The American Civil War: The Soldier's Story

Rating:
Summary: What was it really like to be a soldier in the Civil War?
Review: Military historian/author Hans Halberstadt's "The American Civil War: The Soldier's Story" is much more than just another book about America's bloodiest and most tragic war. He has written an indispensable primer for helping all generations of lay readers explore and appreciate the life of the common soldier in both battle and camp. Whereas most nonfiction Civil War tomes focus on grand strategy, battle analysis, or celebrated leaders, Mr. Halberstadt takes us right down to the fighting man's level for vivid, and sometimes gut-wrenching, insights into the day-to-day lives of "Johnny Reb" and "Billy Yank." As his thesis, Halberstadt contends that "The common soldier...outnumbered the famous senior commanders about a hundred thousand to one, yet we don't hear as much as we might about their military skills, their fieldcraft, and their lives in and out of battle." The author sets out cure that oversight by educating us with a wealth of fascinating information about the common soldier's training, weapons, uniform, food, camp life, and battle tactics. To keep the subject manageable, he further divides the book into separate sections dealing with the foot soldiers, cavalry troops, and artillerymen.

Although a few Civil War purists may take umbrage with the technique, Mr. Halberstadt successfully blends period photographs with dozens of stunning reenactment photos, all expertly crafted and woven into a lively text attempting to answer the following question: What was it really like to be a soldier in the Civil War? For my money, Halberstadt is the first author since Civil War veteran Sam Watkins wrote "Co. Aythc" to capture the essence of the wartime experience for the rank-and-file soldier.

"The American Civil War" is a fantastic reading experience. Rich in detail, eloquently written, and beautifully illustrated, it gives readers a "you are there" perspective on Army life, North and South, in America's bloodiest conflict. For anyone who wants to understand the Civil War, Mr. Halberstadt's book is required reading. It is a central work in my Civil War library.

Rating:
Summary: What was it really like to be a soldier in the Civil War?
Review: Military historian/author Hans Halberstadt's "The American Civil War: The Soldier's Story" is much more than just another book about America's bloodiest and most tragic war. He has written an indispensable primer for helping all generations of lay readers explore and appreciate the life of the common soldier in both battle and camp. Whereas most nonfiction Civil War tomes focus on grand strategy, battle analysis, or celebrated leaders, Mr. Halberstadt takes us right down to the fighting man's level for vivid, and sometimes gut-wrenching, insights into the day-to-day lives of "Johnny Reb" and "Billy Yank." As his thesis, Halberstadt contends that "The common soldier...outnumbered the famous senior commanders about a hundred thousand to one, yet we don't hear as much as we might about their military skills, their fieldcraft, and their lives in and out of battle." The author sets out to cure that oversight by educating us with a wealth of fascinating information about the common soldier's training, weapons, uniform, food, camp life, and battle tactics. To keep the subject manageable, he further divides the book into separate sections dealing with the foot soldiers, cavalry troops, and artillerymen.

Although a few Civil War purists may take umbrage with the technique, Mr. Halberstadt successfully blends period photographs with dozens of stunning reenactment photos, all expertly crafted and woven into a lively text attempting to answer the following question: What was it really like to be a soldier in the Civil War? For my money, Halberstadt is the first author since Civil War veteran Sam Watkins wrote "Co. Aythc" to capture the essence of the wartime experience for the rank-and-file soldier.

"The American Civil War" is a fantastic reading experience. Rich in detail, eloquently written, and beautifully illustrated, it gives readers a "you are there" perspective on Army life, North and South, in America's bloodiest conflict. For anyone who wants to understand the Civil War, Mr. Halberstadt's book is required reading. It is a central work in my Civil War library.