Unto This Hour

by Tom Wicker

A fictional account of the August, 1862, Civil War battle of Second Manassas--or Second Bull Run--interweaves the lives of the famous and the ordinary in a drama of death, victory, survival, and defeat

Genres: Historical Fiction, Civil War, Fiction, American Civil War

642 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Also wrote under the pseudonym Paul Connolly.

Thomas Grey Wicker’s respected talent as a journalist took him from his origins in Hamlet, North Carolina, to The New York Times. There he served as associate editor, former Washington bureau chief, as well as the author of the famous op-ed column “In the Nation” for thirty years. He was the author of a considerable number of acclaimed fiction and non-fiction books as well. Wicker earned his journalism degree from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill in 1948, and at first wrote for papers in Aberdeen and Lumberton. He wrote for the Winston-Salem Journal for eight years and The Nashville Tennessean for two years before heading up to the Times, where he eventually retired in 1991. Wicker’s famous report on the assassination of President Kennedy, written from the perspective of the motorcade following the president, has been praised as the most accurate firsthand account of the shooting.

Reviews

[Bob H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A forgotten but splendid novel about the American Civil War, specifically, about the Second Battle of Bull Run. It's as true-to-history as Michael Shaara's celebrated The Killer Angels, but in this novel the characters tend to be more lower-ranking, including civilians caught up in the violence. No great depiction of command decision but the kind of confused, chaotic, narrow-vision focus that the lower commanders, common soldiers, and bystanders would experience. Wicker manages to work the fears, romantic feelings, even a gay subplot into a vast tapestry. It was a terrible and somewhat pointless battle but this story does convey the chaos and seismic confusion of it all. A classic.

[Stephanie Pieck · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a long book with lots of characters. The plot covers a complex battle during a five-day period in August 1862 from multiple points of view. The writing was smooth and the details were vivid. However, I found the shifts between storylines a bit confusing. Perhaps this was because I listened to the book in an audio format. I'm sure there were indications in the print version other than chapter headings to tell a reader when these shifts occurred.
Even so, the book is a solid contribution to that valuable genre that exposes the human side of historical events. Another strength of the book was the author's ability to write from both sides of the Civil War conflict with equal respect. During the conflict, both sides believed fervently that they were right, and both sides fought to defend that rightness. This is a viewpoint we would do well to keep in mind during our current times of bitter contentions, when just about anything can be turned into a firestorm that soon obscures the original idea as the flaming arrows go back and forth between the opposing camps.

[Sonny R · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this fictionalized account of the Second Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) a fascinating read. It’s told through the perspectives of a host of characters—male and female, elite and (mostly) commoner, Union and Confederate—and is clearly well researched and faithful to the facts of the battle.

If you’re interested in Civil War history, you’ll find this book puts you in the front row of this battle—and the varying perspectives and thoughts of the many characters makes you feel as if you lived through it yourself. Wicker cleverly shifts into key characters’ thoughts and perspectives as he weaves their respective roles and lives together as the few days of battle unfolds.

My knocks are that the cast of characters gets a bit unwieldy—and it would have been handy to have a glossary/index of the main characters for reference while reading (you might want to jot some notes in the early going!). Also, Wicker takes a few too many sidebars into sexual thoughts/actions of numerous characters—most of which are unnecessary and distract from the key story he was telling. I suppose that may be an artifact of the 1980 publishing date and the “need” at the time to include so-called adult material…?

If you enjoy Civil War history, I heartily endorse.

[Sharon Coles · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very thorough account of five days known as the second Bull Run during the American Civil war. If you like exceptionally detailed war novels then you’re in for a treat. For me, this was heavy going with to many characters to keep track of and to much repetitive detail that caused the story to drag. Sadly in this instance, fact far outweighed fiction. I didn’t really connect with any of the characters as their individual stories were lost in the heavy account of each minute detail. I absolutely learned everything and more about this battle bare the bullet numbers but, nothing regarding the story I was hoping for. However, it is very clear Tom Wicks, is a very knowledgeable man who can write a fluid historical account of important events that changed the course of American history.

[Nancy Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This excellent book tells the story of the Second Battle of Manassas from August 28-30, 1862, from numerous viewpoints on both sides, military and civilian, including photographers, journalists, foreign observers, railroad men, even a small portion featuring Lincoln in the Washington telegraph office. But mainly this is the story of the men involved in this conflict, senior and junior officers, their staff, a variety of types of soldiers with their dreams and personalities, and a variety of people living in the area and just trying to survive. The reader can't help but feel their experiences as the battle wages, leaving us at the last chapter with speechless awe and a deep sadness.

[Derek Fields · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great historical narrative of Second Bull Run as seen through the eyes of several different people throughout the conflict. An intriguing and fast paced read.

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting! Well worth the read. Recommended.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unto This Hour is a fictional account of the August, 1862, battle known as the Second Bull Run - or Second Manassas - that interweaves the lives of the famous and the ordinary in a drama of death, victory, survival, and finally defeat. Against the vivid backdrop of the actual battle are several subplots that explores the feelings, thoughts, and actions taken by people directly and indirectly affected by the war. Stories of ineptitude, a general's need to prove himself, a reluctant cavalry officer that finds love, a girl trying to escape the only life shes known, the life and death decisions and actions of front-line soldiers, a southern lady's struggle to keep control of large plantation full of slaves, one man's desire to capture the terrible destruction of war, and one newspaper man's reckless drive to get the story, even the exploration of forbidden love; the joy of victory, and the agony of defeat.

Did I mention there are a lot of subplots. At first with all the characters and story lines it's hard not to get lost in confusion, but each story line is compelling and worthy of consideration. The vivid accounts of battle and surgery reminds drives this novel forward and foreshadows the death and destruction that would be brought on the characters in the novels final chapters.

I thought the novel was well researched and Wicker managed to mix fact with fiction effectively. The only real drawback for me was the way Wicker used truncated and misspelled dialogue to show the poor southerns and slaves appear ignorant and uneducated. Even their internal thoughts were written in this 'southern' dialect. Since most of the characters are southerns it almost drives you to the point of distraction. Otherwise, Wicker's writing is clear and concise, making the individual stories flow smoothly into one complete narrative.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very long epic civil war novel. I had to keep a list of the rebel and northern armies because there was so many characters in the novel it was hard to keep them straight. Interesting novel but the author was very detail orientated in describing how the battle unfolded--got a bit confusing at times-- and no character that the reader may have connected with survives.

[Riley Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very engaging historical novel. I read this 20 years ago, so my recollection is sketchy, but I do recall enjoying it quite a lot as an interesting story and an easy way to learn about the second battle of Bull Run.

[Salsadancer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Civil War novel about Stonewall Jackson's march around Pope and subsequent battle of Second Manassas. Accurate and beautifully written.

[Hernando · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story for Civil War buffs, but it can be enjoyed by anyone.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine novel of the Civil War. I have a first edition. To bad it's lost and out of print. Pick it up if you can find it.

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wicker's outstanding novel about the Battle of Second Manassas captures the strategy and the day-to-day operations of the battle. And it is a GREAT read!