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Rising in Flames: Sherman's March and the Fight for a New Nation
A New York Times bestselling historian sheds new light on Sherman’s epic “March to the Sea,” especially the soldiers, doctors, nurses, and civilians who would change the nation for the better.
America in the antebellum years was a deeply troubled country, divided by partisan gridlock and ideological warfare, angry voices in the streets and the statehouses, furious clashes over race and immigration, and a growing chasm between immense wealth and desperate poverty.
The Civil War that followed brought America to the brink of self-destruction. But it also created a new country from the ruins of the old one—bolder and stronger than ever. No event in the war was more destructive, or more important, than William Sherman’s legendary march through Georgia—crippling the heart of the South’s economy, freeing thousands of slaves, and marking the beginning of a new era.
This invasion not only quelled the Confederate forces, but transformed America, forcing it to reckon with a century of injustice. Dickey reveals the story of women actively involved in the military campaign and later, in civilian net- works. African Americans took active roles as soldiers, builders, and activists. Rich with despair and hope, brutality and compassion, Rising in Flames tells the dramatic story of the Union’s invasion of the Confederacy, and how this colossal struggle helped create a new nation from the embers of the Old South.
America in the antebellum years was a deeply troubled country, divided by partisan gridlock and ideological warfare, angry voices in the streets and the statehouses, furious clashes over race and immigration, and a growing chasm between immense wealth and desperate poverty.
The Civil War that followed brought America to the brink of self-destruction. But it also created a new country from the ruins of the old one—bolder and stronger than ever. No event in the war was more destructive, or more important, than William Sherman’s legendary march through Georgia—crippling the heart of the South’s economy, freeing thousands of slaves, and marking the beginning of a new era.
This invasion not only quelled the Confederate forces, but transformed America, forcing it to reckon with a century of injustice. Dickey reveals the story of women actively involved in the military campaign and later, in civilian net- works. African Americans took active roles as soldiers, builders, and activists. Rich with despair and hope, brutality and compassion, Rising in Flames tells the dramatic story of the Union’s invasion of the Confederacy, and how this colossal struggle helped create a new nation from the embers of the Old South.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published June 5, 2018
36 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 19, 2021
This was a well-written book; I learned quite a bit and enjoyed it, but it would have been even better had the author not fallen back on ham-fisted tropes. Anything that smacked of tradition--in Dickey's reading--is bad and needed to be destroyed. So the Federal armies are not so much armies of Union but armies of liberal modernity. A good read, but intellectually a bit silly at times.
February 28, 2021
A well written, if poorly structured almost-history of Sherman's March to the Sea.
I began to suspect something was amiss in this 2018 work that purported to be about Sherman's March as told by the people who made it when I was about halfway through and we were BARELY to Atlanta.
Instead of a ground view of the march, we got a far too in depth history of the Chicago chapter of the Sanitation Commission, and overlong mini biographies of one of Sherman's occasional commanders; women involved in the Sanitation Commission; a young runaway slave that accompanies the March, and a fighting reverend who abhorred slavery.
Dickey certainly writes well and these stories, told from an almost POV type structure, on their own make this more a historical novel than a history. That's fine, but assuredly not what the book was advertised to be.
After an interminable delay, we finally get to the March itself but very little new ground is trod and it becomes a fairly standard recounting of troop movements, burned supplies, and political reaction to same. Dickey spends so much time both before and AFTER the March that it almost feels like an afterthought.
I was hoping for a "Billy Yank" deep dive into the personal accounts of Sherman's Bummers. Instead I got an occasionally melodramatic historical drama. Meh.
I began to suspect something was amiss in this 2018 work that purported to be about Sherman's March as told by the people who made it when I was about halfway through and we were BARELY to Atlanta.
Instead of a ground view of the march, we got a far too in depth history of the Chicago chapter of the Sanitation Commission, and overlong mini biographies of one of Sherman's occasional commanders; women involved in the Sanitation Commission; a young runaway slave that accompanies the March, and a fighting reverend who abhorred slavery.
Dickey certainly writes well and these stories, told from an almost POV type structure, on their own make this more a historical novel than a history. That's fine, but assuredly not what the book was advertised to be.
After an interminable delay, we finally get to the March itself but very little new ground is trod and it becomes a fairly standard recounting of troop movements, burned supplies, and political reaction to same. Dickey spends so much time both before and AFTER the March that it almost feels like an afterthought.
I was hoping for a "Billy Yank" deep dive into the personal accounts of Sherman's Bummers. Instead I got an occasionally melodramatic historical drama. Meh.
March 4, 2019
A readable and well-researched history of Sherman’s march.
Dickey focuses a lot on the people involved, and shows how their experience affected them, and in some cases didn’t. He looks at Sherman’s vision of warfare, and how it was implemented, noting how original it was and how it served as a catalyst for change. He also covers the experience of soldiers’ families and of African-Americans, as well as Sherman’s racism and contributions to postwar policies towards blacks.
The narrative is vivid, and his rendition of the people is colorful. Dickey seems obsessed with John Logan for some reason, though, and there is little coverage of what made Sherman so successful (logistics, intelligence, adaptability, etc.)
A fast-paced, well-written work.
Dickey focuses a lot on the people involved, and shows how their experience affected them, and in some cases didn’t. He looks at Sherman’s vision of warfare, and how it was implemented, noting how original it was and how it served as a catalyst for change. He also covers the experience of soldiers’ families and of African-Americans, as well as Sherman’s racism and contributions to postwar policies towards blacks.
The narrative is vivid, and his rendition of the people is colorful. Dickey seems obsessed with John Logan for some reason, though, and there is little coverage of what made Sherman so successful (logistics, intelligence, adaptability, etc.)
A fast-paced, well-written work.
November 11, 2022
An engaging and revealing telling of a part of the Civil War that gets too little attention. The book really is about the bigger picture of campaigns and personalities, and less about Sherman. That said, we learn a lot about him as well including his singular focus on "hard war," his surprising (to me) personal beliefs about slavery, and a bit of his humanity. Another surprise: Sherman was not the only pro-slavery general in the Union forces. One must ask then, exactly what motivated him to fight for the North? The answer is provided not in direct form but in the broader story of Sherman's character and action.
Considerable attention is given to unofficial efforts by women who supported the troops at great sacrifice. These heroines provided care, nutrition, and comfort, none of which was funded by the government. Their stories, as well as those of the lowly field troops, make up a considerable and noteworthy part of the book.
This was my first read of mister Dickey's work. It won't be the last.
Considerable attention is given to unofficial efforts by women who supported the troops at great sacrifice. These heroines provided care, nutrition, and comfort, none of which was funded by the government. Their stories, as well as those of the lowly field troops, make up a considerable and noteworthy part of the book.
This was my first read of mister Dickey's work. It won't be the last.
May 27, 2020
When I say “Sherman’s March to Sea,” what do you think of? I know many images and connotation is stirred up when General Sherman is brought up. This is a rather infamous military campaign led by General William Sherman going into the Confederate South for the purpose of sabotaging the economic capabilities of the South to feed and equip their Confederate Army. This was quite a controversy then and also controversial even for our day and age for non-Southerners given the kind of tactics Sherman pursued in the war. Most of what I have heard has largely been from the perspective of the South and also popular imagination from the movie Gone with the Wind. The author argues that there’s a need to understand what happened from the perspective of also those in the North and Sherman’s army.
Even if you are not big into military history there is something for you in the book if you are interested in people and human interests. I was pleasantly surprised that this isn’t just a military book but a story of people. You read about women who followed the Union Army trying to care for injured soldiers and those who are wounded. In fact a book part of the book is about that with stories of civilians helping hospitals, sanitation committee, charity, etc. There’s stories of slaves, pastors, immigrants (Germans and Irish), politicians turned soldiers and general and some military action and account of Sherman in between. I also learned about the contradiction within Sherman himself: He was anti-South yet at the same racist against Blacks and slaves himself. Sherman’s Army was more than just an army of soldiers; there’s were people who helped logistically and with other support along the way even before the infamous march to sea.
The book spent a lot longer length of things before the Civil War than I expected. Still it was well narrated, informative and helpful. I learned about the times before and during the war with German political machines, regional differences, state politics, journalism, etc. Some of the individuals in the book were so different from one another and yet also similar. In fact I thought it was interesting to see those who were foils of Abraham Lincoln in this time period. I think only towards the end of the book did I appreciate the author’s decision of going over the timeline before the war as you see some of the characters’ growing and developed in their views and outlook and perhaps most dramatically with the question of slavery.
Many colorful characters were discussed in the book. The two that stood out to me was John Alexander Logan and Mary Ann Bickerdyke. John Logan was an Irish immigrant turned politician and Union General. He’s most infamous for his 1853 anti-black laws, better known as the Logan Laws. Unlike other political appointee, he was actually a good general militarily. Though he originally was for slavery and against Lincoln nevertheless he was for the side of Union and against the South leaving the Union. This led him to lost favor with the rest of his family. Yet as the war continued he became more and more a supporter of Lincoln and also against slavery when he was able to see it first hand in the South. His idealistic view of master and slave relations shattered, he became more convinced slavery must end. What a fascinating story.
Then there’s the story of the fiery woman Bikerdyke. She was a nurse and medical logistics coordinator for the Union Army who was often accosted and made fun of. But she had a fiery temperament that was able to get things her way in order to help her “boys” in need. Soldiers eventually grew to love her, doctors feared her and generals obeyed her! Yet the help she gave in the end was astounding.
I don’t want to give too much of the book away but I found the book an interesting read!
Even if you are not big into military history there is something for you in the book if you are interested in people and human interests. I was pleasantly surprised that this isn’t just a military book but a story of people. You read about women who followed the Union Army trying to care for injured soldiers and those who are wounded. In fact a book part of the book is about that with stories of civilians helping hospitals, sanitation committee, charity, etc. There’s stories of slaves, pastors, immigrants (Germans and Irish), politicians turned soldiers and general and some military action and account of Sherman in between. I also learned about the contradiction within Sherman himself: He was anti-South yet at the same racist against Blacks and slaves himself. Sherman’s Army was more than just an army of soldiers; there’s were people who helped logistically and with other support along the way even before the infamous march to sea.
The book spent a lot longer length of things before the Civil War than I expected. Still it was well narrated, informative and helpful. I learned about the times before and during the war with German political machines, regional differences, state politics, journalism, etc. Some of the individuals in the book were so different from one another and yet also similar. In fact I thought it was interesting to see those who were foils of Abraham Lincoln in this time period. I think only towards the end of the book did I appreciate the author’s decision of going over the timeline before the war as you see some of the characters’ growing and developed in their views and outlook and perhaps most dramatically with the question of slavery.
Many colorful characters were discussed in the book. The two that stood out to me was John Alexander Logan and Mary Ann Bickerdyke. John Logan was an Irish immigrant turned politician and Union General. He’s most infamous for his 1853 anti-black laws, better known as the Logan Laws. Unlike other political appointee, he was actually a good general militarily. Though he originally was for slavery and against Lincoln nevertheless he was for the side of Union and against the South leaving the Union. This led him to lost favor with the rest of his family. Yet as the war continued he became more and more a supporter of Lincoln and also against slavery when he was able to see it first hand in the South. His idealistic view of master and slave relations shattered, he became more convinced slavery must end. What a fascinating story.
Then there’s the story of the fiery woman Bikerdyke. She was a nurse and medical logistics coordinator for the Union Army who was often accosted and made fun of. But she had a fiery temperament that was able to get things her way in order to help her “boys” in need. Soldiers eventually grew to love her, doctors feared her and generals obeyed her! Yet the help she gave in the end was astounding.
I don’t want to give too much of the book away but I found the book an interesting read!
September 29, 2021
I am so torn about this book. It was very enjoyable, but I have some massive reservations.
Let’s start with the good: There’s a lot to like about this book.
Dickey is a fantastic writer. The book is engaging, interesting, and even fun at times. It’s also full of small details that I had never heard before. I think any student of the Civil War would find something, nay, several things, new and enlightening. I found the stories of Mother Bickerdyke and Johnny, the former slave who marched with the Illinois 82nd, especially interesting.
The bad: *sigh*
First of all, I assumed a book about Sherman’s march to the sea would be a bit, and I mean quite a bit, more about Sherman’s march to the sea. The side stories are mostly interesting, but they frequently completely overshadow the broader narrative. Mary Ann Bickerdyke, for example, was a fascinating and heroic woman, but the march takes place with or without her, so unless the book is about her, let’s keep her in her proper place in the story. This happens over and over, with the 1860 Republican convention, General Logan, and almost everything about Mary Livermore.
Livermore brings me to my second point. There is a tendency among writers of history to fall into what I call “narrative restructionism”. This happens when the author of a historical work inflates characters and events until the entire story seems to be filled with what the author thinks best. As one reviewer already noted, this book almost makes the whole war seem to be about liberal democracy, overthrowing the slaveholding, patriarchal aristocracy, etc. Or at least the Dickey chooses to highlight those characters that embody his biases most fully. I think this explains my first point to a large degree. Sherman, for example, does not represent an enlightened modern individual, working for the liberation of all mankind. Therefore, the story, ostensibly about Sherman’s march, becomes less and less about Sherman and more about other things.
This brings me to Livermore. I do not want to leave the impression that I think Mary unimportant. On the contrary, she is a fascinating character that contributed much to the war effort. However, in the narrative of Sherman’s March, she deserves barely more than a passing mention. If the author is so fond of her, (why not? There’s a lot to like!) he ought to write a book about her and the Northwest Sanitary Commission. I suspect Dickey doesn’t want to do that, but wants to show that Sherman’s march was really about Livermore and the causes she espoused, among other things.
So in the end, I read a book about a multitude of very interesting things, but I cannot endorse using those things to build a narrative beyond the history itself.
Let’s start with the good: There’s a lot to like about this book.
Dickey is a fantastic writer. The book is engaging, interesting, and even fun at times. It’s also full of small details that I had never heard before. I think any student of the Civil War would find something, nay, several things, new and enlightening. I found the stories of Mother Bickerdyke and Johnny, the former slave who marched with the Illinois 82nd, especially interesting.
The bad: *sigh*
First of all, I assumed a book about Sherman’s march to the sea would be a bit, and I mean quite a bit, more about Sherman’s march to the sea. The side stories are mostly interesting, but they frequently completely overshadow the broader narrative. Mary Ann Bickerdyke, for example, was a fascinating and heroic woman, but the march takes place with or without her, so unless the book is about her, let’s keep her in her proper place in the story. This happens over and over, with the 1860 Republican convention, General Logan, and almost everything about Mary Livermore.
Livermore brings me to my second point. There is a tendency among writers of history to fall into what I call “narrative restructionism”. This happens when the author of a historical work inflates characters and events until the entire story seems to be filled with what the author thinks best. As one reviewer already noted, this book almost makes the whole war seem to be about liberal democracy, overthrowing the slaveholding, patriarchal aristocracy, etc. Or at least the Dickey chooses to highlight those characters that embody his biases most fully. I think this explains my first point to a large degree. Sherman, for example, does not represent an enlightened modern individual, working for the liberation of all mankind. Therefore, the story, ostensibly about Sherman’s march, becomes less and less about Sherman and more about other things.
This brings me to Livermore. I do not want to leave the impression that I think Mary unimportant. On the contrary, she is a fascinating character that contributed much to the war effort. However, in the narrative of Sherman’s March, she deserves barely more than a passing mention. If the author is so fond of her, (why not? There’s a lot to like!) he ought to write a book about her and the Northwest Sanitary Commission. I suspect Dickey doesn’t want to do that, but wants to show that Sherman’s march was really about Livermore and the causes she espoused, among other things.
So in the end, I read a book about a multitude of very interesting things, but I cannot endorse using those things to build a narrative beyond the history itself.
October 25, 2021
Fabulously crafted narrative weaving the stories of politicians turned soldiers, of freed slaves, and of humanitarian volunteers (whose example spurred on American feminism) into the tapestry that became the triumphant Army of the Tennessee on review in Washington DC. The stories Dickey has compiled lay out “the true stakes” of the civil war for readers, as they did - if far too late - for General Sherman. This book testifies that Emerson was right: all history is biography.
November 14, 2018
Great. It tells the story of Sherman's march to the sea not from totally political perspective but a human one. The stories are of lower commanders, soldiers, freed slaves, nurses and more. These characters come to life. The writing style is clear, lucid and informative.
December 27, 2024
This is one of the most highly approachable civil war histories I’ve read in a great while. You may wonder what anyone can write that is new about Sherman’s march to the sea in which he obliterated whole communities and destroyed economies reminiscent of ancient Israel when it was at its most obedient and under command to obliterate its enemies. The author admits that early on, but he looks at Sherman’s march and its impact on individuals as well as society and culture.
I had no idea Sherman was so thoroughly bigoted. While General Grant seemed lightyears ahead of his contemporaries regarding civil rights, Sherman refused to allow one black man to fight in any of his units. They could shovel crap and do laundry, but Sherman didn’t permit them to have a gun. If you read this, you’ll see how and why he ultimately changed, but those changes don’t happen until well after the war is over.
The author is far too talented to bog you down with stories of rape after rape committed by fringe elements of Sherman’s army. He acknowledges them, as a good historian ought to do, but he points out leadership exceptions in which good men spoke out against and sought to prevent the gross injustices they saw.
I knew nothing about Mary Ann Bickerdyke, a creator of sanitary field hospitals and lifelong veterans advocate, until I read this book. I claim no civil war expertise, but I’m stunned that I knew nothing about her despite the numerous books I’ve read on that era.
I suspect you’ll find much in this book that will be both entertaining and beneficial. The author will leave you thinking hard about how complex humans really are, and he’ll help you see the ways in which life experience can change even the seemingly most recalcitrant.
One small personal note, if I may. Grover Gardner narrates the audio edition, and he’s fantastic. You may recall he’s the guy who reads the magnificent David Rosenfelt books about the lovable, lazy Andy Carpenter, a reluctant lawyer who never met a dog he didn’t like.
I had no idea Sherman was so thoroughly bigoted. While General Grant seemed lightyears ahead of his contemporaries regarding civil rights, Sherman refused to allow one black man to fight in any of his units. They could shovel crap and do laundry, but Sherman didn’t permit them to have a gun. If you read this, you’ll see how and why he ultimately changed, but those changes don’t happen until well after the war is over.
The author is far too talented to bog you down with stories of rape after rape committed by fringe elements of Sherman’s army. He acknowledges them, as a good historian ought to do, but he points out leadership exceptions in which good men spoke out against and sought to prevent the gross injustices they saw.
I knew nothing about Mary Ann Bickerdyke, a creator of sanitary field hospitals and lifelong veterans advocate, until I read this book. I claim no civil war expertise, but I’m stunned that I knew nothing about her despite the numerous books I’ve read on that era.
I suspect you’ll find much in this book that will be both entertaining and beneficial. The author will leave you thinking hard about how complex humans really are, and he’ll help you see the ways in which life experience can change even the seemingly most recalcitrant.
One small personal note, if I may. Grover Gardner narrates the audio edition, and he’s fantastic. You may recall he’s the guy who reads the magnificent David Rosenfelt books about the lovable, lazy Andy Carpenter, a reluctant lawyer who never met a dog he didn’t like.
February 4, 2019
Interesting book that lays out a lot of personal stories about those who were behind the scenes of the Civil war in a support role (nurses, slaves, cooks) and brings forward their personal stories but knits them together through the event of Sherman's March to the Sea. And my biggest takeaway of this book was how the March to the Sea impacted and changed General Tecumseh Sherman.
Before the march to the sea started, Sherman as a person was very denigrating on all of the slaves. He very much looked upon 'Blacks' and inferior people. He didn't want them helping the North, he definitely didn't want them armed and he definitely didn't want them to have equal rights. Yet after the March to the Sea he became one of the greatest champions of reconstruction and equal rights. How did that happen? His experiences on the March to the Sea changed that for him.
I've read a LOT of civil war history but this kind of eluded me that Sherman before the March to the Sea was kind of a sitting duck with army. He had John Bell Hood raided towns that he was trying to get control of...he was fighting a guerilla war and kind of losing. The March to the Sea as this book points out was Sherman's way to go on the offensive and regain control of the war while fighting deep into the South. It switched the Southern forces from a guerilla action on offense to being on defense not even knowing where Sherman was.
But the experiences Sherman had with freed slaves whether they were passing off intelligence, helping his army get fed, helping his army to build structures to keep moving. All of these encounters humanized the slaves for Sherman in a way that made him want to be their greatest defender. The fact slaves helped soldiers at Andersonville and other prisons under horrific conditions only persuaded him more that he owed them a debt of gratitude. And I think that made him a better man and a better leader...
Before the march to the sea started, Sherman as a person was very denigrating on all of the slaves. He very much looked upon 'Blacks' and inferior people. He didn't want them helping the North, he definitely didn't want them armed and he definitely didn't want them to have equal rights. Yet after the March to the Sea he became one of the greatest champions of reconstruction and equal rights. How did that happen? His experiences on the March to the Sea changed that for him.
I've read a LOT of civil war history but this kind of eluded me that Sherman before the March to the Sea was kind of a sitting duck with army. He had John Bell Hood raided towns that he was trying to get control of...he was fighting a guerilla war and kind of losing. The March to the Sea as this book points out was Sherman's way to go on the offensive and regain control of the war while fighting deep into the South. It switched the Southern forces from a guerilla action on offense to being on defense not even knowing where Sherman was.
But the experiences Sherman had with freed slaves whether they were passing off intelligence, helping his army get fed, helping his army to build structures to keep moving. All of these encounters humanized the slaves for Sherman in a way that made him want to be their greatest defender. The fact slaves helped soldiers at Andersonville and other prisons under horrific conditions only persuaded him more that he owed them a debt of gratitude. And I think that made him a better man and a better leader...
October 16, 2024
Rising in Flames: Sherman’s March and the fight for a new nation by JD Dickey
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In this book we tag along with Union General William Tecumseh Sherman on his campaign called the “March to the sea” , where he and his troops would use his new tactic of total war to inflict as much pain and suffering on the South. His troops would burn many major cities and slave owners plantations and destroy the whole economic infrastructure that allowed the south to wage war in order to subdue the enemies will. Sherman was (and still is in many parts of the south) seen as the devil himself for forcing the south into submission through what were seen as terrorist acts and mass arson and destruction. Sherman was the furthest thing from a progressive man in his personal beliefs, often aligning himself with the beliefs of his day in regards to race; but as fate would have it he became the savior of the slaves in the south, liberating more slaves from bondage than any other General and was the lead man for pushing radical change (via the Lincoln administration) in the south. We also get to see the war through the eyes of other Union army officers, army nurses, liberated slaves and many other colorful characters whose stories intertwine to give a more living picture to the civil war. Great read overall.
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#bookstagram #readersofinstagram #civilwar #civilwarbooks #civilwarhistory #usa #south #north #union #confederacy #sherman #marchtothesea
.
.
In this book we tag along with Union General William Tecumseh Sherman on his campaign called the “March to the sea” , where he and his troops would use his new tactic of total war to inflict as much pain and suffering on the South. His troops would burn many major cities and slave owners plantations and destroy the whole economic infrastructure that allowed the south to wage war in order to subdue the enemies will. Sherman was (and still is in many parts of the south) seen as the devil himself for forcing the south into submission through what were seen as terrorist acts and mass arson and destruction. Sherman was the furthest thing from a progressive man in his personal beliefs, often aligning himself with the beliefs of his day in regards to race; but as fate would have it he became the savior of the slaves in the south, liberating more slaves from bondage than any other General and was the lead man for pushing radical change (via the Lincoln administration) in the south. We also get to see the war through the eyes of other Union army officers, army nurses, liberated slaves and many other colorful characters whose stories intertwine to give a more living picture to the civil war. Great read overall.
.
.
#bookstagram #readersofinstagram #civilwar #civilwarbooks #civilwarhistory #usa #south #north #union #confederacy #sherman #marchtothesea
July 11, 2020
The good: the book is well researched and shines light on forgotten populations from the Civil War, namely women volunteers and freedmen marching with Union armies. I also appreciate the spotlight on troops from Illinois. The bad: the book lacks a historian's critical voice to really put things in perspective. It reads like a random list of facts with very little proper characterization, except the loving and full picture of John Logan. Minor figures Like Mueller and Salomon seem randomly thrown in, as I could barely remember who they were by the time they were mentioned again. The worst crime is done to Sherman, whose name is used to lead readers to the book but whose gross undercharacterization and even ogre-ishness is a travesty. It's like the author really wanted to write a biography of John Logan, but there wasn't enough source material, so let's throw in some other loosely connected stuff.
September 6, 2018
‘Rising in Flames’ walks gingerly down the fine line between textbook and historical narrative. The story follows the men and women who supported Sherman’s March to the Sea, from front line commanders to the women in the field hospitals and at home sending supplies to the troops hundreds of miles away. This book is really one that shows how grand planning and mostly logistics led to the defeat of the South in the “western theatre. ” I can’t say this is what I thought the book would be about, and for that reason I’d love to give it 3.5 Stars, but we’ll round up to 4 because it was well written, thoroughly researched and informative. This is a book for an intermediate or greater Civil War aficionado.
September 23, 2018
This book was good. It was well researched and contained some interesting historical nuggets. The author follows to plight of numerous characters and at times it can get cumbersome following all of the characters and bouncing between timelines and geography. The book is a worthwhile read, especially if you like Civil War history but don't expect it to be your favorite book on the subject.
January 12, 2019
This is excellent history that reads like historical fiction.A great description of one my favorite maverick generals - William Tecumseh Sherman. But , also a wonderful depiction of the trials and tribulation of the Civil War s best politician generals - General John A. Logan from southern Illinois.
January 29, 2019
It was not the book I thought it would be. I thought it was a book about Sherman's March to the sea. It kinda is, but it there are other characters with other stories. I don't know a lot about the civil war and this book really did not educate me more.
June 15, 2018
Pretty decent overview Sherman etc. Dad gave me a copy; bday.
August 9, 2018
Not often that you find new material in the well-mined world of the Civil War but Dickey pulls it off
July 22, 2023
A wealth of information about Mother Bickerdyke. Interesting read.
July 22, 2024
Great facts and narrative, easy to read style. Good variety of characters and fair opinions on them, or so it seems. Great book
November 14, 2021
I thought the book would be more about Sherman's march to the sea, it wasn't. Lot of side stories that kinda are not very important. As one reviewer wrote, author dedicated a lot of time writing about people who weren't really involved in Sherman's march, when they themselves deserve to be written about separate from this narrative. Overall I liked the book but it's, meh 😑.
Edit,, actually i won't day that I like the book. It's really hard to finish.
Edit,, actually i won't day that I like the book. It's really hard to finish.
August 16, 2022
While there are a few contestable things in this book, I greatly enjoyed how it covers the biographical histories of certain persons who books rarely do. It was quite enjoyable & I'd put it ahead of a number of books just because it's not repeating the same things as many tend to.
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