To Make Men Free: A Novel of the Battle of Antietam

by Richard Croker

On September 17, 1862, the Union and Confederate armies clashed in Sharpsburg, Maryland. Twelve hours later, more than 23,000 soldiers were dead or wounded -- marking the end of the bloodiest day in American history. It was the battle the Confederacy hoped would break the back of the enemy for good. It was a bold incursion into northern territory the Union dared not let stand. For Robert E. Lee, it was a moment in time when he would be called upon to offer up the supreme sacrifice. For General A. P. Hill, it was a chance to avenge a betrayal by his former West Point roommate, Union commander George McClellan. For a young adjutant of Stonewall Jackson, it was a lesson in the true savagery of war; for an ambitious newspaper reporter it was the scoop of the century. And for President Abraham Lincoln, haunted by war's carnage and intense personal tragedy, it was the victory he needed to make the dream of freedom a reality.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Civil War, Fiction, War

512 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 1, 2008

Reviews

[John Boyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came upon this book by accident at a used bookstore. I'm pretty particular about my selection of historical fiction but I'm glad I came across this one. Croker does an excellent job of weaving first hand accounts, letters, and official reports to create a free flowing narrative. This novel not only covers the actions on that deadly day at Antietam but also the political intrigue and struggle over the Emancipation Proclamation and the ongoing internal war between Union generals. I greatly enjoyed reading it and found a new author that I hope to find more on.

[Tim Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. Billed a "A Novel of the Battle of Antietam" it was so much more than that. The Battles of Second Bull Run, Chantilly, South Mountain and the Chambersburg Raid are also well represented as well as the political goings-on of President Lincoln and his cabinet. All said, it's an engaging and thrilling piece of Civil War military fiction.

As with other novels and non-fiction books that I've read, I find George McClellan to be the most detestable character. He was infuriating and you could feel the other characters impatience and anger with him as well. I was surprised by the characterization of Fitz-John Porter. In Promise of Glory: A Novel of Antietam, Porter comes off as a much more sympathetic character, a man with a conscious. In this novel, he is little more than a blindly loyal crony to McClellan. I prefer the character in "Promise of Glory." General Marcy (McClellan's chief of staff) is the character that acts as the conscious and voice of reason to McClellan in this novel and I enjoyed his characterization.

There are a lot of characters in this novel, and some of the could have probably been deleted (notably the Clara Barton subplot) though I did appreciate the addition of civilian characters. They added another level of breadth and depth to the novel. The sheer amount of characters could be overwhelming, but I feel like (at least for me) it engrossed me in the narrative from all aspects and really helped the novel succeed in bringing the reader back to the Fall of 1862.

The author wrote a direct sequel No Greater Courage: A Novel of the Battle of Fredericksburg which I did read and which I was critical of when I was finished with it. I really want to go back and re-read that book after having read this one because I feel like my review would be much better.

Overall a fantastic example of Civil War military fiction. I loved it.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! It reminds me of Jeff and Michael Shaara's novels. I liked how the author switched between politicians and the army in telling the story. I feel like his portrayal of McClellan was spot on. From what I can tell, the author did a great deal of research and put a lot of effort into getting the facts correct, while still writing an entertaining novel.

[Patrick Ewing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good.

[Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Civil War buff thoroughly enjoyed it

This sweeping novel, like an epic feature from the 1950s, features a cast of thousands which is both its strength and weakness.

A lot of reviewers complain about the lack of depth in the characters, which is fair to say about the book. Unlike Shaara's The Killer Angels , the gold standard of Civil War fiction, there is not much character development. But, to be fair, Shaara focuses on precious few personalities of the War while Croker includes Lincoln, many cabinet members, Lee, McClellan and at least a dozen of the generals, not to mention colonels, sergeants and even a couple of privates.

The inclusion of so many characters does contribute to a lack of character exploration but it also contributes to a wide view of the mayhem of the battlefield. Croker also delves into political intrigues that went hand in hand with this bloodiest day in American history.

Croker's writing style is quite enjoyable - he flows effortlessly from one character to another while moving the story along at a quick pace. There's enough detail to give the Civil War novice a good grounding in the basics and enough focus on small parts of the battle to keep a serious student of the war like me interested. Humor and tragedy often go hand in hand in this book - none illustrates this more than page 301 of my paperback version. I chuckled out loud at a neat turn of phrase and then felt as though I'd been kicked in the gut four paragraphs later. I was so moved that I had to close the book and do something else...

Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/...

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A historical fiction of the battle of Antietam - more heavy-duty than "The Killer Angels", this book is recommended more for those with an interest in history than just the average reader. Informative and entertaining, following the footsteps of Michael Shaara in "The Killer Angels", but not at quite the same level.

[WRH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical novel about the Civil War battles of Antietam. The author based the action upon research as to the actual events. He added dialogue which increased the readability. It was informative and entertaining.

[Ratforce]

For a comprehensive exploration of the Battle of Antietam, which some reviewers claimed was more informative than many nonfiction books on the subject, try Croker’s To Make Men Free . You might especially appreciate the book’s attention to the political implications of this historic battle.