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The Civil War #2
First Blood: Fort Sumter to Bull Run
Looks at the initial campaigns of the Civil War
176 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1983
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91 people want to read
About the author
William C. Davis
318 books94 followersCurrently professor of history at Virginia Tech, William C. Davis has written over fifty books, most about the American Civil War. He has won the Jefferson Davis Prize for southern history three times, the Jules F. Landry Award for Southern history once, and has been twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.
For several years, he was the editor of the magazine Civil War Times Illustrated. He has also served as a consultant on the A&E television series Civil War Journal.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
For several years, he was the editor of the magazine Civil War Times Illustrated. He has also served as a consultant on the A&E television series Civil War Journal.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 2, 2021
This is the second book in the Time-Life Civil War series. I felt this one went a little more in-depth in comparison to the first book Brother Against Brother. This one starts in the aftermath of Ft. Sumter and concludes with Bull Run. I liked the photographic segments about weapons (sabers, muskets/rifles, and six-shooters) and the different soldiers.
Additionally this book featured colored maps and many more photographs and colored paintings. As with the first book it was short and informative without overloading the reader with details. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested
in the American Civil War. Thanks!
Additionally this book featured colored maps and many more photographs and colored paintings. As with the first book it was short and informative without overloading the reader with details. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested
in the American Civil War. Thanks!
May 4, 2018
It cannot be overstated just how unprepared both sides were, materially, physically, psychologically, for the war that fell upon them in the late spring of 1861. In this the second volume of Time Life's magnum opus: The Civil War, William C. Davis does yet another excellent job of concisely narrating the opening phases of the war.
Both sides were convinced it would be an easy, short fight, and both sides eagerly volunteered in droves to join the freshly raised volunteer units.
As Davis points out, the North had the strategic advantage in terms of initiative. The North could call the shots, decide where and how to invade the Confederacy, and when. The North had far and away a stronger economic and logistical base, and had access to technology the South could only procure from Europe. And even then it would have to evade the US Navy's coastal blockade.
However, the South had the advantage of a more youthful, and energetic, officer corps, had a massive territory (larger than continental Europe) with which to maneuver in, and ironically, her dearth of extraneous logistics meant that her smaller field armies could move more rapidly, and retain superior operational and strategic mobility, over and above that of her heavier Federal opponents. And being the defender, her men, wether linked to slavery and secession directly or not, would fight like tigers for their homeland against an invading force.
By June of 1861 the time of mustering came to a close and the Federal forces on the Confederate periphery began to advance inland.
Davis narrates the small scale encounter at Big Bethel on the Virginia Peninsula, a rebuke to Federal forces that did much to toughen Rebel resolve, as well as alert the Yankees to the difficulties of operating in the region. Lessons that were learned and used to hone later, grander, moves on the same ground some months later.
He also takes us to West Virginia, an area of Virginia predominantly populated by poor, rural whites who resented the plantation class of the Tidewater and who were prone to support Union interests. A young general by the name of George McClellan waged an energetic and successful campaign to conquer the region held by disorganized, and poorly led, Rebel forces. Nipping off West Virginia threatened the vital Shenandoah Valley, the Virginia rail networks radiating outwards from Charlottesville and Lynchburg, and strategically outflanked a schizophrenic Kentucky who wanted to support both sides, had a conniption, and declared neutrality.
It also put a young McClellan on the national map. Much more heard from him later.
However, the main event was the Federal army advancing south from Washington. Aimed at striking the main Confederate concentration at Manassas, this Union force of some 36,000 men, the largest force yet assembled in North America (soon to be dwarfed by other armies as the war progressed) marched cautiously towards the waiting Rebels.
On 21 July, 1861, the Battle of Manassas/Bull Run ended in a resounding Southern triumph, shocked both sides to it's gruesome casualties (2,000 Rebel, 3,000 Yankee), and forced a change of command in the Federal armies that would alter the strategic direction of the war.
Overall this is a very good volume of this beautiful set. It can easily stand on its own read separately and serves as a very fine primer to the opening of hostilities in the Eastern Theater of the War Between the States.
Both sides were convinced it would be an easy, short fight, and both sides eagerly volunteered in droves to join the freshly raised volunteer units.
As Davis points out, the North had the strategic advantage in terms of initiative. The North could call the shots, decide where and how to invade the Confederacy, and when. The North had far and away a stronger economic and logistical base, and had access to technology the South could only procure from Europe. And even then it would have to evade the US Navy's coastal blockade.
However, the South had the advantage of a more youthful, and energetic, officer corps, had a massive territory (larger than continental Europe) with which to maneuver in, and ironically, her dearth of extraneous logistics meant that her smaller field armies could move more rapidly, and retain superior operational and strategic mobility, over and above that of her heavier Federal opponents. And being the defender, her men, wether linked to slavery and secession directly or not, would fight like tigers for their homeland against an invading force.
By June of 1861 the time of mustering came to a close and the Federal forces on the Confederate periphery began to advance inland.
Davis narrates the small scale encounter at Big Bethel on the Virginia Peninsula, a rebuke to Federal forces that did much to toughen Rebel resolve, as well as alert the Yankees to the difficulties of operating in the region. Lessons that were learned and used to hone later, grander, moves on the same ground some months later.
He also takes us to West Virginia, an area of Virginia predominantly populated by poor, rural whites who resented the plantation class of the Tidewater and who were prone to support Union interests. A young general by the name of George McClellan waged an energetic and successful campaign to conquer the region held by disorganized, and poorly led, Rebel forces. Nipping off West Virginia threatened the vital Shenandoah Valley, the Virginia rail networks radiating outwards from Charlottesville and Lynchburg, and strategically outflanked a schizophrenic Kentucky who wanted to support both sides, had a conniption, and declared neutrality.
It also put a young McClellan on the national map. Much more heard from him later.
However, the main event was the Federal army advancing south from Washington. Aimed at striking the main Confederate concentration at Manassas, this Union force of some 36,000 men, the largest force yet assembled in North America (soon to be dwarfed by other armies as the war progressed) marched cautiously towards the waiting Rebels.
On 21 July, 1861, the Battle of Manassas/Bull Run ended in a resounding Southern triumph, shocked both sides to it's gruesome casualties (2,000 Rebel, 3,000 Yankee), and forced a change of command in the Federal armies that would alter the strategic direction of the war.
Overall this is a very good volume of this beautiful set. It can easily stand on its own read separately and serves as a very fine primer to the opening of hostilities in the Eastern Theater of the War Between the States.
February 15, 2019
The second book in the Time–Life Civil War series, First Blood: Fort Sumter to Bull takes the war from eager anticipation to the reality of “seeing the elephant.”
Seeing the elephant was a common term in the early days of circuses—it was one thing to read about elephants, see pictures of elephants; it was quite another to actually see a real elephant. And so it was with this war. It was one thing to talk about; to be braggadocios, to don colorful uniforms, to parade in hometowns—it was quite another to face the enemy’s artillery and infantry fire on hot July days on a Virginia battlefield.
Federal (Union) General Irwin McDowell has been the scapegoat of the battle of First Bull Run for years and years. In truth, there is plenty of blame to go around. “Years later even the critical (William Tecumseh) Sherman, by then the United States commanding general, would credit (Irwin) McDowell with ‘one of the best–planned battles of the War.’ The Federal forces lost, said Sherman, because it was also ‘one of the worst–fought.’” 1
This is also a book about command. At the outset of the war, the pool of capable commanders was shallow. No one, not even the hero of the Mexican War, Winfield Scott, had commanded troops in the numbers that would soon need to be lead. The Federal situation was particularly dire, as the majority of the most capable leaders joined the Confederacy. Urgency prevailed over preparation and so the war began before anyone was ready. When McDowell protested that his troops were too green, President Abraham Lincoln replied, “You are green it is true, but they are green also; you are all green alike.” 2
After the debacle of First Bull Run, it was clear that General Irwin McDowell would not be that leader. Lincoln and Scott looked west to General George McClellan, who had some early successes in what would become West Virginia. McClellan did have success and his opponent for part of the campaign was none other than famed Robert E. Lee—but the hesitancy that would later plague McClellan was there.
Overall, this continues the fine writing and expertise of this series. Three down, twenty-five to go.
________________________
1 First Blood: Fort Sumter to Bull Run, p. 155
2 the authors mistakenly attribute this quote to Winfield Scott, but T. Harry Williams, author of Lincoln and His Generals and other historians rightly attribute it to Lincoln.
Seeing the elephant was a common term in the early days of circuses—it was one thing to read about elephants, see pictures of elephants; it was quite another to actually see a real elephant. And so it was with this war. It was one thing to talk about; to be braggadocios, to don colorful uniforms, to parade in hometowns—it was quite another to face the enemy’s artillery and infantry fire on hot July days on a Virginia battlefield.
Federal (Union) General Irwin McDowell has been the scapegoat of the battle of First Bull Run for years and years. In truth, there is plenty of blame to go around. “Years later even the critical (William Tecumseh) Sherman, by then the United States commanding general, would credit (Irwin) McDowell with ‘one of the best–planned battles of the War.’ The Federal forces lost, said Sherman, because it was also ‘one of the worst–fought.’” 1
This is also a book about command. At the outset of the war, the pool of capable commanders was shallow. No one, not even the hero of the Mexican War, Winfield Scott, had commanded troops in the numbers that would soon need to be lead. The Federal situation was particularly dire, as the majority of the most capable leaders joined the Confederacy. Urgency prevailed over preparation and so the war began before anyone was ready. When McDowell protested that his troops were too green, President Abraham Lincoln replied, “You are green it is true, but they are green also; you are all green alike.” 2
After the debacle of First Bull Run, it was clear that General Irwin McDowell would not be that leader. Lincoln and Scott looked west to General George McClellan, who had some early successes in what would become West Virginia. McClellan did have success and his opponent for part of the campaign was none other than famed Robert E. Lee—but the hesitancy that would later plague McClellan was there.
Overall, this continues the fine writing and expertise of this series. Three down, twenty-five to go.
________________________
1 First Blood: Fort Sumter to Bull Run, p. 155
2 the authors mistakenly attribute this quote to Winfield Scott, but T. Harry Williams, author of Lincoln and His Generals and other historians rightly attribute it to Lincoln.
May 28, 2024
I think Time-Life's Civil War series was meant (it came out 1980s-87) to be a layman's look at the Civil War (War Between the States, Late Unpleasantness, War of the Rebellion, whatever you'd like). This one, second in the series starts with Ft. Sumter having fallen and goes through the battle of Bull Run. In six chapters and 176 pages, the author covers the initial reactions (both sides) to the conflict's opening, (politico Ben Butler looks good here), the basics of soldiering (infantry, cavalry, artillery), action in West Virginia and on "the Peninsula" of Virginia (Butler not so good), and the approach to and fighting at Bull Run. As the saying goes..."lavishly illustrated." Author Davis' book, Battle at Bull Run, came out two years before this, so I wouldn't be surprised he wrote this purely from memory. This, and others in the series written by him and others, provide a nice introduction, but I don't know whether they're easily (or inexpensively) available other than from used book outlets or Amazon.
January 30, 2015
William C. Davis wrote this second volume in the seminal Time Life Civil War series and he, again, did a very good job. Much of this material is covered, slightly more in depth, in his work 'Battle at Bull Run', but as part of a set, this is a decent book in its own right.
Following the surrender of Fort Sumter the nation, now divided, jubilantly went to war with itself. It is ironic that President Davis, in his inaugural address, affirmed a sentiment he had shared in his farewell address on the US Senate floor-that all the South wanted was to be left alone and to live in peace with the North, but as a separate nation. Most in the North, prior to Fort Sumter, were more than willing to allow such an even to occur. The guns that pounded the fort, however, assured this would be but a fading dream.
Lincoln's call for 75,000 volunteers of state militias to quell this rebellion only made up the minds of the fence sitters of Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia to join the Confederacy and leave the Union. Both Missouri and Maryland tried to do the same, both would be swiftly occupied by Federal forces and their pro Southern politicians weeded out from the pro Union ones and a form of martial law imposed for the rest of the war. Kentucky, showcasing incredible naivety, would declare neutrality, and it would be broken within days of proclamation. (Both Missouri and Kentucky are covered in the next volume.)
The events of the opening stages of the war would establish patterns that would hold true for the rest of the war.
First off, the North would have to bear the onus of invasion and occupation. This would mean that, at the point of contact, Southern forces could, usually, achieve almost parity in numbers with Federal forces as the Union armies had to deposit garrisons along their routes of march. The Souths far more capable mobile arm, the cavalry, which would spend most of the war dominating its Northern foe, would terrorize these isolated garrisons in deep raids that would become the bane of all Federal commanders. Many of these poor young boys in blue would spend much of their war in Southern prisoner of war camps, as the Confederate cavalry, and guerrillas, would often pick these garrisons off, almost at will, confounding front commanders.
Northern soldiers would be operating in almost universally hostile territory, sapping morale, while rebels would, no matter their home states, be welcomed as saviors by the local populace.
And when it came to battle itself, the fighting would establish a clear pattern that would mean dreadful things for the future of the young, now divided nation.
Both armies were led by men of at least rudimentary prior training. (Political generals would plague both sides, especially the North as a slew of Democrats turned generals would only add to lengthy Union death tolls) This meant that, only rarely, would one commander be genuinely head and shoulders above the other. The opposing armies, even counting the disparity in terms of the Souths inability to as lavishly equip their armies as the North, would be roughly equal in all things statistical. Though often the advantage of fighting for home and hearth would give the rebels a spiritual edge and, at times, a psychological advantage over their Yankee counterparts.
Also, even if the North won a battle, they were very rarely decisive. A 'victory' would often mean a higher casualties toll than the rebel losers, and all that would be gained would be meaningless ground, with little in the way of genuine strategic advantage as, time and time again, the South would showcase an amazing elasticity in its ability to function with little in the way of vital logistical centers. Then again Union commanders, and modern historians, overrate the importance of locations and territory and discount the importance, both physical and spiritual, to a nation of a standing army. The rebel armies were always the key, not ground won or lost. On the flip side, the South, with far less resources of all kinds, especially human, would be forced to defend everything. Despite the wishes of some armchair, or professional, strategists, the South could not politically afford to surrender ground for time, as all territory was politically viable to the young nation. This meant that, very often, Southern armies would be asked to bleed for less than strategic ground. And as the war would be one of attrition, this was simply a non starter for the Confederacy. But they had to play the hands fate dealt them.
Davis' addition to the Time Life series is a wonderful, short, book. Good as a primer on the early stages of the war and as a quick look at the Battle of Bull Run.
Though short, it is not without merit or value. One scene in particular, is indicative of good historical writing.
During the Battle of Bull Run/Manassas, Rebel sharpshooters may, or may not, have been hiding in the Judith Henry House. A Federal battery was turned on the house and one shell explodes in the poor widows bedroom, blowing one of her feet off. As Federal troops race past the smoking structure, on their way to engage Stonewall's men on Henry House Hill, the widow Henry's son, sheltering outside, is hysterical with grief, constantly screaming 'They killed my Mother! They killed my Mother!'
Such is the quality of this book that it can paint such a moving word picture.
Part of a long series, also recommended as a standalone.
Following the surrender of Fort Sumter the nation, now divided, jubilantly went to war with itself. It is ironic that President Davis, in his inaugural address, affirmed a sentiment he had shared in his farewell address on the US Senate floor-that all the South wanted was to be left alone and to live in peace with the North, but as a separate nation. Most in the North, prior to Fort Sumter, were more than willing to allow such an even to occur. The guns that pounded the fort, however, assured this would be but a fading dream.
Lincoln's call for 75,000 volunteers of state militias to quell this rebellion only made up the minds of the fence sitters of Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia to join the Confederacy and leave the Union. Both Missouri and Maryland tried to do the same, both would be swiftly occupied by Federal forces and their pro Southern politicians weeded out from the pro Union ones and a form of martial law imposed for the rest of the war. Kentucky, showcasing incredible naivety, would declare neutrality, and it would be broken within days of proclamation. (Both Missouri and Kentucky are covered in the next volume.)
The events of the opening stages of the war would establish patterns that would hold true for the rest of the war.
First off, the North would have to bear the onus of invasion and occupation. This would mean that, at the point of contact, Southern forces could, usually, achieve almost parity in numbers with Federal forces as the Union armies had to deposit garrisons along their routes of march. The Souths far more capable mobile arm, the cavalry, which would spend most of the war dominating its Northern foe, would terrorize these isolated garrisons in deep raids that would become the bane of all Federal commanders. Many of these poor young boys in blue would spend much of their war in Southern prisoner of war camps, as the Confederate cavalry, and guerrillas, would often pick these garrisons off, almost at will, confounding front commanders.
Northern soldiers would be operating in almost universally hostile territory, sapping morale, while rebels would, no matter their home states, be welcomed as saviors by the local populace.
And when it came to battle itself, the fighting would establish a clear pattern that would mean dreadful things for the future of the young, now divided nation.
Both armies were led by men of at least rudimentary prior training. (Political generals would plague both sides, especially the North as a slew of Democrats turned generals would only add to lengthy Union death tolls) This meant that, only rarely, would one commander be genuinely head and shoulders above the other. The opposing armies, even counting the disparity in terms of the Souths inability to as lavishly equip their armies as the North, would be roughly equal in all things statistical. Though often the advantage of fighting for home and hearth would give the rebels a spiritual edge and, at times, a psychological advantage over their Yankee counterparts.
Also, even if the North won a battle, they were very rarely decisive. A 'victory' would often mean a higher casualties toll than the rebel losers, and all that would be gained would be meaningless ground, with little in the way of genuine strategic advantage as, time and time again, the South would showcase an amazing elasticity in its ability to function with little in the way of vital logistical centers. Then again Union commanders, and modern historians, overrate the importance of locations and territory and discount the importance, both physical and spiritual, to a nation of a standing army. The rebel armies were always the key, not ground won or lost. On the flip side, the South, with far less resources of all kinds, especially human, would be forced to defend everything. Despite the wishes of some armchair, or professional, strategists, the South could not politically afford to surrender ground for time, as all territory was politically viable to the young nation. This meant that, very often, Southern armies would be asked to bleed for less than strategic ground. And as the war would be one of attrition, this was simply a non starter for the Confederacy. But they had to play the hands fate dealt them.
Davis' addition to the Time Life series is a wonderful, short, book. Good as a primer on the early stages of the war and as a quick look at the Battle of Bull Run.
Though short, it is not without merit or value. One scene in particular, is indicative of good historical writing.
During the Battle of Bull Run/Manassas, Rebel sharpshooters may, or may not, have been hiding in the Judith Henry House. A Federal battery was turned on the house and one shell explodes in the poor widows bedroom, blowing one of her feet off. As Federal troops race past the smoking structure, on their way to engage Stonewall's men on Henry House Hill, the widow Henry's son, sheltering outside, is hysterical with grief, constantly screaming 'They killed my Mother! They killed my Mother!'
Such is the quality of this book that it can paint such a moving word picture.
Part of a long series, also recommended as a standalone.
August 25, 2017
Stop whining about "history being erased" when a statue is moved. Read a history book!
February 6, 2025
Highly recommend this book on the early days of the Civil War leading up to First Bull Run.
August 29, 2011
The second volume in the Civil War series published by Time-Life Books in the 1980s, this book takes the readers from the aftermath of Fort Sumter through the messy first large-scale battle of the war at Bull Run. It provides a great amount of detail about the battle, and the pictures, drawings, writings and maps from the period add great realism to the history.
September 27, 2018
Pretty good overview of the first few months of the war in Virginia but also extremely brief, without a lot of detail. The maps for First Bull Run/Manassas were good but the maps for Big Bethal and Blackburn's Ford were contemporary sketches which didn't help with understanding what went on during the battles.
February 20, 2024
Excellent history of the Battle of Bull Run enhanced with maps and illustrations.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews