What do you think?
Rate this book
Ninety-Eight Days: A Geographer's View of the Vicksburg Campaign
Grant's campaign against Vicksburg has been studied from a number of perspectives—but always with the outcome in the foreground. This documented history of the final phases of the Vicksburg Campaign, from March 29 through July 4, 1863, examines the actions of Union and Confederate commanders as they unfolded, reconstructing their decisions based only on what they knew at any given time.
In meticulous detail, Warren E. Grabau describes the logistical situation at key junctures during the campaign and explains how and why those situations constrained the choices available to Grant and Confederate commander John C. Pemberton. Alternating between Confederate and Federal perspectives, he allows the reader to see the situation as the commanders did and then describes how the available information led to their decisions.
Grabau examines not only topographic and hydrographic features but also strategic, political, economic, and demographic factors that influenced the commanders’ thinking. He analyzes the effectiveness of the intelligence-gathering capabilities of each side, shows how the decisions of both commanders were affected by the presence of the Union Navy, and describes the impact of political philosophies and command structures on the conduct of the campaign. Through his detailed analysis, Grabau even suggests that Grant had no actual campaign plan but was instead a master opportunist, able to exploit every situation.
Remarkably detailed maps reconstruct the terrain as it was at the time and show how incomplete data often resulted in poor military decisions. Other supportive material includes Command Structures of the Federal and Confederate Forces in diagrammatic form as they stood at the beginning of the ninety-eight days.
Ninety-eight Days is a monumental work masterfully executed, a reconstruction of military reasoning that is more analytical than any previous study of Vicksburg. It contributes substantially to our understanding of those military operations and demonstrates how crucial geography is to the conduct of war.
The Author: Warren E. Grabau is a retired geologist with a long interest in the Civil War. He is he coauthor of two earlier books: Evolution of Geomorphology; A Nation-by-Nation Summary of Development (with H. J. Walker) and The Battle of Jackson, May 14, 1863 (with Edwin C. Bearss).
In meticulous detail, Warren E. Grabau describes the logistical situation at key junctures during the campaign and explains how and why those situations constrained the choices available to Grant and Confederate commander John C. Pemberton. Alternating between Confederate and Federal perspectives, he allows the reader to see the situation as the commanders did and then describes how the available information led to their decisions.
Grabau examines not only topographic and hydrographic features but also strategic, political, economic, and demographic factors that influenced the commanders’ thinking. He analyzes the effectiveness of the intelligence-gathering capabilities of each side, shows how the decisions of both commanders were affected by the presence of the Union Navy, and describes the impact of political philosophies and command structures on the conduct of the campaign. Through his detailed analysis, Grabau even suggests that Grant had no actual campaign plan but was instead a master opportunist, able to exploit every situation.
Remarkably detailed maps reconstruct the terrain as it was at the time and show how incomplete data often resulted in poor military decisions. Other supportive material includes Command Structures of the Federal and Confederate Forces in diagrammatic form as they stood at the beginning of the ninety-eight days.
Ninety-eight Days is a monumental work masterfully executed, a reconstruction of military reasoning that is more analytical than any previous study of Vicksburg. It contributes substantially to our understanding of those military operations and demonstrates how crucial geography is to the conduct of war.
The Author: Warren E. Grabau is a retired geologist with a long interest in the Civil War. He is he coauthor of two earlier books: Evolution of Geomorphology; A Nation-by-Nation Summary of Development (with H. J. Walker) and The Battle of Jackson, May 14, 1863 (with Edwin C. Bearss).
680 pages, Hardcover
First published August 30, 2000
1 person is currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Warren E. Grabau
3 booksA career geologist, Warren Edward Grabau held BS and MS degrees in geology from Michigan State University.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 5, 2013
When I stumbled across this book on Amazon, my initial thoughts were: "mmm - professional geographer meets amateur Civil War buff. I wonder..." But the reviews were overwhelmingly positive, so after lingering for a few months on my wish list I finally clicked the "buy" button. And I am glad I did. As a long time reader of military history in general, and Civil War history specifically, I have found that the vast majority of detailed operational accounts bog down in the details of unit movement. Ninety-Eight Days is the exact opposite. Grabau's emphasis on the overriding influence of geography on Grant and Pemberton's planning adds a fascinating new dimension to his account of the Vicksburg campaign. What might otherwise be a tedious account instead brings even mundane troop movements to surprising life. I read the 500+ pages of text avidly, reluctantly put the book down each night, and during the day at work I would find myself daydreaming about oxbows, natural levies, and limestone cliffs.
The chapters are short, and as other reviewers have noted, each presents first the Union perspective followed by the Confederate perspective - a very useful technique - but the real star of Ninety Eight Days is the terrain, most notably, the Mississippi River. So fascinating was the geography that I found myself clicking on Google Earth to study the modern day configuration of the river, and similarly consulting the massive Military Atlas of the Civil War (the modern reprint of the Official Records atlas volume).
A couple of comments - which should not detract from this five-star review: The numerous and excellent maps are all grouped at the back of the book. Now, normally when reviewing military history, the first defect one notes is a lack of maps, so it may seem a bit churlish of me to be complaining about the veritable cartographic bounty encountered in Ninety-Eight Days. But I want to point out that because of their location at the rear, I spent a great deal of time flipping back and forth between the text and the maps. This really isn't a fair criticism since obviously the maps have to be located somewhere. My task became much easier after I printed off a number of very respectable maps from the Wikipedia chapter on the Vicksburg Campaign, which I subsequently kept next to me while reading.
The only eccentricity is Grabau's use of formal, all caps terms for ranks and military units. Thus we have MG Jones DIV moving here, COL Smith's BDE moving there and joining 7 ARTY. This may be consistent with some standard of formal military nomenclature, but does little to enhance the readability or accessibility of this volume.
But no matter. Five stars without reservation.
The chapters are short, and as other reviewers have noted, each presents first the Union perspective followed by the Confederate perspective - a very useful technique - but the real star of Ninety Eight Days is the terrain, most notably, the Mississippi River. So fascinating was the geography that I found myself clicking on Google Earth to study the modern day configuration of the river, and similarly consulting the massive Military Atlas of the Civil War (the modern reprint of the Official Records atlas volume).
A couple of comments - which should not detract from this five-star review: The numerous and excellent maps are all grouped at the back of the book. Now, normally when reviewing military history, the first defect one notes is a lack of maps, so it may seem a bit churlish of me to be complaining about the veritable cartographic bounty encountered in Ninety-Eight Days. But I want to point out that because of their location at the rear, I spent a great deal of time flipping back and forth between the text and the maps. This really isn't a fair criticism since obviously the maps have to be located somewhere. My task became much easier after I printed off a number of very respectable maps from the Wikipedia chapter on the Vicksburg Campaign, which I subsequently kept next to me while reading.
The only eccentricity is Grabau's use of formal, all caps terms for ranks and military units. Thus we have MG Jones DIV moving here, COL Smith's BDE moving there and joining 7 ARTY. This may be consistent with some standard of formal military nomenclature, but does little to enhance the readability or accessibility of this volume.
But no matter. Five stars without reservation.
July 14, 2012
The scholarship in Ninety-Eight Days is great, the writing is excellent, and I absolutely loved the structure: Grabau tells the story in parallel, from each side's perspective and knowing only what they know, as opposed to an omniscient third-party overhead view. While this doesn't make Pemberton look like a military genius, it definitely does make some of his errors and strange decisions a lot more understandable. He wasn't stupid; but he didn't know what he didn't know, he made some incorrect assumptions, and (most dam ning) vacillated at times instead of acting decisively. But one really gets an understanding of the situations he was in.
I think my only beefs are the use of modern/anachronistic military terminology (although, to be fair, Grabau uses the terminology clearly and effectively), and the fact that the maps are all consigned to the back of the book rather than interspersed with the narrative at appropriate points. I follow why he did this, as he refers to some of the same maps in multiple places, but it really requires a two-bookmark method of reading that I find a little distracting. The maps, despite the arrangement, are excellent.
I enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone who has read an initial overview of the Vicksburg campaign and wants to take a deeper dive into it.
I think my only beefs are the use of modern/anachronistic military terminology (although, to be fair, Grabau uses the terminology clearly and effectively), and the fact that the maps are all consigned to the back of the book rather than interspersed with the narrative at appropriate points. I follow why he did this, as he refers to some of the same maps in multiple places, but it really requires a two-bookmark method of reading that I find a little distracting. The maps, despite the arrangement, are excellent.
I enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone who has read an initial overview of the Vicksburg campaign and wants to take a deeper dive into it.
Read
April 11, 2022OK, this is not my first book that I have read trying to make sense of Vicksburg. Grabau fills in a number of blanks because the topography has changed so drastically since the war. He also explained why the official military atlas of the civil war has glaring errors and utilizes conventions in maps that I was not familiar.
I appreciate his insight into the battles and topography. The book that filled in the most holes was the very readable 3 volume- The Campaign for Vicksburg by Edwin Bearess. I read the first 2 volumes and knew I needed better maps. I picked up the two military atlases and added they added bit of insight, then I started the Grabau book- it was all coming together. I read. portions of Bearess, then Grabau. Finishing Bearess first and then Grabau. Bearess and Grabau are great historians that can explain Vicksburg well.
I will probably pop down and tour the civil war sites on the Mississippi this Winter- it will be fun.
I appreciate his insight into the battles and topography. The book that filled in the most holes was the very readable 3 volume- The Campaign for Vicksburg by Edwin Bearess. I read the first 2 volumes and knew I needed better maps. I picked up the two military atlases and added they added bit of insight, then I started the Grabau book- it was all coming together. I read. portions of Bearess, then Grabau. Finishing Bearess first and then Grabau. Bearess and Grabau are great historians that can explain Vicksburg well.
I will probably pop down and tour the civil war sites on the Mississippi this Winter- it will be fun.
January 11, 2022
By far the best single volume history of the Vicksburg Campaign
August 2, 2012
Sometimes you read a book that can change your outlook on historical events, and this was one for me. Grabau is a geologist, and his study of the Vicksburg campaign puts the landscape - that crazy, changing and wildly different landscape of the Mississippi Valley - front and center of the narrative. Decisions that seem to make no sense suddenly become clear, once one understands the terrain, the geology, the land use, the road net, and the effects of weather and season on that part of the country. One also has to remember that the area has greatly changed since the middle of the 19th century, so the landscape that Grant and Pemberton saw is not what we see today, and Grabau is assiduous in pointing out all these factors. Yet, with all the information he has to pass on, the book is written in an engaging and entertaining style, that will keep even the non-Civil War buff engrossed. Certainly worth reading.
February 2, 2017
A tour de force. The narrative is full of well-researched detail yet never bogs down. This is the very best analysis I've ever read of this masterful campaign. A joy to read!
March 23, 2023
Ninety-Eight Days is quite possibly the best, most thorough account of Grant's Vicksburg Campaign during the Civil War.
Warren E. Grabau does a masterful job of considering even the smallest details that played a role in the engagement, down to the topography and hydrographic features of the area around Vicksburg; he also addresses the more obvious political, strategic, and tactical elements of the campaign that influenced the decision making of each commander and the ultimate outcome, including the presence of the Union Navy and the integral role it played in the capture of Vicksburg by Union forces.
Though Ninety-Eight Days is a longer read (500+ pages), it is well worth the intimate knowledge and understanding of the Vicksburg Campaign from beginning to end that the book offers.
Warren E. Grabau does a masterful job of considering even the smallest details that played a role in the engagement, down to the topography and hydrographic features of the area around Vicksburg; he also addresses the more obvious political, strategic, and tactical elements of the campaign that influenced the decision making of each commander and the ultimate outcome, including the presence of the Union Navy and the integral role it played in the capture of Vicksburg by Union forces.
Though Ninety-Eight Days is a longer read (500+ pages), it is well worth the intimate knowledge and understanding of the Vicksburg Campaign from beginning to end that the book offers.
January 21, 2015
This is an exceedingly detailed history of U.S. Grant's Vicksburg campaign.
Grant wrapped up his Vicksburg action the day after General George Meade defeated Robert E. Lee at Gettysburg.
Grant wrapped up his Vicksburg action the day after General George Meade defeated Robert E. Lee at Gettysburg.
April 14, 2012
Ah, the Vicksburg staff ride tome.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews