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Rating: 
Summary: An amazing reference for serious Civil War buffs!
Review: This series, first published between 1881 and 1883, was written by actual veterans of the war, and although the writing can be dull at times, the descriptions of battles and campaigns is accurate, and there are maps and illustrations in each book. There are 13 books total, and they cover the most important campaigns of the war.
Volume 1, "The Outbreak of Rebellion", was written by President Lincoln's private secretary, John G. Nicolay, and chronicles the tense months leading up to the Battle of Bull Run in July, 1861.
Volume 2, "From Fort Henry to Corinth", was written by Brig. Gen. M.F. Force, and relies mainly on official reports from Union and Confederate sources to recount the campaigns that drove the Confederates out of Tennessee in early 1862.
Volume 3, "The Peninsula", was written by Alexander S. Webb and describes the operations of Gen. McClellan's Army of the Potomac from First Bull Run through July, 1862.
Volume 4, "The Army Under Pope", was written by John C. Ropes and recounts how Gen. Pope handled the army as commanding general after McCelellan.
Volume 5, "The Antietam and Fredericksburg", was written by Francis W. Palfrey, the former colonel of the 20th Mass. Inf., and discusses both campaigns in vivid detail.
Volume 6, "Chancellorsville and Gettysburg", was written by the legendary Gen. Abner Doubleday but presents a rather dry account of both battles.
Volume 7, "The Army of the Cumberland", was written by Henry M. Cist and delivers a solid overview of the Army of the Cumberland's bloodiest battles, including Stones River, Chickamauga, and Chattanooga (including Missionary Ridge).
Volume 8, "The Mississippi", was written by Francis Vinton Greene and gives a detailed account of the siege and surrender of Vicksburg as well as the battle at Port Hudson.
Volume 9, "Atlanta", was written by Gen. Jacob D. Cox (who wrote several great books after the war) and covers the troop movements and bloody battles of the Atlanta campaign.
Volume 10, "The March to the Sea/Franklin and Nashville", was also written by Gen. Jacob D. Cox and gives an accurate account of Sherman's March as well as the final battles and eventual surrender of the (Confederate) Army of Tennessee.
Volume 11, "The Shenandoah Valley in 1864", was written by George E. Pond and recounts Gen. Sheridan's campaign of destruction in the Shenandoah Valley in 1864, as well as Gen. Hunter's Lynchburg campaign.
Volume 12, "The Virginia Campaign of '64 and '65", was written by Andrew A. Humphreys, and draws extensively on Union and Confederate records to tell of the Army of Northern Virginia's final battles and eventual surrender.
Volume 13, "Statistical Record of the Armies of the United States", was written by Frederick Phisterer as a supplement to the first twelve books, and is a detailed record of the organization and battles of the U.S. armies.
This set is well-priced and gives the serious student of the Civil War a very good overview of the most crucial battles and campaigns of the war, and although written well over a hundred years ago it remains a great reference for any Civil War buff.
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