Civil War Firsts

by Gerald S. Henig, Eric Niderost

The Civil War was an era of unparalleled innovation. From armored battleships and hot air balloons to photography and medical care, the period between 1861 and 1865 saw a great transition in the way the world fought, recorded, and survived war. It wrought change in the lives of individuals as well, transforming society unlike any other single event in American history. Authors Gerald S. Henig and Eric Niderost trace these changes and explore the legacies of America's bloodiest conflict in this thought provoking study.

Genres: Civil War

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read a lot of books over the years about strange and unusual events, people, and places of the Civil War and they are usually done in a light tone. This book takes the idea of the Civil War prompting a number of "firsts" and approaching it from a scholarly perspective. The book surveys a number of developments such as the advent of air reconnaisance, submarine warfare, machine guns and pioneers such as Clara Barton, Kate Warne, Alexander Augusta, William Wood and Mary Surratt. There is a lot of interesting stuff and well-researched. It tends to run a bit long, but does provide some interesting insights.