modern battle.... |
James McDonough has provided a very good study of the battle that essentially sealed the Confederacy's fate in the West. He gives a balanced view from the vantage points of the commanders of both sides. Up to April, 1862, the South had a chance to reverse the early defeats...Shiloh solidified the Yankee's advantage.
Much has been made over the years of the "lost opportunity" of the first day...McDonough contends that the opportunity was never really there. Do I agree? Maybe. General Beauregard wanted to withdraw to Corinth, avoiding the whole battle. Was he right? Maybe. Grant, Sherman, Beauregard, Johnston, Hardee, and Polk all made mistakes that no General Officer should ever make. The Confederates were unorganized; the Yankees were unprepared. Much effort was wasted at the Hornet's Nest. Lots of good men, on both sides, died for their leader's errors.
We get a brief view of General Nathan Bedford Forrest trying to organize a night attack when nobody would listen to him. Forrest was right, of course; he always was. But at the time of Shiloh, the name "Forrest" did not yet mean what it did later.
The death of Albert Sidney Johnston at Shiloh was, of course, a massive tragedy for the South. McDonough comes very close to implying that Johnston was merely a drunk that the Confederacy was better off without. Even the most biased Confederate must admit that the first year of the war had not seen Johnston live up to his pre-war billing. No mention of the story told here and there down the years that Johnston's death was a variation of the "suicide by cop" theme. Interesting theory, and a case can sure be made....
All in all, McDonough has done a good, fair, balanced job. When, elsewhere, he discusses General Hood and the Tennessee Campaign, I can get eloquent. Here, he does well. Shiloh was one the most important battles in all history; this is a good account of it. |
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Battle filled with questions |
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For its fame and importance, the battle of Shiloh has not received the attention that other Civil War battles have. James McDonough thought his book, published in 1977, indeed would be the "first comprehensive historical treatment of the battle." His account turns out to be pretty thorough, but not as comprehensive as it could have been. McDonough relates the flow of the two-day battle nicely, and is especially interested in some of the "controversies" regarding the engagement: Why was the Union army caught by surprise? Did Beauregard call off the fighting too early in the late afternoon of the first day? Where was Lew Wallace and his division? How traumatic really to the Southern cause was Johnston's death? There is no doubt for McDonough that the North was the victor here, with the Rebels in retreat toward Corinth after the battle. Although not as deep as Larry Daniel's 1997 book on Shiloh, it's comparable to it in terms of interest and analysis. Neither book, however, is the final word on the battle. The definitive book on Shiloh is yet to be written. |
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The Best Read on the Battle of Shiloh |
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This is a comprehensive, easy to follow and exact telling of the battle of Shiloh. It is a pleasure to read compared to Larry J. Daniel's manuscript. Whether the reader is a Civil War novice or an expert, this book provides an accurate storytelling of this great battle. The only negative is the maps. They don't correspond to the narrative pages. The reader has to either look back or forward in the book to match the maps with the written word. But this is a GREAT book |
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The story of the great Civil War battle in the west. |
I know a little about the Civil War. However I have not read in depth about Shiloh. This is a nice read and details that there were no Napoleans at Shiloh. All the Generals (Union as well as Confederate) made many mistakes. It is a wonder anybody won this battle due to the mistakes all around. Sherman placing green troops around the perimeter in an unorganized fashion. Grant putting a river at the backs of his troops and disregarding the signs of rebel activity. Bragg sending in troops piecemeal to fight in the Hornet's Nest. Johnson not favoring the right, and leading at the front. Beareguard changing command decisions. Buell taking his time crossing the river. So many command mistakes.
This is a great read about a terrible, bloody battle. McDonough's book fills in the gaps on this terrible battle, and examines all the command decisions. This is a great read for facts. |
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