How close did Great Britain and the North come to blows while the American Civil War raged?  Not as close as previously though, according to Caution and Cooperation author Phillip E. Myers.  In his book, Myers goes against the commonly held belief that British involvement in the Civil War was imminent several times during that conflict.  Myers overturns the commonly held assumption that war was only narrowly averted between the two nations from 1861-1865 by looking at British-American relations prior to, during, and after the Civil War.  Using multiple sources, especially the writing of those involved in diplomatic relations, Myers is able to demonstrate how diplomacy controlled the Civil War rather than the other way around.

Prior histories of British-American relations during the war have given undue influence to events such as the Trent Affair and the building of the Confederate raider Alabama in Great Britain.  However, Myers shows that the diplomatic tradition of caution and cooperation established in the antebellum decades continued to work uninhibited by civil war.  There was a “prewar rapprochement ” for quite a few reasons, according to Myers, among them a common tradition, commerce and investments between the two nations, an antislavery policy, antimilitarism, Francophobia, and compromise (especially on the British side).  Myers asserts that some other historians have missed this longstanding spirit of caution and cooperation by focusing exclusively on the years from 1861 to 1865.

Myers believes there was an “unsettled atmosphere” in British-American relations from the beginning of the Civil War through the Trent affair and the British and American cabinet crises of late 1862.  Once President Lincoln and Prime Minister Palmerston successfully handled the Trent issue and overcame their cabinet issues, however, the antebellum status quo returned for the rest of the war.  I was particularly impressed with Myers’ comparison of the Lincoln and Palmerston cabinets at the end of 1862, so impressed I thought I would include the relevant paragraph here:

The Lincoln and Palmerston cabinets began to resemble each other in their policies.  Neither wanted a foreign war.  Gladstone and Lewis, like Chase and Stanton, were anxious to succeed their master.  Gladstone and Chase, the most ambitious ministers, embarrassed themselves.  The chief executives propelled their ministers and prevailed in decision making.  These similar experiences stopped war talk in both cabinets.  Domestic politics were more important than risking political careers in an international war.  Thus the outcomes of the cabinet crises on both sides of the Atlantic helped preserve the rapprochement.

While reading, I was struck by Myers’ continued stress on the importance of private diplomacy.  The author focuses mainly on two relationships.  The first was between Lord Richard Lyons, British foreign minister to America, and William Henry Seward, American Secretary of State.  Lyons quickly recognized that despite some early bluster, Seward was dedicated to keeping the peace between the two nations and had Lincoln’s fill support.  The second was between American foreign minister to Great Britain Charles Francis Adams and British foreign secretary Lord John Russell.  Adams and Russell also formed a strong team and grew to understand each other as the war progressed.  Russell’s actions taken to prevent more raiders like the Alabama from being built and launched from British ports did much to appease the North.

The thorny issue of the Union blockade of the Confederacy for the British government is widely discussed in Caution and Cooperation.  Rather than being a divisive issue, however, Myers believes several issues involving the blockade actually helped British-American relations.  First, the British recognized the Union blockade earlier than was necessary.  This had a calming effect on American politicians who were worried about the threat the British posed.  Second, Lincoln purposefully allowed some traffic to slip through the blockade in order to benefit British trade.  Inflammatory commanders such as Charles Wilkes, prominently involved in the Trent Affair and other incidents, were transferred away from possible flash points.  Cooperative leaders such as British Admiral Alexander Milne, on the other hand, were quietly given approval by both governments.  Milne, for instance, was wined and dined in Washington, D.C.

Slavery played a large role in Myers’ evaluation of relations between the Lion and the Eagle as well.  Most British citizens, from Lord Palmerston down to the poorest of the poor, did not relish the possibility of supporting a slaveholding South.  Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation only magnified the issue and showed the British population that one of the North’s main war aims was to eradicate slavery.

Southern attempts at diplomacy ironically strengthened British-American cooperation, says Myers.  Mason and Slidell, the foreign ministers to Great Britain and France captured aboard the Trent, were terribly equipped to do the job they were sent for.  Davis’ strategy to withhold cotton also backfired when Great Britain saw through the scheme.

Canada initially considered a major point of concern by both sides.  Britain had to worry about France as a major threat in Europe and could not spare the troops required to defend Canada.  The United States worried that Great Britain might open a second front in the northern United States and attempt to break the Union blockade of the South.  However, it became apparent very soon after the war started that the United States had no interest in taking Canada by force or annexation.  This greatly eased British worries.  At the same time, America saw that Britain had no interest in a troop build-up in Canada, instead insisting that the Canadian provinces form their own confederation and raise a militia for self-defense.

From 1863-1865, both sides worked together tirelessly and behind the scenes to make sure no incidents precipitated a war between the two powers.  Throughout the book, Myers repeatedly stresses the endless reasons why neither side could afford a war with the other.  Lincoln had the very obvious issue of a Civil War.  Palmerston faced a potential invasion threat posed by Napoleon III and France.  Both men ran governments holding power very precariously, and booth wanted to avoid any major issues with the other at all costs.  Though Lincoln and Palmerston both died in 1865, British and American caution and cooperation continued unabated, just as it had for decades.

Myers uses a variety of bibliographic sources, and the book is full of end notes.  The author looked at the unpublished papers of many key players, including Lincoln, Palmerston, Russell, Seward, and Adams.  His treatment of private diplomacy benefits as a result.  The author appears thoroughly well-versed in the historic literature on this topic, both from his discussions in the text and his lengthy notes.

Caution and Cooperation is an excellent addition to my Civil War library.  Myers convincingly and repeatedly shows that private diplomacy, a reliance on a tradition of caution and cooperation, and a mutual desire to avoid war at all costs permeated British-American relations throughout the Civil War.  Myers also thoroughly debunks the assertions of past historians that Great Britain and America ever came realistically close to fighting a war in the years from 1861-1865.  Published by The Kent State University Press, Caution and Cooperation is a little pricey at a listed price of $55.00.  However, if you follow the link to Amazon I provided earlier in the review, you can find the book for a very reasonable price.  This is especially true since Myers has produced a model study which I am sure will produce much discussion on this subject in the years to come.  If you are interested in Civil War era politics, foreign relations, and particularly the subject of British-American relations, you will enjoy Caution and Cooperation: The American Civil War in British-American Relations.

I would like to thank Susan L. Cash and Brett J. Neff at The Kent State University Press.

Drew Wagenhoffer reviewed Caution and Cooperation last week.

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INTRODUCTION: “Gettysburg Revisited”
by Edwin C. Bearss
Page 2

The Advance of Longstreet’s First Corps to Gettysburg
by Douglas Craig Haines
Page 7

Sharpshooting at Gettysburg
by Gary Yee
Page 45

If You Want To Go
by Sonny Fulks
Page 63

Robert Stanton, Company D, 43rd New York Infantry
by Joseph Stahl
Page 68

Thomas Aldrich, Company A, and the Controversy at the Angle
by Robert Grandchamp
Page 71

“Its Full Share of the Heroic Work”: A Further Analysis of the 59th New York on July 3
by Zachery A. Fry
Page 83

In Their Words: A Boy in Gray
by Silas Felton
Page 93

The Battle of Funkstown, July 10, 1863
by Eric Wittenberg, J. David Petruzzi, and Michael F. Nugent
Page 103

Calvin Hamilton: Cemetery Superintendent
by Barbara J. Turner
Page 120

The Gettysburg Magazine Interview: Dr. John A. Latschar
Page 126

According to its creator, it “charts the size and battle history of the Army of Northern Virginia, Army of Tennessee, and 21 other armies. It provides understanding and context of why the Army of Northern Virginia was more successful than the Army of Tennessee. See the relationship between the various armies … which army sent reinforcements to other theaters and which armies split their forces. See how the Army of Northern Virginia expanded and contracted during the war. See how the Army of Tennessee was formed from a number of smaller armies.” There is one for the Union army as well, and both certainly give a different perspective on these institutions.

This sort of graphic representation is based on the justly famous chart of French civil engineer Charles Joseph Minard, who in 1869 published a graphic representation of Napoleon’s disastrous Russian campaign. As the blog Strange Maps notes:

As a statistical chart, the map unites six different sets of data.
• Geography: rivers, cities and battles are named and placed according to their occurrence on a regular map.
• The army’s course: the path’s flow follows the way in and out that Napoleon followed.
• The army’s direction: indicated by the colour of the path, gold leading into Russia, black leading out of it.
• The number of soldiers remaining: the path gets successively narrower, a plain reminder of the campaigns human toll, as each millimetre represents 10.000 men.
• Temperature: the freezing cold of the Russian winter on the return trip is indicated at the bottom, in the republican measurement of degrees of réaumur (water freezes at 0° réaumur, boils at 80° réaumur).
• Time: in relation to the temperature indicated at the bottom, from right to left, starting 24 October (pluie, i.e. ‘rain’) to 7 December (-27°).

Just a reminder that there are always different ways to see things. Follow either of the above links for an expanded version.

In this first entry, I’m going to try to look at overviews of the war. I encourage others to chime in as well in the comments below. I’m just one person. The more you know about the Civil War, the more you realize how much you will never know. You could spend an entire lifetime studying the war and you’ll never get to it all. Trust me, I’m trying!

There are numerous studies of the Civil War and the Civil War era, single and multi-volume works, some focusing on military aspects of the war, others on social aspects, and still others with a political bent.  The list below is not meant to be exhaustive by any means.  I’m sure I will miss someone’s favorite history of the war.  If that happens, by all means add your favorite in the comments below.

In each case, I will include a picture of a reasonably recent version of the book, a link to Amazon.com, and a short background.  I haven’t read some of these books in a long time, and others I’ve not read at all.  However, rest assured I’ve done the homework for you so you don’t have to do it yourself!  The idea is to answer a question I get asked a lot and have a permanent place to store my answer for readers to use in the future.

McPherson, James. The Battle Cry of Freedom. Oxford University Press, USA (December 11, 2003).  952 pp.  ISBN: 978-0195168952 $19.95 (Paperback)

The first overview I’ll start with is going to be the one most people knowledgeable about this topic would recommend.  This is of course James McPherson’s The Battle Cry of Freedom.  McPherson’s one volume history of the war is recognized as the standard account of the subject.  The author spends time on all aspects of the war, social, political, and military.  In fact, the first 300+ pages describe events PRIOR to the firing on Fort Sumter.  McPherson’s book is highly readable and summarizes events nicely, providing a starting point for further study.  To be fair, I want to note some criticisms of McPherson as well.  Dimitri Rotov of Civil War Bookshelf, for instance, believes that McPherson subscribes to what he calls a “Centennial” view of history.  According to Dimitri, this “Centennial” view is in vogue today because Bruce Catton and others involved with American Heritage magazine around the time of the Civil War Centennial in the 1960s made it extremely popular.  He believes this view is too simplified and does a disservice to many of the events, people, and places involved, especially George McClellan.  These concerns noted, I believe McPherson does a good job summarizing what was in 1988 the orthodox view of the Civil War.  Start your Civil War reading here and you will have a solid basis for wherever the topic takes you in the future.

Foote, Shelby. The Civil War: A Narrative. 3 vols.  Vintage; 1st Vintage Books Ed edition (November 12, 1986).  2,934 pp.  ISBN: 978-0394749136 $78.00 (Paperback)

If McPherson’s book is the standard one-volume work, Shelby Foote’s three-volume The Civil War: A Narrative is its multi-volume companion.   Many of you have probably seen Shelby Foote, possibly without realizing it.  Foote was a frequent commentator who was often seen in Ken Burns’ PBS documentary The Civil War.  He was there for a reason.  Foote had already written this trilogy by the time of Burns’ film.  The first volume was originally released in 1958, the second volume in 1963, and the last in 1974.  Foote’s trilogy is concentrates more on the military aspects of the Civil War, though political and social elements are there to a lesser extent.  The three volumes are Fort Sumter to Perryville, Fredericksburg to Meridian, and Red River to Appomattox, in order.  The trilogy is subtitled “A Narrative” for a reason.  It is!  Foote was a novelist by trade and his writing style reflects his profession.  There is a story to tell and Foote does so with relish.  Although the entire work is almost 3,000 pages long, as a reader you move merrily along, always wanting more.  Foote makes history exciting and interesting, something many people today fail to realize or appreciate.  A Southerner by birth, Foote does have some Confederate bias.  Some critics have also mentioned small errors in his work.  With these criticisms out of the way, I wholeheartedly urge readers to read these books.  Foote’s trilogy, for more than just sentimental reasons, is probably my favorite Civil War book.  Do not let the length deter you.  Give it a chance!

Catton, Bruce. Bruce Catton’s Civil War. 3 vols.  Phoenix Press (2001) 1,680 pp.  ISBN: 978-1898800224 Out of Print (Paperback)

Another famous multi-volume work on the Civil War is Bruce Catton’s trilogy.  Consisting of The Coming Fury, Terrible Swift Sword, and Never Call Retreat, Catton’s trilogy was written just before and during the centennial years of the Civil War, 1961-1965.  Catton’s work is shorter than Foote’s, and he focuses more on the political and social aspects than Foote did.  Due to the shorter length, Catton tends to delve into certain controversies more quite a bit less than Foote does, and he tends to tie up loose ends quite neatly, much more neatly than real life.  This is one of the criticisms of Centennial history, that controversies have been decided and that no further study of these controversies is necessary.  A good example would be the Lee’s lost order just prior to Antietam.  Buy Catton’s books over Foote’s if you have less time initially to get into the study of the Civil War or if you prefer the political and social aspects of the war.  Although the lead-in says “Out of Print”, you should be able to find the various volumes in paperback for reasonable prices.

I feel these three are the starting point for a solid foundation.  There are numerous other histories, one volume and otherwise, which attempt to tell the story of the war.  I’ve excluded these from any kind of analysis for various reasons, including cost, availability, and too much focus on one portion of the war, be it military, social, or political.  Let me know if you’d like me to flesh out any of the titles below in a future post.  These are in alphabetical order by author’s last name, if you were wondering.

Davis, Kenneth. Don’t Know Much About the Civil War: Everything You Need to Know About America’s Greatest Conflict but Never Learned (Don’t Know Much About…). Harper Paperbacks (September 1, 1999). 544 pp. ISBN: 978-0380719082 $14.95 (Paperback)

Dickson, Keith. The Civil War for Dummies. For Dummies; 1 edition (March 15, 2001). 408 pp. ISBN: 978-0764552441 $19.99 (Paperback)

Eicher, David. The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War.  Simon & Schuster (August 20, 2002).  992 pp. ISBN: 978-0684849454 $22.00 (Paperback)

Flagel, Thomas. The History Buff’s Guide to the Civil War. Cumberland House Publishing (August 2003). 400 pp. ISBN: 978-1581823714 $16.95 (Paperback)

Hansen, Harry. The Civil War: A History. Signet Classics (August 6, 2002). 672 pp.  ISBN: 978-0451528490 $8.95 (Paperback)

Hattaway, Herman. How the North Won: A Military History of the Civil War. University of Illinois Press (June 1, 1991). 784 pp. ISBN: 978-0252062100 $26.95 (Paperback)

Olsen, Christopher. The American Civil War: A Hands-on History. Hill and Wang; 1st edition (July 24, 2007).  304 pp. ISBN: 978-0809016402 $15.00 (Paperback)

Pratt, Fletcher. A Short History of the Civil War: Ordeal by Fire.  Dover Publications (July 7, 1997). 448 pp. ISBN: 978-0486297026 $13.95 (Paperback)

Weigley, Russell. A Great Civil War: A Military and Political History 1861-1865. Indiana University Press (February 2004).  648 pp. ISBN: 978-0253217066 $24.95 (Paperback)

Williams, David. A People’s History of the Civil War: Struggles for the Meaning of Freedom. New Press (September 25, 2006). 608 pp. ISBN: 978-1595581259 $24.95 (Paperback)

I think I’ve covered enough overviews of the war for anyone looking to get into the subject.  As I stated earlier, feel free to add your own additions or your views on my picks in the comments section below.

If you enjoyed this first blog entry in my “Guides to Civil War Books for Beginners” and would like to see more, by all means send me suggestions for what topic you would like me to look at next.  I already have plans to look at the best army overviews, best regimentals, and best books for children in future entries.  Let me know what else you would like to see!

——

To end this post, I’d like to post some of my background for readers new to TOCWOC to see.  Although I do not have a degree in history (Match/Computer Science degree from the University of Illinois-Champaign), I have loved the subject my entire life.  I cannot remember a time in my life in which I did not love studying the Civil War.  I read Shelby Foote’s three volume history of the Civil War (which you will read about below) in the 6^th grade.  My teacher did not believe I was truly reading the books until he sat down with me to have a half hour chat on the subject.  He was convinced afterwards!  I’ve been reading detailed campaign and battle studies since approximately 1990 as a 12 year old.  My collection now sits at around 600 books and growing.  This blog holds many of the book reviews I’ve done over the past several years.  Feel free to click on the Categories link at the top of the page and look through the “Books - Reviews” category for details.  Civil War wargaming has always been a passion of mine as well.  I was a playtester for many years on the HPS Simulations line of Civil War games.  I’ve helped Mad Minute Games as a playtester and consultant in the past, and I am currently working with NorbSoftDev, whose programmer designed the Mad Minute “Take Command” series of Civil War tactical simulators.  I host many CivilWar add-on and modding sites for recent Civil War games.  The full list is located on my Civil War Wargame Mods home page.

So, here are the books I suggested, in no particular order-

- “Company Aytch” by Sam Watkins

- “The Life of Johnny Reb” by Bell I. Wiley

- “Rebel Private Front and Rear” by William A. Fletcher

- “Detailed Minutiae of Soldier Life in the Army of Northern Virginia” by Carlton McCarthy

- “For Cause and Comrades” by James McPherson

Three of these are written mostly by the participants involved while Wiley and McPherson wrote their books using many original sources.  Are there any others out there that you would suggest to someone who is interested in reading about the Confederate soldier but is not really a Civil War historian?  Much thanks!

In July 1864, General William T. Sherman ordered the arrest and deportation of hundreds of women from the villages of Roswell and New Manchester, Georgia. Branded traitors for their work in the cotton mills which supplied much needed material to the Confederacy, these innocent civilians were torn from their homes and shipped to cities in the North. Drawing on new material not yet published and an exhaustive search of primary sources, this new book by Mary Deborah Petite focuses on the tragic events at Roswell and New Manchester, but encompasses much more. The dramatic story begins with the founding of the Roswell “colony” in the 1830s and continues through the dark days of July 1864 to the war’s end and the rebuilding of the Roswell mills. The book includes information on many of the mill workers and explains why the names and experiences of so many others have been lost to history.

Dispelling myth and mystery, The Women Will Howl presents a true and accurate history of this unforgettable story.

Discover for yourself:

• The history of Roswell & the King Family
• The hardships of mill life
• The shift in Federal war policies that paved the way
  for the events at Roswell and New Manchester
• Military operations leading to the capture of Roswell
• The occupation and destruction of New Manchester
• William T. Sherman, his role and motivations
• The facts surrounding the arrest and deportation
• The journey to Louisville and beyond

When “Uncle Billy” said that war was hell he wasn’t kidding. I had no idea the Union “harsh war” strategy of 1864 went this far. Haven’t read this one, but plan to. The web site is excellent and is a model for what one should be.

“Hard Liquor and Women” – How Off-Duty Soldiers Amused Themselves During the Siege of Petersburg

At 11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 19, 2008 a living history event will commence from the Petersburg City Visitor Center on Cockade Alley. “Hard Liquor and Women” will follow an 1864 newspaper reporter as he walks the streets of Old Towne Petersburg making observations and conducting interviews to see how Confederate soldiers pass their scarce leisure time away from the boredom, noise and danger of the City’s defense lines.

Accompany the reporter as he encounters a preacher railing against “sins of the flesh”, a tavern keeper plying his trade, and citizens complaining about lawlessness in the city. A provost guard will have his hands full as he apprehends a drunken soldier, and possibly a “lady of the night”. Learn about a side of the Siege of Petersburg rarely written about.

This walking tour is free and requires no registration. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended and participants are encouraged to bring a bottle of water.

Now that you know what is being offered, let me set up what you have to do to win.  I am going to give my readers the chance to be a blogger for a day.  All you have to do, prior to 11:59 PM Central US time on August 15, 2008, is answer the following two questions in 1000 words or less:

What are the five most important books you have read on the Civil War?  Why is each important?

If you are interested in entering, use the Contact Us form or post in the comments section below and let us know.  Further details will then be emailed to you directly.  Feel free to spread the word in any way you choose, possibly by submitting this post to Stumble, Digg, or any other social networking site.  The contest is open to anyone, regardless of occupation or expertise.  I will be choosing a winner over the weekend of August 15-17, 2008.  The winner will be announced the week of August 18.

Rules Recap:

1. One entry per person.

2. Limit submission to 1000 words or less.

3. Submit by August 15, 2008 at 11:59 PM Central US Time.

4. One (1) winner will be announced the week of Monday, August 18.

5. All contestants agree to allow the use of their submissions as future TOCWOC blog entries.

6. Spread the word as early and as often as you would like.  Announce it on Civil War and other forums and otherwise let people know this is happening!

7. Since the book will be shipped via Media Mail,  I make no guarantees as to when it will arrive.  I do, however, promise to ship it ASAP after announcing the winner and getting his or her mailing address.

* I will ship by Media Mail anywhere in the lower 48 United States free of charge.  Due to cost concerns I have to limit participation to this geographical area only.  Sorry!

—–

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• Rea Andrew Redd at Civil War Librarian has a nice review up of Sheridan’s Lieutenants: Phil Sheridan, His Generals, and the Final Year of the Civil War.

• Sarah at Ten Roads interviews Zack Fry, a student at Kent State University and possibly the youngest person ever to take the Gettysburg battlefield guide written exam.

• The Petersburg (VA) People’s News has a list of some upcoming events at Petersburg National Battlefield on their web site.

• The July 2008 issue of Blue & Gray magazine is dedicated to The Attack on Fort Stedman. The major article in this issue was written by National Park Service volunteer William C. Wyrick.

• Larry Arhart discusses opposing views on Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation at Darwinian Conservatism.

• I recently discovered a new Civil War blog with a unique focus, Strange Engines, which looks at strange weapons and technology from the Civil War era. Hat tip to Brass Goggles, a blog dedicated to Steampunk. I’ve added a link to Strange Engines in TOCWOC’s blogroll over to the right.

• ARTstor Blog points out that The Century Magazine Illustrations of the American Civil War collection is now available in their Digital Library. They continue:

This collection is the result of a project undertaken by Allan Kohl, Visual Resources Librarian at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, to assemble images depicting Civil War battle scenes and camp life, as well as details of weapons and uniforms. Kohl selected approximately 100 images from Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, a four-volume publication issued serially in 1887-1888, which presents a comprehensive account of the war that lasted from 1861-1865. Kohl also provided cataloging information for the collection, including topical references to major events and campaigns.

To view this collection: go to the ARTstor Digital Library, browse by collection, and click “Century Magazine Illustrations of the American Civil War (Minneapolis College of Art and Design);” or enter the keyword search: century magazine kohl.

• Holy Taco has a comedic look at what would happen if the United States has a Facebook page during the Civil War.

• What do a Civil War veteran, the Oxford English Dictionary, and insanity have to do with one another you ask? Read The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary to find out! Hat tip to The Upstairs Girl.

• A portrait of James Longstreet stares down at visitors in the Gainesville, Georgia hotel the former general once owned and operated.

• Democratic Central takes a detailed look at the New York City draft riots of 1863.

• Did Sherman actually literally instruct his soldiers to sow salt during the March to the Sea? Or is this another apocryphal story from that often maligned historical event? Seriously, I want to know. If you have the answer, leave a comment at the end of this blog entry.

• The American Civil War is less important than the Call of Duty wargame series, according to Wikipedia.

• Knowing is Half the Prattle presents what they refer to as the most obscure online quiz ever, the What Kind of Zouave Are You? quiz.

GO HERE FOR PART I OF THIS REVIEW

Author: Weaver, John R. II

Publisher: Redoubt Press, McLean, Virginia

First Printing 2001

ISBN 1-57510-069-X

Hardcover 245 pages (although I have the soft cover edition)

Numerous maps, drawings, photographs, and illustrations

After giving a very good description of the background for the Engineering board, Weaver goes on to discuss the differences between the shapes, sizes, designs, and locations of the third system of forts.  We find that it greatly varied as did the armament in each of the fortifications.  He explains the difference between a seacoast cannon, a howitzer, a seacoast mortar, and the different types of projectiles that they fired.

Finally, in the first part of the book, Weaver discusses the various effectiveness of fortifications from the third system as some were put to the test in the Civil War.  Ft. Monore, Ft. Jefferson, Ft. Sumter, Ft. Jackson, Ft. Pulaski, Ft. Morgan, Ft. Gains, Ft. Pickens (and other Pensacola forts), and Ft. Macon are all discussed.

In Part II of the book, Weaver details the location, construction, plans, and photographs from over FORTY different forts of the third system.  Each entry is carefully researched by the author, and written on with authority.  He goes into great detail on almost every fort, and even describes different routes that invading armies would have in approaching Hampton Roads or New Orleans.

Finally, the appendix is very helpful for the average reader who is not familiar with many of the detailed technical terms that are used in the book such as counterscarp, crenel, merlon, and tenailles.

In short (and to wrap up this review), it is a book I highly recommend to anyone interested in the subject of coastal fortifications, the blockade, coastal artillery, and the American Civil War.  Also, I would definitely pick this work up if you plan on visiting any of the Eastern or Gulf coast forts, as it will give you a good idea of how the forts stack up against one another in terms of design, use, and effectiveness.

- Matthew Young