Description
Reardon examines the great profusion of new or newly translated military texts of the Civil War years, intended to fill that intellectual void, and draws as well on the views of the soldiers and civilians who turned to them in the search for a winning strategy. In examining how debates over principles of military thought entered into the question of qualifications of officers entrusted to command the armies of Northern citizen soldiers, she explores the limitations of nineteenth-century military thought in dealing with the human elements of combat.
About the Author
Carol Reardon is George Winfree Professor of American History Emerita at Pennsylvania State University and author of Pickett's Charge in History and Memory.
Reviews
Nothing less than amazing. For anyone interested in military history that goes beyond-without losing sight of-battles and leaders and engages big issues in Civil War military history in a way that is provocative, insightful, and compelling, Reardon's book is an essential addition to their library"". - Civil War Monitor
""Reardon's approach to combat studies offers a new and promising framework to understand the connection between soldiers, combat, and unit effectiveness"". - Journal of Southern History
""Reardon's revisionist contribution is . . . significant, timely, and thoroughly welcome"". - Journal of American History
""Reardon knows her subject well, and this resulting contribution to Civil War literature ought not to be ignored by anyone hoping to understand the making of strategy or the moral component in war"". - The Historian
""This is a book that deserves and should find a wide audience. In addition to shedding important light on aspects of the war that had heretofore not received adequate attention from scholars, it is also impressively researched, analytically rigorous, and clearly written"". - Blue & Gray Magazine
""Reardon examines the public debate in the North over what military strategy would best defeat the Confederacy"". - America's Civil War
""A succinct but thorough examination of the intellectual dimensions of waging the war. . . . Highly recommended"". - North Carolina Historical Review
Book Information
ISBN 9781469642307
Author Carol Reardon
Format Paperback
Page Count 192
Imprint The University of North Carolina Press
Publisher The University of North Carolina Press
Weight(grams) 280g