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Civil War: 1861-1865, Western Theater #2
A Chain of Thunder
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERContinuing the series that began with A Blaze of Glory, Jeff Shaara returns to chronicle another decisive chapter in America’s long and bloody Civil War. In A Chain of Thunder, the action shifts to the fortress city of Vicksburg, Mississippi. There, in the vaunted “Gibraltar of the Confederacy,” a siege for the ages will cement the reputation of one Union general—and all but seal the fate of the rebel cause. In May 1863, after months of hard and bitter combat, Union troops under the command of Major General Ulysses S. Grant at long last successfully cross the Mississippi River. They force the remnants of Confederate Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton’s army to retreat to Vicksburg, burning the bridges over the Big Black River in its path. But after sustaining heavy casualties in two failed assaults against the rebels, Union soldiers are losing confidence and morale is low. Grant reluctantly decides to lay siege to the city, trapping soldiers and civilians alike inside an iron ring of Federal entrenchments. Six weeks later, the starving and destitute Southerners finally surrender, yielding command of the Mississippi River to the Union forces on July 4—Independence Day—and marking a crucial turning point in the Civil War. Drawing on comprehensive research and his own intimate knowledge of the Vicksburg Campaign, Jeff Shaara once again weaves brilliant fiction out of the ragged cloth of historical fact. From the command tents where generals plot strategy to the ruined mansions where beleaguered citizens huddle for safety, this is a panoramic portrait of men and women whose lives are forever altered by the siege. On one side stand the emerging legend Grant, his irascible second William T. Sherman, and the youthful “grunt” Private Fritz Bauer; on the other, the Confederate commanders Pemberton and Joseph Johnston, as well as nineteen-year-old Lucy Spence, a civilian doing her best to survive in the besieged city. By giving voice to their experiences at Vicksburg, A Chain of Thunder vividly evokes a battle whose outcome still reverberates more than 150 years after the cannons fell This edition includes an excerpt from Jeff Shaara's The Smoke at Dawn.Praise for A Chain of Thunder “[Jeff] Shaara continues to draw powerful novels from the bloody history of the Civil War. . . . The dialogue intrigues. Shaara aptly reveals the main Grant, stoic, driven, not given to micromanagement; Sherman, anxious, high-strung, engaged even when doubting Grant’s strategy. . . . Worth a Civil War buff’s attention.”—Kirkus Reviews “Searing . . . Shaara seamlessly interweaves multiple points of view, as the plot is driven by a stellar cast of real-life and fictional characters coping with the pivotal crisis. . . . [A] riveting fictional narrative.”—Booklist“Shaara’s historical accuracy is faultless, and he tells a good story. . . . The voices of these people come across to the reader as poignantly as they did 150 years ago.”—Historical Novels Review“The writing is picturesque and vibrant. . . . [an] engrossing tale.”—Bookreporter
593 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
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About the author
Jeff Shaara
60 books2,146 followersJEFF SHAARA is the award-winning, New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of seventeen novels, including Rise to Rebellion and The Rising Tide, as well as Gods and Generals and The Last Full Measure—two novels that complete his father's Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, The Killer Angels. Shaara was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, grew up in Tallahassee, Florida, and lives in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
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October 20, 2016
Shaara continues with his Civil War series with the second novel in the Western Theatre tetralogy. Shaara builds on the first novel's focus on the Battle of Shiloh by turning things towards Mississippi and the vital city of Vicksburg, approximately a year after the aforementioned skirmish. Located on a key route (the Mississippi River) that serves the Confederate Army, General Pemberton seeks to protect this gem while awaiting more troops and instruction from superior. However, fresh from victory in Shiloh, Union Generals Grant and Sherman seek to push forward and overtake the region, thereby paralysing the Confederates in an attempt to stave off any momentum that might be tanking place further East. Shaara builds momentum up as all generals plot military manoeuvres surrounding the Siege of Vicksburg, which can only end with one army standing. A Confederate loss could commence a devastating domino effect that will reverberate across the South and bring Lincoln the impetus he needs to justify this war to the world. While Shaara offers wonderful troop and general perspectives in the narratives, he introduces a new voice to the war, that of the citizenry. Lucy Spence is a young woman from Vicksburg who has seen her city turned into a chaotic mess, filled both with grey-uniformed Confederates with the Union's blue-uniformed troops filling the horizon. While she has been led to support the views of her southern brethren, Spence is enlisted as a civilian nurse and witnesses the horrors of war from the perspective of blood and gore, which differs greatly from the opening chapter, when things were still formal dinners and balls with the local soldiers. Spence sees war through the eyes of the civilians caught in the middle of fighting, but who suffer more, as the face a war of hunger and depravation, food becoming a commodity that only the Union can offer, which is stronger propaganda than any leaflet. Spence and other citizens of Vicksburg learn that their heroes who had been touting freedom from Washington's grasp and the right to hold slaves cannot be trusted if they cannot keep their own people from starving during the campaign. It is this weaponless war that might turn the tides more than any cannon or musket. When the smoke clears, Vicksburg falls and Grant can forge onwards, seeking to curry additional favour with Washington as the Confederate Army is left to nurse their substantial wounds. A powerful second volume in Shaara's latest Civil War series, sure to stir up significant emotions in the attentive reader.
I am a long-time fan of Shaara and his writing style that explore war from perspectives untapped by academics or many historical fiction writers. While I struggled immensely with finding a connection in the first novel, being somewhat more conscientious of what is going on has allowed me to pull more (still not all) from the narrative in this second piece. In reading this collection, I am reminded of the John Jakes trilogy, North and South. Perhaps my bias and memory will sway me as I say this, but Shaara appears to be taking a page from the Jakes book and not only writing from the perspective of a fictional soldier, but now choosing an outsider to speak about the civilian interpretation of war. While Shaara usually chooses to keep the war and battlefields as his settings for all characters, use of a civilian is very Jakesian and does add additional flavour to the story. He does postulate that many civilians were outside the sphere of the War and knew little more than which side they were supposed to support. Key choices or decisions did not impact their choice of sides in the entire affair. As he usually does, Shaara offers a veiled (though it is apparent throughout) commentary on the struggles of war for those on the battlefield as well, be it tactics, marching, or the horrific food on offer. Shaara brings the reader inside and behind the lines to exacerbate the negative side of fighting, while still injecting pride into the act. Strong and regionally-peppered dialogues allow the reader to feel in the midst of the action in both camps, while also learning of their individual struggles as soldiers try to put themselves in the boots of the other. Chapters chock-full of detail, development, and historical portrayals of the settings allow the reader to envelop themselves in all that Shaara has to offer. Dense in spots, Shaara does not water things down, which will require a dedicated and attentive effort. There is not enough praise that can be offered up for this wonderful style of writing, geared towards a target audience.
Kudos, Mr. Shaara for another wonderful novel. I am still trying to wrap my head around all that you have to present, but by pacing myself and paying particular attention, I have a much better idea of what happened in the lesser-known Western Theatre of America's Civil War.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
I am a long-time fan of Shaara and his writing style that explore war from perspectives untapped by academics or many historical fiction writers. While I struggled immensely with finding a connection in the first novel, being somewhat more conscientious of what is going on has allowed me to pull more (still not all) from the narrative in this second piece. In reading this collection, I am reminded of the John Jakes trilogy, North and South. Perhaps my bias and memory will sway me as I say this, but Shaara appears to be taking a page from the Jakes book and not only writing from the perspective of a fictional soldier, but now choosing an outsider to speak about the civilian interpretation of war. While Shaara usually chooses to keep the war and battlefields as his settings for all characters, use of a civilian is very Jakesian and does add additional flavour to the story. He does postulate that many civilians were outside the sphere of the War and knew little more than which side they were supposed to support. Key choices or decisions did not impact their choice of sides in the entire affair. As he usually does, Shaara offers a veiled (though it is apparent throughout) commentary on the struggles of war for those on the battlefield as well, be it tactics, marching, or the horrific food on offer. Shaara brings the reader inside and behind the lines to exacerbate the negative side of fighting, while still injecting pride into the act. Strong and regionally-peppered dialogues allow the reader to feel in the midst of the action in both camps, while also learning of their individual struggles as soldiers try to put themselves in the boots of the other. Chapters chock-full of detail, development, and historical portrayals of the settings allow the reader to envelop themselves in all that Shaara has to offer. Dense in spots, Shaara does not water things down, which will require a dedicated and attentive effort. There is not enough praise that can be offered up for this wonderful style of writing, geared towards a target audience.
Kudos, Mr. Shaara for another wonderful novel. I am still trying to wrap my head around all that you have to present, but by pacing myself and paying particular attention, I have a much better idea of what happened in the lesser-known Western Theatre of America's Civil War.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
June 11, 2013
Jeff Shaara has returned to the Civil War with this second novel of what has evolved into a four part series following the campaigns in the west. A Chain of Thunder takes us through the build-up and conclusion of the Siege of Vicksburg, one of the most important victories for the Union forces. Unfortunately, the simultaneous victory at Gettysburg overshadows it. With this novel, Shaara hopes to change that.
We follow Grant, Sherman, and Bauer--all characters from A Blaze of Glory--for the Union, and Pemberton and Lucy Spence for the Confederates. Unlike his previous Civil War novels, Shaara has taken a practice he developed in his WWI and WWII novels and given us the perspective of the front line fighter. And for the first time in any of his novels, he includes a civilian as one of his primary characters. Lucy Spence is one of the many citizens of Vicksburg, and her experiences are gripping and powerful.
Fans of military fiction should read this, for we learn of Grant's brilliant campaign in Mississippi. Students of the Civil War should read this to better understand that there was more to the war that what happened in the east. Fans of good fiction should read it for its gripping story. That's what Shaara focuses on. Though he writes true history, his purpose is to draw out the human drama.
Highly recommended.
P.S. I was able to interview Jeff Shaara on behalf of the Historical Novel Society. Here it is: http://historicalnovelsociety.org/jef...
We follow Grant, Sherman, and Bauer--all characters from A Blaze of Glory--for the Union, and Pemberton and Lucy Spence for the Confederates. Unlike his previous Civil War novels, Shaara has taken a practice he developed in his WWI and WWII novels and given us the perspective of the front line fighter. And for the first time in any of his novels, he includes a civilian as one of his primary characters. Lucy Spence is one of the many citizens of Vicksburg, and her experiences are gripping and powerful.
Fans of military fiction should read this, for we learn of Grant's brilliant campaign in Mississippi. Students of the Civil War should read this to better understand that there was more to the war that what happened in the east. Fans of good fiction should read it for its gripping story. That's what Shaara focuses on. Though he writes true history, his purpose is to draw out the human drama.
Highly recommended.
P.S. I was able to interview Jeff Shaara on behalf of the Historical Novel Society. Here it is: http://historicalnovelsociety.org/jef...
June 13, 2013
This is another excellent look at the Civil War by Mr. Shaara. He uses his tried and true template to tell the story of the Siege of Vicksburg. As in his previous novel in the series, A Blaze of Glory, the Union story is told through the eyes of Gens Grant and Sherman as well as Pvt Bauer. The confederate side is told through the commander at Vicksburg, Gen Pemberton as well as civilian volunteer nurse Lucy Spence.
A great percentage of the first half of the book is told from Gen Pemberton’s view point and he does not come off well. He is a Pennsylvanian by birth and is constantly worried about the loyalty of his subordinate commanders to him. He is also worries about his duty to his superior officer Gen Johnston or President Davis who give him conflicting orders, Johnston to abandon Vicksburg and Davis to defend it to the end. In my opinion Pemberton comes off as a very poor leader and commander.
In the character of Lucy Spence – a 19 yr old orphan, Shaara brings the civilian point of view to the story. In the character of Miss Spence, Shaara is able to look at how the Siege affected those caught in its vice. She is taken in by her neighbors originally helping tend their children and eventually volunteering as a nurse in one of the military hospitals. In this plot line Shaara looks both at the state of military medicine and how woman esp single women where expected to act and were treated in the South.
In telling the Union side of the story, Shaara looks at some of the politics of the Union HQ. Grant fears that Charles Dana is a spy sent by Washington to undermine him, while Sherman continues his hatred of reporters. The sequences with Pvt Bauer are nicely done.
Since this is mainly the story of a siege, the battle sequences are not a vivid as his previous books, thou the Battle of Champion Hill is nicely done and well as the assaults on the Confederate lines on May 19th and 22nd. As the battle settles into a siege, the story of the war between the snipers is also well done.
Once again Mr. Shaara has brought the Civil War to life. This is a well researched and well told story. I highly recommend this novel.
A great percentage of the first half of the book is told from Gen Pemberton’s view point and he does not come off well. He is a Pennsylvanian by birth and is constantly worried about the loyalty of his subordinate commanders to him. He is also worries about his duty to his superior officer Gen Johnston or President Davis who give him conflicting orders, Johnston to abandon Vicksburg and Davis to defend it to the end. In my opinion Pemberton comes off as a very poor leader and commander.
In the character of Lucy Spence – a 19 yr old orphan, Shaara brings the civilian point of view to the story. In the character of Miss Spence, Shaara is able to look at how the Siege affected those caught in its vice. She is taken in by her neighbors originally helping tend their children and eventually volunteering as a nurse in one of the military hospitals. In this plot line Shaara looks both at the state of military medicine and how woman esp single women where expected to act and were treated in the South.
In telling the Union side of the story, Shaara looks at some of the politics of the Union HQ. Grant fears that Charles Dana is a spy sent by Washington to undermine him, while Sherman continues his hatred of reporters. The sequences with Pvt Bauer are nicely done.
Since this is mainly the story of a siege, the battle sequences are not a vivid as his previous books, thou the Battle of Champion Hill is nicely done and well as the assaults on the Confederate lines on May 19th and 22nd. As the battle settles into a siege, the story of the war between the snipers is also well done.
Once again Mr. Shaara has brought the Civil War to life. This is a well researched and well told story. I highly recommend this novel.
August 24, 2019
This book is the second installment of the western theater of the Civil War, treating the battle for Vicksburg, MS. The story, unlike the battle at Shiloh, (the first book in the series), is not an account of intense hand-to-hand combat, but one of Southern entrenchment in a city, and the subsequent Northern siege of it. According to the author the importance of this book is that Vicksburg is less known in history.
What struck me most was the brutality of war. There is absolutely nothing glorious about killing each other, and certainly not starving people to death, especially when civilians are also affected. One overwhelming detail was during the siege fighting continued between the entrenchments of each side. It felt like a sporting contest, but the score wasn't points, it was kills. It was horrifying. I can conceive how some of the men must have felt trying to cope with having to kill or be killed, but betting on whether you could kill someone is revolting in any circumstance.
The second detail that ripped at my heart was the account of a young woman who chose to serve as a nurse to the southern doctors. The details of horror she witnessed were contrast with the attitudes of the southern gentlemen and ladies she interacted with, none of which were willing to help the wounded as she did. The contrast accentuated the deep irony of war. On one side at the hospital was stark brutality at its worst juxtaposed with men and women affronted by this young women associating with lower class, unsavory wagon drivers who were transporting dead or wounded soldiers to the hospital tents. Her interaction with these men was seen by the upper class as distasteful conduct that would soil her reputation. All this condescension did was cement in my heart the pain that pride and arrogance can cost people. The arrogance of the southerners was at a high point when one elderly upper class women shot and killed an old slave because he would be free. It was just revolting!
The book solidified my hatred for war. Yet my fascination with understanding what has happened continues. My fascination is based on wanting to know the cost of our freedom, and Jeff Shaara's research and writing skills certainly do not disappoint. There really isn't much to cheer about in either of the first two books. This just isn't a story that inspires cheering. It's more of a remorseful feeling of "Why couldn't we have solved this dispute without killing so many innocent people?" Unfortunately, when human hearts refuse to listen and minds remain obdurate, sickening death and misery are the toll we pay to right the wrongs we've done. I'm grateful for brave and selfless men and women who fought and served to bring freedom to the oppressed and enslaved of our country, but I'm so saddened and grieved that it cost us so much blood and anguish to pay the price.
What struck me most was the brutality of war. There is absolutely nothing glorious about killing each other, and certainly not starving people to death, especially when civilians are also affected. One overwhelming detail was during the siege fighting continued between the entrenchments of each side. It felt like a sporting contest, but the score wasn't points, it was kills. It was horrifying. I can conceive how some of the men must have felt trying to cope with having to kill or be killed, but betting on whether you could kill someone is revolting in any circumstance.
The second detail that ripped at my heart was the account of a young woman who chose to serve as a nurse to the southern doctors. The details of horror she witnessed were contrast with the attitudes of the southern gentlemen and ladies she interacted with, none of which were willing to help the wounded as she did. The contrast accentuated the deep irony of war. On one side at the hospital was stark brutality at its worst juxtaposed with men and women affronted by this young women associating with lower class, unsavory wagon drivers who were transporting dead or wounded soldiers to the hospital tents. Her interaction with these men was seen by the upper class as distasteful conduct that would soil her reputation. All this condescension did was cement in my heart the pain that pride and arrogance can cost people. The arrogance of the southerners was at a high point when one elderly upper class women shot and killed an old slave because he would be free. It was just revolting!
The book solidified my hatred for war. Yet my fascination with understanding what has happened continues. My fascination is based on wanting to know the cost of our freedom, and Jeff Shaara's research and writing skills certainly do not disappoint. There really isn't much to cheer about in either of the first two books. This just isn't a story that inspires cheering. It's more of a remorseful feeling of "Why couldn't we have solved this dispute without killing so many innocent people?" Unfortunately, when human hearts refuse to listen and minds remain obdurate, sickening death and misery are the toll we pay to right the wrongs we've done. I'm grateful for brave and selfless men and women who fought and served to bring freedom to the oppressed and enslaved of our country, but I'm so saddened and grieved that it cost us so much blood and anguish to pay the price.
April 12, 2021
A 22 hour unabridged audiobook.
Shaara does it again, turning crucial historical events into an easy to follow tale that follows the goings on of key figures, both real and fictionalized (by fictionalized I mean loosely based on a particular character, or a figurehead representing an "average citizen/soldier" view).
You know you have a great writer when he has you identify with a character that is nothing like you. In this case, Lucy, a resident of Vicksburg, whose journey gives a masterful account of what the civilians went through during the siege. There was a moment during a social gathering where Lucy had felt embarrassed over her behavior, and I felt my face blushing alongside hers. Either I identify more with females, half my age who lived over 150 years ago, than I thought I did, or its powerful writing playing its hand.
I enjoyed this book- 3 stars.
Shaara does it again, turning crucial historical events into an easy to follow tale that follows the goings on of key figures, both real and fictionalized (by fictionalized I mean loosely based on a particular character, or a figurehead representing an "average citizen/soldier" view).
You know you have a great writer when he has you identify with a character that is nothing like you. In this case, Lucy, a resident of Vicksburg, whose journey gives a masterful account of what the civilians went through during the siege. There was a moment during a social gathering where Lucy had felt embarrassed over her behavior, and I felt my face blushing alongside hers. Either I identify more with females, half my age who lived over 150 years ago, than I thought I did, or its powerful writing playing its hand.
I enjoyed this book- 3 stars.
December 24, 2022
Audible credit 22 hours 5 min. Narrated by Paul Michael (A)
This is the second in the quartet written by Jeff Shaara about the battles fought in the western front during the Civil War and deals with seige of Vicksburg. As in other historical novels they are told from the viewpoints of real characters and are well-researched. Two of the things I most enjoy about his books are his first chapters which are purely historical settings that give important background which help the reader to understand the background in time which set he stage for the book. This helps those readers who may be unfamiliar with the history of the war. Secondly, Shaara concludes his book with the cast of characters from the book and what happens in their lives during the rest of the war and where their lives after the war lead them until their deaths.
The major characters for the Federals Incude both Generals Grant and Sherman and private Fritz Baur from Wisconsin who is transferred into a unit of Irish man led by his friend Lt. "Sammie" Willis. The major characters for the South are General John C. Pemberton a West Point graduate from Pennsylvania but married and devoted to his wife from the South and decides to join the Army of the Confederacy although he finds himself suspected of having Northern sympathy. Representing the citizens of the city of Vicksburg is Lucy Spence, a young lady is abandoned by her father and has recently lost her mother. The privations of the seige of Vicksburg has awful affect on the residents of the town much more than any other city in the South. Lucy doesn't understand the reasons for the war and is ostracized by most of the women of the town. Hoping to find distraction from the monotonous days living in a cave, Lucy overcomes her fears to help as a nurse to doctors overwhelmed by the terrible casualties suffered by the Confedreate soldiers.
This is a rather grim book to listen to during the Christmas season. One particular chapter tells how Baur and Lt.Willis and some other soldiers are out searching for food for their unit when they come upon a deserted plantation and are welcomed by a crippled old black man who leads them to the hiding place of his old mistress in a root cellar. Baur has never really understood how all the people living in the South should be held responsible for the actions of the Confederate government or why Federal troops should burn the beautiful homes that sit in the middle of the great plantations until he sees for himself the bitterness and hatred of grandmother for her own slave. When the slave reveals the hiding place of the foodstuffs to the soldiers, the old woman shoots him in cold fury for betraying his loyalty to the family. Seized with righteous indignation, Baur quickly comes to understand that even this grandmother feels nothing but contempt for this feeble slave, and takes justice by setting fire to the house himself.
Just after I read this chapter, we received a Christmas card with story behind the carol "O Holy Night", one of my particular favorites. I won't include the whole story but if you can find it by Googling "story behind O Holy Nigh. Originally written in France in 1847, it was brought to America in 1857 by an abolishtionist John Sullivan Dwight as he was moved by the words of the third verse. (Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother) This carol found a new popular audience in America during the Civil War. And by coincidence a tie to Chains of Thunder.
Merry Christmas!
This is the second in the quartet written by Jeff Shaara about the battles fought in the western front during the Civil War and deals with seige of Vicksburg. As in other historical novels they are told from the viewpoints of real characters and are well-researched. Two of the things I most enjoy about his books are his first chapters which are purely historical settings that give important background which help the reader to understand the background in time which set he stage for the book. This helps those readers who may be unfamiliar with the history of the war. Secondly, Shaara concludes his book with the cast of characters from the book and what happens in their lives during the rest of the war and where their lives after the war lead them until their deaths.
The major characters for the Federals Incude both Generals Grant and Sherman and private Fritz Baur from Wisconsin who is transferred into a unit of Irish man led by his friend Lt. "Sammie" Willis. The major characters for the South are General John C. Pemberton a West Point graduate from Pennsylvania but married and devoted to his wife from the South and decides to join the Army of the Confederacy although he finds himself suspected of having Northern sympathy. Representing the citizens of the city of Vicksburg is Lucy Spence, a young lady is abandoned by her father and has recently lost her mother. The privations of the seige of Vicksburg has awful affect on the residents of the town much more than any other city in the South. Lucy doesn't understand the reasons for the war and is ostracized by most of the women of the town. Hoping to find distraction from the monotonous days living in a cave, Lucy overcomes her fears to help as a nurse to doctors overwhelmed by the terrible casualties suffered by the Confedreate soldiers.
This is a rather grim book to listen to during the Christmas season. One particular chapter tells how Baur and Lt.Willis and some other soldiers are out searching for food for their unit when they come upon a deserted plantation and are welcomed by a crippled old black man who leads them to the hiding place of his old mistress in a root cellar. Baur has never really understood how all the people living in the South should be held responsible for the actions of the Confederate government or why Federal troops should burn the beautiful homes that sit in the middle of the great plantations until he sees for himself the bitterness and hatred of grandmother for her own slave. When the slave reveals the hiding place of the foodstuffs to the soldiers, the old woman shoots him in cold fury for betraying his loyalty to the family. Seized with righteous indignation, Baur quickly comes to understand that even this grandmother feels nothing but contempt for this feeble slave, and takes justice by setting fire to the house himself.
Just after I read this chapter, we received a Christmas card with story behind the carol "O Holy Night", one of my particular favorites. I won't include the whole story but if you can find it by Googling "story behind O Holy Nigh. Originally written in France in 1847, it was brought to America in 1857 by an abolishtionist John Sullivan Dwight as he was moved by the words of the third verse. (Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother) This carol found a new popular audience in America during the Civil War. And by coincidence a tie to Chains of Thunder.
Merry Christmas!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2019
A Chain of Thunder (Civil War: 1861-1865, Western Theater, #2)
by Jeff Shaara
First Jeff Shaara book I've given a go, The lead up and scattered running battles at the beginning of the book which all happened prior to the siege was a little hard to follow but some online research made it a little bit clearer, this isn't a statistics or numbers and dates etc... type of book, but more off what the participants would have felt about the many situations and circumstances they were involved in their anxiety or lack off their fears and also some what the fudge is going on?? without giving anything away I won't elaborate what happened but all the characters are all based on real life people.
The mini bios at the back was very helpful, a few Maps also helped, a couple of you tube videos, showed Grant was a true leader, a great horsemen & he really didn't give a damn what the enemy was doing he has his plan and drives it home to completion.
It's just a great story and vividly portrayed in my mind the real life struggles and fears of the many men and women. Civil war is such a brutal type of war. The consequences of which have rippled down time to the present and makes what the US is today. I liked this & will definitely give Jeff another go in the future.
by Jeff Shaara
First Jeff Shaara book I've given a go, The lead up and scattered running battles at the beginning of the book which all happened prior to the siege was a little hard to follow but some online research made it a little bit clearer, this isn't a statistics or numbers and dates etc... type of book, but more off what the participants would have felt about the many situations and circumstances they were involved in their anxiety or lack off their fears and also some what the fudge is going on?? without giving anything away I won't elaborate what happened but all the characters are all based on real life people.
The mini bios at the back was very helpful, a few Maps also helped, a couple of you tube videos, showed Grant was a true leader, a great horsemen & he really didn't give a damn what the enemy was doing he has his plan and drives it home to completion.
It's just a great story and vividly portrayed in my mind the real life struggles and fears of the many men and women. Civil war is such a brutal type of war. The consequences of which have rippled down time to the present and makes what the US is today. I liked this & will definitely give Jeff another go in the future.
December 22, 2021
The Afterword alone makes this a treasure to read. Grant's strategy was so admired that the 1986 edition of the US Army Filed Manual stated his Vicksburg campaign was "the most brilliant ever fought on American Soil."
Sherman's angst, Grant's calm and Pemberton frustration were brought out in dialogue that showed the true character of all three.
Sherman's angst, Grant's calm and Pemberton frustration were brought out in dialogue that showed the true character of all three.
October 28, 2021
Jeff Shaara's Novel Of Vicksburg
The year 2013 marks the 150th anniversary of two pivotal events of the Civil War: the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1 - July 3, 1863) and the siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi, which ended with the Confederate surrender on July 4, 1863. Many new books have been written to commemorate these events including this new historical novel "A Chain of Thunder" by Jeff Shaara which describes in a dramatic way the Siege of Vicksburg. The book is the second in Shaara's planned series of four Civil War novels describing events in the western theater of the war, the first of which "A Blaze of Glory" (2012) described the 1862 Battle of Shiloh. Jeff Shaara is the son of Michael Shaara, the author of the Pulitzer-Prize winning novel, "The Killer Angels" about the Battle of Gettysburg.
Shaara's novel offers a historically informed account of the Vicksburg campaign. The account of the battles is presented lucidly and will be easy for readers unaccustomed to reading military history to follow. Most of the primary characters in the novel are historical figures, including Grant, and W.T. Sherman for the Union, and Confederate Generals John Pemberton and Joseph Johnston. Pemberton, the general responsible for the defense of Vicksburg was a native of Pennsylvania and was not trusted by many in the Confederacy. Joseph Johnston was assigned command of Confederate forces in the West and he and Pemberton did not work well together. Pemberton felt caught between orders from Johnston on the one hand and Confederate President Jefferson Davis on the other hand.
Besides leaders of the armies, Shaara introduces for the Union a private, and sharpshooter, Thomas Bauer, from Wisconsin. Bauer appears to be a fictitious character, one of the few in the book. For the Confederacy, a key character is Lucy Spence, a young woman who works bravely as a nurse in Vicksburg during the long siege. Her character is based on fact.
Each chapter in the book is presented from the perspective of one of the major actors, from either the Union or Confederacy. Shaara uses the license available to the novelist to get inside the minds of his characters, to create conversations, and to describe the characters' reactions to events in a deeper, more imaginative way than available to historians.
The book begins in April, 1863, when the Union fleet makes a daring run past the formidable Vicksburg batteries with the purpose of transporting Union troops from the west side of the Mississippi to the east for an attack on Vicksburg from the rear. The first part of the book describes Grant's dazzlingly brilliant campaign which utterly confused the divided Confederate commanders. As a result the Confederate Army retreated into their lines at Vicksburg.
The book picks up momentum in its description of the siege as Shaara captures the determination of the Union Army and the strong, heroic resistance by Pemberton and his forces in defense. Shaara shows the hardships endured by the residents of Vicksburg as food supplies gave out and both civilians and soldiers faced starvation. The harshness of the siege, including the pervasive bombardment of the city and its environs come through well in Shaara's writing. The book emphasizes the cruelty of the war and the resourcefulness and heroism shown by men and women on both sides of the siege. The book concludes with Pemberton's July 4, 1863, surrender to Grant of Vicksburg and of the defending army of approximately 30,000 soldiers.
"Chain of Thunder" is a well written historical novel that will give the reader a good basic understanding of the Vicksburg campaign and of its protagonists.
Robin Friedman
The year 2013 marks the 150th anniversary of two pivotal events of the Civil War: the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1 - July 3, 1863) and the siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi, which ended with the Confederate surrender on July 4, 1863. Many new books have been written to commemorate these events including this new historical novel "A Chain of Thunder" by Jeff Shaara which describes in a dramatic way the Siege of Vicksburg. The book is the second in Shaara's planned series of four Civil War novels describing events in the western theater of the war, the first of which "A Blaze of Glory" (2012) described the 1862 Battle of Shiloh. Jeff Shaara is the son of Michael Shaara, the author of the Pulitzer-Prize winning novel, "The Killer Angels" about the Battle of Gettysburg.
Shaara's novel offers a historically informed account of the Vicksburg campaign. The account of the battles is presented lucidly and will be easy for readers unaccustomed to reading military history to follow. Most of the primary characters in the novel are historical figures, including Grant, and W.T. Sherman for the Union, and Confederate Generals John Pemberton and Joseph Johnston. Pemberton, the general responsible for the defense of Vicksburg was a native of Pennsylvania and was not trusted by many in the Confederacy. Joseph Johnston was assigned command of Confederate forces in the West and he and Pemberton did not work well together. Pemberton felt caught between orders from Johnston on the one hand and Confederate President Jefferson Davis on the other hand.
Besides leaders of the armies, Shaara introduces for the Union a private, and sharpshooter, Thomas Bauer, from Wisconsin. Bauer appears to be a fictitious character, one of the few in the book. For the Confederacy, a key character is Lucy Spence, a young woman who works bravely as a nurse in Vicksburg during the long siege. Her character is based on fact.
Each chapter in the book is presented from the perspective of one of the major actors, from either the Union or Confederacy. Shaara uses the license available to the novelist to get inside the minds of his characters, to create conversations, and to describe the characters' reactions to events in a deeper, more imaginative way than available to historians.
The book begins in April, 1863, when the Union fleet makes a daring run past the formidable Vicksburg batteries with the purpose of transporting Union troops from the west side of the Mississippi to the east for an attack on Vicksburg from the rear. The first part of the book describes Grant's dazzlingly brilliant campaign which utterly confused the divided Confederate commanders. As a result the Confederate Army retreated into their lines at Vicksburg.
The book picks up momentum in its description of the siege as Shaara captures the determination of the Union Army and the strong, heroic resistance by Pemberton and his forces in defense. Shaara shows the hardships endured by the residents of Vicksburg as food supplies gave out and both civilians and soldiers faced starvation. The harshness of the siege, including the pervasive bombardment of the city and its environs come through well in Shaara's writing. The book emphasizes the cruelty of the war and the resourcefulness and heroism shown by men and women on both sides of the siege. The book concludes with Pemberton's July 4, 1863, surrender to Grant of Vicksburg and of the defending army of approximately 30,000 soldiers.
"Chain of Thunder" is a well written historical novel that will give the reader a good basic understanding of the Vicksburg campaign and of its protagonists.
Robin Friedman
April 2, 2021
Whenever I read a Jeff Shaara novel, I am all but guaranteed I am going to get a good read. He’s a very consistent author who will give a well written, well researched novel that brings to life history in a way that a non-fiction book can’t. Sure, you can read about historical figures like Grant and Sherman, and you can read about famous battles, but he delivers it from their perspective in a humanizing way. Of course, it’s not truly from their perspective since they are long dead but I think Shaara does a good job of capturing their essence and making it feel more real. If you like history like I do, these novels are a delight to read.
A Chain of Thunder focuses on the siege of Vicksburg. By their nature, sieges aren’t quite as exciting as battles, and I would say there are better Shaara novels that I have read than this one, but it was still a strong read. What I especially liked was how he makes some of these characters come to life. I think I enjoyed the perspectives of the generals the most. Grant and Sherman are fascinating characters that he writes well, but I also really enjoyed reading from the perspective of General Pemberton. In fact, I found Pemberton to be the most compelling character in the novel. I knew nothing about him prior to reading this. He was a very flawed general who made lots of mistakes, wasn’t terribly competent, was more of an administrator than a commander, and got all kinds of flack for being a rebel general despite being from Pennsylvania. Shaara made him sympathetic despite being flawed. Even though my loyalties lie with the Federals, I felt bad for Pemberton, especially knowing it was going to end badly for him. My one criticism was that the book was overly long, and could have used some trimming, especially the parts from the perspective of Lucy Spence, which seemed a bit repetitive at times. Other than that, fans of historical fiction should enjoy this one.
Carl Alves – author of Two For Eternity
A Chain of Thunder focuses on the siege of Vicksburg. By their nature, sieges aren’t quite as exciting as battles, and I would say there are better Shaara novels that I have read than this one, but it was still a strong read. What I especially liked was how he makes some of these characters come to life. I think I enjoyed the perspectives of the generals the most. Grant and Sherman are fascinating characters that he writes well, but I also really enjoyed reading from the perspective of General Pemberton. In fact, I found Pemberton to be the most compelling character in the novel. I knew nothing about him prior to reading this. He was a very flawed general who made lots of mistakes, wasn’t terribly competent, was more of an administrator than a commander, and got all kinds of flack for being a rebel general despite being from Pennsylvania. Shaara made him sympathetic despite being flawed. Even though my loyalties lie with the Federals, I felt bad for Pemberton, especially knowing it was going to end badly for him. My one criticism was that the book was overly long, and could have used some trimming, especially the parts from the perspective of Lucy Spence, which seemed a bit repetitive at times. Other than that, fans of historical fiction should enjoy this one.
Carl Alves – author of Two For Eternity
July 8, 2017
A Chain of Thunder (Civil War: 1861-1865, Western Theater #2) by Jeff Shaara is a historical fiction book from this bestselling author. I have read several of Mr. Shaara’s books previously and was delighted to find this one in my local library even though I did not read the first book in the series.
Confederate Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton took his army and retreated to Vicksburg fortifying it and getting ready to defend it.
Union Major General Ulysses S. Grant, after finally crossing the Mississippi River pushing Pemberton’s army into Vicksburg. The Union sustains many casualties during their attempts to enter the city and General Grant reluctantly lays siege to Vicksburg.
A Chain of Thunder (Civil War: 1861-1865, Western Theater #2) by Jeff Shaara takes place in and around Vicksburg, Mississippi during the American Civil War. The first book, I understand, focuses on the Battle of Shiloh, which is referenced in A Chain of Thunder, however I did not feel I missed anything by not reading it first.
As with other books by the author, every chapter is told from the point of view of a different character, most historical figures, but others not. The cast of characters is varied, from Generals Grant, Sherman, and Pemberton to simple soldiers and civilians.
I enjoyed the dialog Mr. Shaara puts in the mouth of his characters, especially the local dialect and local flavors. The characters in the book are well written, both historical and fictionalized come to life, we learn about their struggles, their demons, and their success. The author describes very well what it is like to be under siege, and the ones trying to break the siege, the small communities within communities the form whenever a dark turn takes a whole population, whether citizens or soldiers, into a place they’ll never thought they’ll be.
The research in this book, as with the author’s other books, demands special recognition. While the book is condensed, almost like a history book, it is very readable and interesting. The Battle of Vicksburg is one that I knew very little about, so it was very interesting to learn more about the battle.
For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
Confederate Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton took his army and retreated to Vicksburg fortifying it and getting ready to defend it.
Union Major General Ulysses S. Grant, after finally crossing the Mississippi River pushing Pemberton’s army into Vicksburg. The Union sustains many casualties during their attempts to enter the city and General Grant reluctantly lays siege to Vicksburg.
A Chain of Thunder (Civil War: 1861-1865, Western Theater #2) by Jeff Shaara takes place in and around Vicksburg, Mississippi during the American Civil War. The first book, I understand, focuses on the Battle of Shiloh, which is referenced in A Chain of Thunder, however I did not feel I missed anything by not reading it first.
As with other books by the author, every chapter is told from the point of view of a different character, most historical figures, but others not. The cast of characters is varied, from Generals Grant, Sherman, and Pemberton to simple soldiers and civilians.
I enjoyed the dialog Mr. Shaara puts in the mouth of his characters, especially the local dialect and local flavors. The characters in the book are well written, both historical and fictionalized come to life, we learn about their struggles, their demons, and their success. The author describes very well what it is like to be under siege, and the ones trying to break the siege, the small communities within communities the form whenever a dark turn takes a whole population, whether citizens or soldiers, into a place they’ll never thought they’ll be.
The research in this book, as with the author’s other books, demands special recognition. While the book is condensed, almost like a history book, it is very readable and interesting. The Battle of Vicksburg is one that I knew very little about, so it was very interesting to learn more about the battle.
For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
June 4, 2013
Jeffrey Shaara has written a number of historical novels focusing on warfare--from the Revolutionary War through World War II. He adopts the approach that his father used so well in "Killer Angels," an historical novel of the battle of Gettysburg. The methods? Select a number of historical characters, from generals to foot soldiers to civilians, to whomever brings a point of view to the story that reveals something about the battle.
Here, the focus is the siege of Vicksburg. The characters? A young woman resident of Vicksburg, giving us a civilian's eye view of the harshness of the conflict on ordinary people. John Pemberton, commander of the Confederate forces at Vicksburg. Fritz Bauer, a Union foot soldier, who gives a soldier's eye view of the siege. Then, Generals Sherman and Grant. By adopting this method, as noted, we get a sense of the many facets of the battle. Lucy Spence's travails, including serving as a nurse in Confederate hospitals, gives a sense of the horrors of the operating room. Her interaction with civilians captures the dire straits facing ordinary citizens of Vicksburg. From Pemberton and Grant and Sherman, we get a larger view as to what is transpiring.
The novel begins on April 16th, recording the movement of Union ships along the Mississippi as they passed under the guns of Vicksburg. This began Grant's remarkable lightning movements leading to the siege. The last entry is on July 6, 1863, as Bauer reflects on the end of the battle. His story began with the first novel from the West authored by Shaara--on the deadly fight at Shiloh. The Confederates, ironically, surrenders on July 4th, after the troops had run so low on food, ammunition, and so on that their doom was obvious.
A nice addition to Shaara's oeuvre. Sometimes, the multi-viewpoint approach loses its power, but it works pretty well here.
Here, the focus is the siege of Vicksburg. The characters? A young woman resident of Vicksburg, giving us a civilian's eye view of the harshness of the conflict on ordinary people. John Pemberton, commander of the Confederate forces at Vicksburg. Fritz Bauer, a Union foot soldier, who gives a soldier's eye view of the siege. Then, Generals Sherman and Grant. By adopting this method, as noted, we get a sense of the many facets of the battle. Lucy Spence's travails, including serving as a nurse in Confederate hospitals, gives a sense of the horrors of the operating room. Her interaction with civilians captures the dire straits facing ordinary citizens of Vicksburg. From Pemberton and Grant and Sherman, we get a larger view as to what is transpiring.
The novel begins on April 16th, recording the movement of Union ships along the Mississippi as they passed under the guns of Vicksburg. This began Grant's remarkable lightning movements leading to the siege. The last entry is on July 6, 1863, as Bauer reflects on the end of the battle. His story began with the first novel from the West authored by Shaara--on the deadly fight at Shiloh. The Confederates, ironically, surrenders on July 4th, after the troops had run so low on food, ammunition, and so on that their doom was obvious.
A nice addition to Shaara's oeuvre. Sometimes, the multi-viewpoint approach loses its power, but it works pretty well here.
Read
March 22, 2019I had planned to read the whole four book series at one time, to get the feel for this part of the Civil War. However, two books in a row was a little overwhelming (imagine how ironic that would sound to someone who actually experienced the brutality and blood of warfare in the Civil War). After a while horror of war gets tuned out when you are not actually experiencing it. So I will read something else after finishing two of the four books in a month.
Shaara's book about Shiloh reminded me about the ignorant chatter of opinion on the Internet was also in the gossip among the troops and the civilian rumors of the reporters. Vicksburg's story reminded me of the foolish bravado of the "positive" people who refuse to pay attention to any news that might spoil their illusions. Many citizens of Vicksburg wanted to believe that they would be rescued by the Confederate Army despite reports to the contrary.
Shaara's strength is his research. Yes, he has to make interpretive choices, but it's interesting to read not only what happened, but often what the development of the experiences were that led to events unfolding as they did. One of my favorite scenes occurs near the end of the story, when a bit of gossip is revealed just as Grant demands that General Pemberton surrender unconditionally. I shared the humorous smile that Shaara put on the face of one of the soldiers!
Shaara's book about Shiloh reminded me about the ignorant chatter of opinion on the Internet was also in the gossip among the troops and the civilian rumors of the reporters. Vicksburg's story reminded me of the foolish bravado of the "positive" people who refuse to pay attention to any news that might spoil their illusions. Many citizens of Vicksburg wanted to believe that they would be rescued by the Confederate Army despite reports to the contrary.
Shaara's strength is his research. Yes, he has to make interpretive choices, but it's interesting to read not only what happened, but often what the development of the experiences were that led to events unfolding as they did. One of my favorite scenes occurs near the end of the story, when a bit of gossip is revealed just as Grant demands that General Pemberton surrender unconditionally. I shared the humorous smile that Shaara put on the face of one of the soldiers!
December 26, 2020
I had been somewhat disappointed and a little critical with my view on the first book in this series, feeling that Shaara had not put forth his best effort in that book and was not up to his usual standard. But in this book, Shaara returns to form. While Vicksburg is a very different story than Shiloh, I felt Shaara’s narrative was far more interesting and his pacing much improved from the first book. The Vicksburg campaign is one of the the great campaigns of military history and the tactics are brought out descriptively by the author as well the horror and devastation of siege warfare. It’s a fascinating read that brilliantly narrates a spectacular campaign.
June 13, 2013
Another excellent book by Jeff Shaara. He's at his best when writing about the Civil War. The struggle for Vicksburg was different than other battles, it was a siege. Shaara captures the frustrations of the siege, from the highest commanders all the way to the civilians trapped in the city. While some reviewers are taking issue with the pace and the minutia of this book, they are missing the point. Vicksburg wasn't Gettysburg or Shiloh with their fast moving action, it was a long drawn out chess match. Shaara describes it perfectly. I can't wait for the third book of the trilogy!
June 25, 2015
A good read on one of the most overlooked developments of the Civil War: The siege of Vicksburg... Oops, I gave it away!
Anyway, Shaara's approach of bouncing back and forth among different perspectives makes this book work.
The "modern Bruce Catton" is always good for a fine, well-researched story. It isn't Killer Angels compelling, but it's solid stuff and makes use of recent journal discoveries, etc. to give what is certainly an accurate depiction.
Anyway, Shaara's approach of bouncing back and forth among different perspectives makes this book work.
The "modern Bruce Catton" is always good for a fine, well-researched story. It isn't Killer Angels compelling, but it's solid stuff and makes use of recent journal discoveries, etc. to give what is certainly an accurate depiction.
March 13, 2020
As it hadn’t been that long since reading A Blaze of Glory, I fell right into the story being told. There is the return of some characters, such as the Union soldier, Bauer, and the introduction of new ones, mainly the young Southern woman, Lucy Spence. All add enormously to the story of the siege of Vicksburg.
But one can’t overlook Grant, who is finally coming into his own, and showing the genius that gives him full command of the Union army. And, of course, his loyal second, William Sherman. On the other side is John Pemberton, a Pennsylvanian who turns his back on the Union to become a Confederate officer. Though perhaps one should, I couldn’t bring myself to feel sorry for him as his career slowly crumbles.
Shaara has outdone himself here, the book a magnificent second volume in this tetralogy.
But one can’t overlook Grant, who is finally coming into his own, and showing the genius that gives him full command of the Union army. And, of course, his loyal second, William Sherman. On the other side is John Pemberton, a Pennsylvanian who turns his back on the Union to become a Confederate officer. Though perhaps one should, I couldn’t bring myself to feel sorry for him as his career slowly crumbles.
Shaara has outdone himself here, the book a magnificent second volume in this tetralogy.
December 27, 2020
Jeff Shaara tells the tale of General Grant's work to take Vicksburg.
I hadn't read any Jeff Shaara before, so I didn't read the book that precedes this ("A Blaze of Glory"), but I don't think you have to read them in order
It was interesting to gain some speculative insight into what was going on in this important battle that happened on American soil between Americans, as well into the minds of some differences in America that exist even today.
However, I found Shaara's prose lackluster: found myself skimming , not worried about missing anything interesting. Less words would have been better.
Even so, it did capture my attention. I picked it up and it kept my attention. Would recommend to anyone interested in American history.
I hadn't read any Jeff Shaara before, so I didn't read the book that precedes this ("A Blaze of Glory"), but I don't think you have to read them in order
It was interesting to gain some speculative insight into what was going on in this important battle that happened on American soil between Americans, as well into the minds of some differences in America that exist even today.
However, I found Shaara's prose lackluster: found myself skimming , not worried about missing anything interesting. Less words would have been better.
Even so, it did capture my attention. I picked it up and it kept my attention. Would recommend to anyone interested in American history.
December 7, 2019
Love this series. It talks about the battles that took place during the Civil War west of the Mississippi that didn’t get as much recognition as in the East. In fact this battle took place same time as Gettysburg and the whole town surrounded or they would have starved to death. However you never hear about the battle in Vicksburg. One of the deciding factors for Lincoln making Grant the head of the whole Federal Army. Great book with such vivid detail and human emotion. Can’t wait to read the next in the series.
July 30, 2022
Enjoyable novel that I believe to be historically accurate. Details that were presented that proved to be correct but were not included other nonfiction history of the battle that I have read.
This is a book that presents a fictional approach that puts you into the battle from a variety of perspectives. The most interesting character to me was a resident of the town who lived in the bluffs and took care of the wounded. She provided insight into life on the bluffs and into the results of the federal shelling.
This is a book that presents a fictional approach that puts you into the battle from a variety of perspectives. The most interesting character to me was a resident of the town who lived in the bluffs and took care of the wounded. She provided insight into life on the bluffs and into the results of the federal shelling.
September 9, 2021
This series on the Western Theater gives an important and informative glimpse into both Grant and Sherman - one that is a bit different that offered in other books or maybe just more thorough.
December 26, 2024
I’m not a huge fan of historical fiction, but this was a decent rendition of the Civil War battle and siege of Vicksburg, which we will be visiting in a couple weeks.
June 15, 2013
One hundred fifty years ago this summer there were two major turning points in the two-year old Civil War: Gettysburg and Vicksburg. Gettysburg was fought from July 1-3, 1863 and the siege of Vicksburg ended on Independence Day, July 4, 1863, with the surrender of Confederate forces commanded by Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton.
Both battles were important, perhaps signaling what Winston Churchill called in reference to an event during World War II, "the end of the beginning," but the defeat of Gen. Robert E. Lee by Major Gen. George G. Meade at Gettysburg, Penn. has long gotten more ink than the considerably longer siege of Vicksburg.
One thing I didn't know: John Clifford Pemberton (1814-1881) was a Yankee by birth, a Pennsylvanian married to a Southerner, who cast his fate with the Confederate army, the mirror image of native Virginian Gen. George H. Thomas, "The Rock of Chickamauga" who stayed loyal to the Union side. Pemberton graduated from West Point in 1837 and, like many of the Civil War generals, was a veteran of the Mexican War.
Continuing the series that began with last year's "A Blaze of Glory", the story of Shiloh Jeff Shaara returns to chronicle another chapter in the war that killed or wounded more people than all the other wars fought by Americans, the Civil War.
In "A Chain of Thunder: A Novel of the Siege of Vicksburg" the action shifts to Vicksburg, dubbed the “Gibraltar of the Confederacy” because it controlled navigation on the Mississippi River, most of which was in Yankee hands.
The defeat of the rebels at Vicksburg decided for all time the fate of Major Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, as well as that of Gen. William T. Sherman -- and all but sealed the fate of the rebel cause.
In May 1863, after months of hard and bitter combat, Union troops under the command of Major General Ulysses S. Grant at long last successfully cross the Mississippi River. They force the remnants of Confederate Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton’s army to retreat to Vicksburg, burning the bridges over the Big Black River in its path. In a preview of things to come the next year in Georgia, much of Jackson, Mississippi's capital, was torched.
After sustaining heavy casualties in two failed assaults against the rebels, Union soldiers are losing confidence and morale is low. Grant reluctantly decides to lay siege to the city, trapping soldiers and civilians alike inside an iron ring of Federal entrenchments. Six weeks later, the starving and destitute Southerners finally surrender, yielding command of the Mississippi River to the Union forces on July 4—Independence Day.
As he did in "A Blaze of Glory" and previous books, Shaara masterfully weaves in the stories of civilians, like 19-year-old Lucy Spence of Vicksburg and her friends and young German-American Pvt. Fritz Bauer of Milwaukee, and his fellow soldiers, who were also in "A Blaze of Glory."
If you've read about the static trench warfare of World War I, much of the narrative of "A Chain of Thunder" will remind you of those grim accounts, with the dead stacked up on the battlefield, often for days at a time in the steamy Mississippi summer. The portrayal of the residents of Vicksburg burrowing into the hillsides to escape the shelling are unforgettable.
On one side stand the emerging legend Grant, his irascible second Sherman, and the youthful “grunt” Private Fritz Bauer from Milwaukee, Wis.; on the other, the Confederate commanders Pemberton and Joseph Johnston, as well as nineteen-year-old Lucy Spence, a civilian doing her best to survive in the besieged city.
"A Chain of Thunder" is historical fiction with a sound basis in fact at its best. I recommend it without reservation.
Both battles were important, perhaps signaling what Winston Churchill called in reference to an event during World War II, "the end of the beginning," but the defeat of Gen. Robert E. Lee by Major Gen. George G. Meade at Gettysburg, Penn. has long gotten more ink than the considerably longer siege of Vicksburg.
One thing I didn't know: John Clifford Pemberton (1814-1881) was a Yankee by birth, a Pennsylvanian married to a Southerner, who cast his fate with the Confederate army, the mirror image of native Virginian Gen. George H. Thomas, "The Rock of Chickamauga" who stayed loyal to the Union side. Pemberton graduated from West Point in 1837 and, like many of the Civil War generals, was a veteran of the Mexican War.
Continuing the series that began with last year's "A Blaze of Glory", the story of Shiloh Jeff Shaara returns to chronicle another chapter in the war that killed or wounded more people than all the other wars fought by Americans, the Civil War.
In "A Chain of Thunder: A Novel of the Siege of Vicksburg" the action shifts to Vicksburg, dubbed the “Gibraltar of the Confederacy” because it controlled navigation on the Mississippi River, most of which was in Yankee hands.
The defeat of the rebels at Vicksburg decided for all time the fate of Major Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, as well as that of Gen. William T. Sherman -- and all but sealed the fate of the rebel cause.
In May 1863, after months of hard and bitter combat, Union troops under the command of Major General Ulysses S. Grant at long last successfully cross the Mississippi River. They force the remnants of Confederate Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton’s army to retreat to Vicksburg, burning the bridges over the Big Black River in its path. In a preview of things to come the next year in Georgia, much of Jackson, Mississippi's capital, was torched.
After sustaining heavy casualties in two failed assaults against the rebels, Union soldiers are losing confidence and morale is low. Grant reluctantly decides to lay siege to the city, trapping soldiers and civilians alike inside an iron ring of Federal entrenchments. Six weeks later, the starving and destitute Southerners finally surrender, yielding command of the Mississippi River to the Union forces on July 4—Independence Day.
As he did in "A Blaze of Glory" and previous books, Shaara masterfully weaves in the stories of civilians, like 19-year-old Lucy Spence of Vicksburg and her friends and young German-American Pvt. Fritz Bauer of Milwaukee, and his fellow soldiers, who were also in "A Blaze of Glory."
If you've read about the static trench warfare of World War I, much of the narrative of "A Chain of Thunder" will remind you of those grim accounts, with the dead stacked up on the battlefield, often for days at a time in the steamy Mississippi summer. The portrayal of the residents of Vicksburg burrowing into the hillsides to escape the shelling are unforgettable.
On one side stand the emerging legend Grant, his irascible second Sherman, and the youthful “grunt” Private Fritz Bauer from Milwaukee, Wis.; on the other, the Confederate commanders Pemberton and Joseph Johnston, as well as nineteen-year-old Lucy Spence, a civilian doing her best to survive in the besieged city.
"A Chain of Thunder" is historical fiction with a sound basis in fact at its best. I recommend it without reservation.
December 9, 2014
The first four days of July 1863 were a decisive turning point in the Civil War. Ending with the repulse of Pickett's charge on July 3, the Union won a decisive victory at Gettysburg. Lesser known, but equally decisive in the West, Grant received the surrender of Vicksburg on July 4, opening up the Mississippi as a Union waterway, severing the connection with the western states of the Confederacy.
In this work of historical fiction, the second in his series on the Western Theater in the Civil War, Jeff Shaara chronicles the series of events leading up to this surrender. We learn of Sherman's futile attempt to attack up the Yazoo the previous December. Then Admiral Porter bravely moves Union transports and gunboats past the Vicksburg batteries to be followed by Grant's crossing the Mississippi south of Vicksburg and his movements between Vicksburg and Jackson, occupied by Johnston's troops.
As Grant is on the move, we see the contrast between him and Pemberton, the Confederate general charged by President Davis with holding Vicksburg while ordered by Johnston to move against Grant before Grant takes Jackson. Grant is clearly his own man, despite being dogged by undersecretary Dana and newspaperman Cadwallader. Pemberton is not and only reluctantly moves part of his forces out of Vicksburg and in not enough time to relieve Johnston but in just enough time to lose several battles including that at Champion Hill to Grant, despite the heroic action of some of his generals, especially John Bowen at Champion Hill. Then, instead of taking the chance of joining forces with Johnston, he returns to Vicksburg in a valiant but impossible attempt to defend the city against much superior forces who can wait him out.
The seige of Vicksburg occupies the second half of the book. It begins with two demonstrations of the folly of charges upon entrenched positions, strengthened by Pemberton's engineer, Lockett, something it would take military leaders another fifty years to fully grasp, only in the latter stages of World War I. Thereafter Grant and his generals extend their lines and settle in for a seige that lasts from mid-May until July 4.
How do you tell the story of a two-month wait? Shaara does so by chronicling the role of sharp-shooters, of whom Fritz Bauer, who we met in A Blaze of Glory, is one. He details the effects of repeated artillery bombardments in terms of the destruction of the town, the sheltering of its people in caves, and the scores of shrapnel wounds suffered. This leads to an innovation in a Shaara novel, the introduction of a civilian character, Lucy Spence, a single woman who becomes a volunteer nurse, braving the horrors of a Civil War field hospital with its ghastly wounds, amputations, and dying men. And we see the most deadly result of siege warfare, the creeping starvation that reduces people to trapping rats and squirrels and leads to increasing desertions.
The story concludes with the surrender, negotiated by General Bowen, himself a dying man from dysentery. His previous friendship with Grant and sterling battle record helped overcome both the hard edges of "unconditional surrender" Grant and the pride of Pemberton. Nine days later, he is dead.
Shaara gives us a read that sustains our interest through the seige and helps us glimpse once again the nobility and futility that combine in the horrors of war. And for those who feel most of their knowledge of the Civil War is limited to the Eastern campaigns, this helps us understand the decisive role these Western battles played.
In this work of historical fiction, the second in his series on the Western Theater in the Civil War, Jeff Shaara chronicles the series of events leading up to this surrender. We learn of Sherman's futile attempt to attack up the Yazoo the previous December. Then Admiral Porter bravely moves Union transports and gunboats past the Vicksburg batteries to be followed by Grant's crossing the Mississippi south of Vicksburg and his movements between Vicksburg and Jackson, occupied by Johnston's troops.
As Grant is on the move, we see the contrast between him and Pemberton, the Confederate general charged by President Davis with holding Vicksburg while ordered by Johnston to move against Grant before Grant takes Jackson. Grant is clearly his own man, despite being dogged by undersecretary Dana and newspaperman Cadwallader. Pemberton is not and only reluctantly moves part of his forces out of Vicksburg and in not enough time to relieve Johnston but in just enough time to lose several battles including that at Champion Hill to Grant, despite the heroic action of some of his generals, especially John Bowen at Champion Hill. Then, instead of taking the chance of joining forces with Johnston, he returns to Vicksburg in a valiant but impossible attempt to defend the city against much superior forces who can wait him out.
The seige of Vicksburg occupies the second half of the book. It begins with two demonstrations of the folly of charges upon entrenched positions, strengthened by Pemberton's engineer, Lockett, something it would take military leaders another fifty years to fully grasp, only in the latter stages of World War I. Thereafter Grant and his generals extend their lines and settle in for a seige that lasts from mid-May until July 4.
How do you tell the story of a two-month wait? Shaara does so by chronicling the role of sharp-shooters, of whom Fritz Bauer, who we met in A Blaze of Glory, is one. He details the effects of repeated artillery bombardments in terms of the destruction of the town, the sheltering of its people in caves, and the scores of shrapnel wounds suffered. This leads to an innovation in a Shaara novel, the introduction of a civilian character, Lucy Spence, a single woman who becomes a volunteer nurse, braving the horrors of a Civil War field hospital with its ghastly wounds, amputations, and dying men. And we see the most deadly result of siege warfare, the creeping starvation that reduces people to trapping rats and squirrels and leads to increasing desertions.
The story concludes with the surrender, negotiated by General Bowen, himself a dying man from dysentery. His previous friendship with Grant and sterling battle record helped overcome both the hard edges of "unconditional surrender" Grant and the pride of Pemberton. Nine days later, he is dead.
Shaara gives us a read that sustains our interest through the seige and helps us glimpse once again the nobility and futility that combine in the horrors of war. And for those who feel most of their knowledge of the Civil War is limited to the Eastern campaigns, this helps us understand the decisive role these Western battles played.
November 21, 2018
I liked the Shiloh book, but I liked this one even better. Partly because sieges aren't usually shown in books since they lack the excitement of battles, but this was still exciting in a different way. Pemberton was great as a character because I understood his POV, but my god, him and McClellan are great examples of "This is why you should just stay a pencil pusher. There's no shame in administrative work, yes, there's no glory either, but my god, are you not suited for battle command!" He was just frustrating, yet pitiable. I also liked the new female civilian POV in this book though reading about the rest of her life was just...so sad.
My only complaint would be that I wish there were more Grant POVs. For one thing, I like how Shaara mostly keeps to the fact that Grant was known for being quiet and keeping his emotions hidden, to the point where even Sherman struggles to know what he's thinking sometimes. But that's why I like his POVs, so we, the readers do know what he's thinking. While I knew he didn't like McClernand, I didn't really understand that Grant was looking for an excuse to dismiss him until I read about it on Wikipedia. I knew Grant had plenty of enemies who were looking to get him dismissed/disgraced throughout the Civil War (and I appreciated Shaara keeping the drinking at Vicksburg ambiguous -- smart), but I guess I didn't realize the general had dealt with blatant insubordination. Though the entire episode led to one of my favorite scenes in the book, when Sherman was beyond furious in a meeting with Grant about McClernand:
My only complaint would be that I wish there were more Grant POVs. For one thing, I like how Shaara mostly keeps to the fact that Grant was known for being quiet and keeping his emotions hidden, to the point where even Sherman struggles to know what he's thinking sometimes. But that's why I like his POVs, so we, the readers do know what he's thinking. While I knew he didn't like McClernand, I didn't really understand that Grant was looking for an excuse to dismiss him until I read about it on Wikipedia. I knew Grant had plenty of enemies who were looking to get him dismissed/disgraced throughout the Civil War (and I appreciated Shaara keeping the drinking at Vicksburg ambiguous -- smart), but I guess I didn't realize the general had dealt with blatant insubordination. Though the entire episode led to one of my favorite scenes in the book, when Sherman was beyond furious in a meeting with Grant about McClernand:
"And what will you do? You know very well this is a violation of your own"--Sherman peeked downward, a small scrap of paper pulled from his pocket--"your own Special Order One Hundred Fifty-one."
Grant leaned back.
"So, you came prepared to remind me of my own orders? Well, go ahead. Recite it."
Sherman shoved the paper back into his pocket, thought a moment.
"I admit...I do not recall the precise language. But the point is very clear. It is forbidden for anyone in this command to issue to the public any official letter or report."
July 12, 2016
Story is a powerful tool for teaching history. Shaara, who probably feels he has been pecked half to death by readers who consider themselves experts, says at the outset that he is a fiction writer, and not an academic historian.
Any time a writer starts creating dialogue that cannot be documented, let alone presuming to think out loud for an historical character, his writing becomes fiction. That said, the man knows his subject matter very, very well.
I was surprised that he did not deal more thoroughly with the various dead-ends at which the Union found itself in attempting to capture Vicksburg by sea. Sherman's memoir deals with it in excruciating detail, and in reading it, I felt his pain.
But a good novelist knows better than to wander, and so Shaara embraces the endgame, and the story as he tells it is immensely interesting and engaging.
Though he (as always) jumps from one point of view to another, the voice itself never varies. The voice is always Shaara's. His style is one that Word 7 says is totally ungrammatical, proving once more that it is only once one really masters the English language that one should be allowed to break its rules. His writing style is extremely spare, sometimes using sentence fragments or leaving out conjunctions in order to tighten his prose. It is a style any editor would have to love; there is never a word used that does not have a purpose.
For those who like military history, and especially for those who love reading stories of the American Civil War and appreciate seeing it approached with great fluency but no particular axe to grind, this book--and everything Shaara writes, in my own humble opinion--deserves a place at the top of the to-read list.(less)
Any time a writer starts creating dialogue that cannot be documented, let alone presuming to think out loud for an historical character, his writing becomes fiction. That said, the man knows his subject matter very, very well.
I was surprised that he did not deal more thoroughly with the various dead-ends at which the Union found itself in attempting to capture Vicksburg by sea. Sherman's memoir deals with it in excruciating detail, and in reading it, I felt his pain.
But a good novelist knows better than to wander, and so Shaara embraces the endgame, and the story as he tells it is immensely interesting and engaging.
Though he (as always) jumps from one point of view to another, the voice itself never varies. The voice is always Shaara's. His style is one that Word 7 says is totally ungrammatical, proving once more that it is only once one really masters the English language that one should be allowed to break its rules. His writing style is extremely spare, sometimes using sentence fragments or leaving out conjunctions in order to tighten his prose. It is a style any editor would have to love; there is never a word used that does not have a purpose.
For those who like military history, and especially for those who love reading stories of the American Civil War and appreciate seeing it approached with great fluency but no particular axe to grind, this book--and everything Shaara writes, in my own humble opinion--deserves a place at the top of the to-read list.(less)
April 14, 2019
I purchased this book while I was on a cruise of the Mississippi River. One of our stops was Vicksburg and the National Military Park there. I did not expect the magnitude of the Park. It contained monuments and statues for all the troops at the places they were during the battle, both the Union and the Confederates. There was one hill that was covered by graves. After seeing the site I wanted to learn more about the battle. I chose this book because I did not want to read a dry history, but something that had a little color. I certainly chose the right book. The story was interesting, seeing the battle from both sides and different positions provided me the color I was looking for. The description at the end of what happened to the characters was perfect.
January 5, 2015
Thanks to Jeff Shaara (and first to his father Michael) I know a lot more history than I ever learned in school. As does Bernard Cornwell, he provides well-researched accounts of major battles and theaters of operation. I love the way he balances his narrative here between the soldiers (both the brass and the common soldier) and the civilians to provide a full picture of the effects of war. Dramatic in tone this novel of the siege of Vicksburg--and control of the Mississippi River--provides a sense of first-hand experience. A you-are-there feel. And while it covers generals and other military men we've heard about, if not actually studied in history classes, his warts-and-all approach offers a full picture of the characters, involving us in their thoughts and actions. He also sets the battle in context--it occurred at the same time as the Battle of Gettysburg. A wonderfully involving way to discover history. I also like Paul Michael who has narrated Shaara's recent titles. He's not overly dramatic but he effectively conveys the thoughts and natures of the characters as he lays out the situation.
November 27, 2018
A Chain of Thunder by Jeff Shaara is a historical fiction novel about the battle of Vicksburg. Vicksburg is well fortified and its position on the Mississippi makes it an important target for the Union Army. Grant decides to use a siege to force the surrender of the city after attempts to take the city failed. Capturing the city meant union control of the entire Mississippi making it harder for the Confederacy to fight. The story is told from perspectives on both sides.
This was a great historical fiction novel. Well researched yet still accessible to someone unfamiliar with the subject. I really enjoyed his inclusion of Lucy a Vicksburg civilian to show how the siege and war in general was effecting the people not just the soldiers. Shaara did a good job keeping the book interesting. Sieges aren’t the most exciting military tactic and it would have been easy for the book to become bogged down. This might be my favorite of Shaara’s novels, but I love them all. This is a great book for anyone wanting an enjoyable way to learn a little about the Civil War.
This was a great historical fiction novel. Well researched yet still accessible to someone unfamiliar with the subject. I really enjoyed his inclusion of Lucy a Vicksburg civilian to show how the siege and war in general was effecting the people not just the soldiers. Shaara did a good job keeping the book interesting. Sieges aren’t the most exciting military tactic and it would have been easy for the book to become bogged down. This might be my favorite of Shaara’s novels, but I love them all. This is a great book for anyone wanting an enjoyable way to learn a little about the Civil War.
June 17, 2013
By the time news of Grant's capture of Vicksburg, Mississippi reached the major cities of the east coast, the Union was basking in the victory of Gettysburg a few days earlier and Vicksburg became something of an afterthought in the popular mind. In the spring of 1863, Union forces had captured most of the Mississippi River waterway, except the area near Vicksburg. Following several stagnated attempts at capturing the city, Grant and his generals (including Sherman) settled in for a long siege that eventually starved the city and Confederate forces into surrender.
As usual, Jeff Shaara alternates "voices" with each chapter alternating the viewpoints of several individuals from both sides. This is his second book of a planned trilogy chronicling the Civil War in "the west", and while Shaara never fails to impart the lesson that war is hell , he certainly makes the story -- and the continued rise of Ulysses S. Grant's military career -- fascinating.
As usual, Jeff Shaara alternates "voices" with each chapter alternating the viewpoints of several individuals from both sides. This is his second book of a planned trilogy chronicling the Civil War in "the west", and while Shaara never fails to impart the lesson that war is hell , he certainly makes the story -- and the continued rise of Ulysses S. Grant's military career -- fascinating.
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