Lincoln and the Tools of War

by Robert V. Bruce

Bruce chronicles President Lincoln's struggle against bureaucratic red tape and his dealings with the colorful parade of inventors, ordnance experts, bureaucrats, military officers, and lobbyists who heralded a new era in warfare.
Foreward by Benjamin P. Thomas

Genres: History, Civil War, American History, Civil War History, American Civil War

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Robert Vance Bruce was an American historian specializing in the American Civil War. After serving in the Army during World War II, Bruce graduated from the University of New Hampshire, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering. He received his Master of Arts in history and his Doctor of Philosophy from Boston University, where he was later a professor. He also taught at the University of Bridgeport, Lawrence Academy at Groton, and the University of Wisconsin.

Reviews

[Greg Schroeder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Bruce, through mostly vignettes of the interactions between President Lincoln, the military officers responsible for testing and purchasing new weapons, and the inventors and backers of the many schemes for new weapons weaves a fascinating story. The President, with an open mind and a Let's Try attitude, the inventors mostly earnest and patriotic though often "odd", the backers many painted as unscrupulous, and the military who ran the gamut from progressives to stalwart conservative who would have used the weapons of their fathers if given the chance.

Bruce shows that the time was one of immense technological advancement. Among the many "modern" weapons getting a first look were the machine gun, the breechloading rifle, the rifled cannon, the submarine, and the torpedo. Lincoln had two notable successes in his dealings with the Ordnance chiefs - the introduction of the machine gun and the acceptance of breechloading rifles. He pushed many weapons which ended dubiously and the machine gun that was ordered, the Coffee Mill Gun, did poorly in the field but it lead to the much-improved Gatling gun which faced none of the largest hurdles to service acceptance.

The author introduces enough background on each of the characters to give the reader a good grounding of the events then related in the vignette. He also makes sure to complete each story so that the reader is left satisfied that each small story is complete.

While not a book about the great decisions of Lincoln, the battles, or the campaigns and generals, this is a fascinating look at the technological and bureaucratic end of warmaking, at a time of rapid technological advance. It paints a side of Lincoln, the mechanic, the tinkerer, not often seen.

Recommended!

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Finally finished this sucker. It took me several months and only on a plane ride where I skimmed it did I finish. Too many names, too many details and no consistent story line made it a very dated and tough read. In Lauren Hillenbrand's hands, I believe that this book could have been a bestseller because it has enough interesting content to be so. I did find it troublesome that the war could have been over so much sooner with a different ordinance officer to stay nothing of the generals...

[Hartley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really the best book I read about the workings in Washington during the war and Lincoln's involvement. Here in my little town, we contracted to make Springfield 1861. The owners of the factory fleeced the government until Cameron was thrown out.

[Florrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine read. Jocularly told yet packed with information. I probably won't remember a single detail, but no matter. I got the gist well enough.