Savannah

The Civil War Battle Series #9

by James Reasoner

More than 100,000 Copies Sold in the Civil War Battle Series Following the defeat of Confederate forces at Chattanooga in November 1863, the battered Rebel army retreats to winter quarters at Dalton, Georgia. The following May, a large Union army led by Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman leaves Chattanooga and northern Georgia camps and marches south to Atlanta and ultimately arrives at the coastal city of Savannah, laying waste to the territory through which it passes. If Sherman is successful, Georgia will be divided and Confederate supply lines will be disrupted even more than they already are.Cory Brannon, who is bitter over the failure of the Confederate army at Chattanooga, takes part in a series of battles as the Army of Tennessee retreats slowly toward Atlanta during May and early June. By the end of August, Atlanta is lost and the Confederate retreat continues.Meanwhile, the Brannon family farm in Culpeper County, Virginia, is now behind enemy lines. Titus is fighting in the Shenandoah Valley with Mosby's Rangers, the great Ebersole plantation house at Mountain Laurel is in ruins, and Henry has been removed as sheriff of Culpeper County. To everyone's surprise, Cordelia is courted by one of the Union officers. She hates the Yankees but is unable to hate this Yankee in particular, much to her dismay. When Henry kills a Union deserter who attacks Cordelia, he flees to the Confederate lines in Tennessee and arrives in time to participate in Gen. John Bell Hood's disastrous campaign.At the same time, Cory is trapped in Savannah, surrounded by Sherman's marauding hordes. The Union army lays siege to the city, much as it had at Vicksburg. When Gen. William Hardee realizes that defending the city is hopeless, he abandons Savannah and heads toward the Carolinas, hoping for the chance to fight another day in another place. Sherman's March to the Sea is now complete, and despair grips the Confederacy.Fractured and defeated at every turn, the nation asks itself how much longer it can continue to fight.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Civil War, American Civil War, Historical

342 pages, Paperback

First published March 5, 2003

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a lifelong student of America's Civil War, I turned to Reasoner's fictional series with interest because of its Confederate perspective. The ninth volume, Savannah, covers the months during which Sherman took the fight to Georgia and began the systematic shattering of the rebel army. My hope was that this book would be as compelling as Michael Shaara's The Killer Angels, but it lacks the sense of urgent immediacy in which Shaara so successfully plunged his readers. Reasoner's story, from both the military and the civilian angle, is accurate enough historically, and should be compelling. Unfortunately, his writing style, relying as it does upon stock phrases (e.g., "it was all he could do" or "all he could think about was...") and elementary vocabulary, falls flat even in the most exciting of settings. Similarly, most of his characters come across as a bit wooden. Recommended for young adult readers and those seeking an introduction to the war between the states.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this 9th, penultimate, installment of the series, the Confederate Army is being pushed farther to the south. Reasoner focuses on the Brannon farm & Cory Brannon’s exploits as a soldier in the Army of Tennessee with its revolving door of generals. There’s also a fairly extensive part about people connected to Cory. Everyone is now set in place for the surrender at Appomattox (title of the next book). Some sections are really interesting; others are somewhat tiresome—that’s probably my issue, though, not the author’s.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book in this saga ends. I have really enjoyed this series. This book covered the fall of Atlanta, the terrible battle at Franklin Tenn where 7000 soldiers perished and the fall of Savannah. I look forward to the tenth and last book.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The series is now almost over and this book is similar to the rest as it follows the family through various episodes in the Civil War. It is interesting, though some of the battle sequences and action is repeated over and over in the 8 previous books - this one included. The description of the troop movements, tactics and more can get quite boring after awhile - but the storyline keeps it moving. Hopefully the last book will be a good finale.

[~mad · Rating 3 out of 5]

from simplyaudio.com

Listened to in the car on the way to and from work everyday. A bit hard to get into, but once the real story begins, it was really good. This is part of a series - and you know I love to read everything that a particular author has written. This could be one of them.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little shorter than some of the others in the series, but brings back some of the characters we haven't heard from in awhile and wondered where they were (Pie & Rachel, Lucille & the Carters).

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the war slowly turns in favor of the Union times become tough for the South & the Brannon family.

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read for information regarding the Civil War and what it might have been like to have been a soldier.

[Hank Pharis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series still continues to amaze me.