Rating: 
Summary: Thoughtful but overdone and confusing
Review: An expanded 2nd edition of an excellent work. This book provides information about almost every Civil War action, in sequence. The status of the battlefields is listed and the efforts to save them is detailed.AN ADDITIONAL BENIFIT, PART OF YOUR PURCHASE WILL HELP SAVE THE BATTLEFIELDS!
Rating: 
Summary: excellent overview and current status of Civil War Battlefi
Review: An expanded 2nd edition of an excellent work. This book provides information about almost every Civil War action, in sequence. The status of the battlefields is listed and the efforts to save them is detailed. AN ADDITIONAL BENIFIT, PART OF YOUR PURCHASE WILL HELP SAVE THE BATTLEFIELDS!
Rating: 
Summary: A must-have resource
Review: I took a group of college students on a "civil wargasm" last spring---to Gettysburg, Antietam, and dozens of sites in Virginia. We took a parcel of books and maps. This is the one we referred to more than any other. By laying out the battle over a modern map, this guide makes it easier to understand what happened where, and definitely enhances a visit to any site, large or small. It is especially useful for stops at battle sites that are only commemorated by historical markers, and for sites that have nearly disappeared under freeways and housing developments. If you plan to visit Civil War sites anywhere, this is the first book you should buy.
Rating:
Summary: A must-have resource
Review: I took a group of college students on a "civil wargasm" last spring---to Gettysburg, Antietam, and dozens of sites in Virginia. We took a parcel of books and maps. This is the one we referred to more than any other. By laying out the battle over a modern map, this guide makes it easier to understand what happened where, and definitely enhances a visit to any site, large or small. It is especially useful for stops at battle sites that are only commemorated by historical markers, and for sites that have nearly disappeared under freeways and housing developments. If you plan to visit Civil War sites anywhere, this is the first book you should buy.
Rating:
Summary: A must-have resource
Review: I took a group of college students on a "civil wargasm" last spring---to Gettysburg, Antietam, and dozens of sites in Virginia. We took a parcel of books and maps. This is the one we referred to more than any other. By laying out the battle over a modern map, this guide makes it easier to understand what happened where, and definitely enhances a visit to any site, large or small. It is especially useful for stops at battle sites that are only commemorated by historical markers, and for sites that have nearly disappeared under freeways and housing developments. If you plan to visit Civil War sites anywhere, this is the first book you should buy.
Rating:
Summary: An indispensable Civil War battlefield guide
Review: If you must only purchase one Civil War battlefield guide, make it this one, a beautifully produced volume by The Conservation Fund, a national battlefield preservation group. Plus, proceeds from every purchase go back to help the preservation effort, so there you go. The book lists campaigns and battles in chronological order, covering a total of 384 separate engagements. Each campaign/battle has a short but usefully detailed narrative overview, and the most important battles have accompanying maps. These maps are a thing of beauty and a joy to use. The editors wisely took current U.S. Geological Survey maps (complete with highway numbers and terrain features - very useful) of the battle areas and superimposed upon them Civil War- era landmarks and troop movements. This excellent technique makes the maps useful for navigating to and around the battlefields, and standing on the ground to visualize the fighting, especially for the less well-preserved sites where markers and interpretations may not exist. The only recommendation I would make for future editions is for the binding-- putting the book in a ring binding similar to a road atlas, with the larger maps as fold-outs, would make this already outstanding book even more useful. A series of short essays on various topics, and appendices with statistical information, complete the package. While the battle summaries themselves may not stand alone for analysis, that is certainly not the book's purpose (neither, I might add, is the book designed to interest folks who have "no interest in the trenches"- get real! This is a Civil War battlefield guide!). It succeeds completely and admirably in its guidebook function. I am currently purchasing copies for use by West Point cadets in an intensive Civil War battlefield study and staff ride. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: An indispensable Civil War battlefield guide
Review: If you must only purchase one Civil War battlefield guide, make it this one, a beautifully produced volume by The Conservation Fund, a national battlefield preservation group. Plus, proceeds from every purchase go back to help the preservation effort, so there you go. The book lists campaigns and battles in chronological order, covering a total of 384 separate engagements. Each campaign/battle has a short but usefully detailed narrative overview, and the most important battles have accompanying maps. These maps are a thing of beauty and a joy to use. The editors wisely took current U.S. Geological Survey maps (complete with highway numbers and terrain features - very useful) of the battle areas and superimposed upon them Civil War- era landmarks and troop movements. This excellent technique makes the maps useful for navigating to and around the battlefields, and standing on the ground to visualize the fighting, especially for the less well-preserved sites where markers and interpretations may not exist. The only recommendation I would make for future editions is for the binding-- putting the book in a ring binding similar to a road atlas, with the larger maps as fold-outs, would make this already outstanding book even more useful. A series of short essays on various topics, and appendices with statistical information, complete the package. While the battle summaries themselves may not stand alone for analysis, that is certainly not the book's purpose (neither, I might add, is the book designed to interest folks who have "no interest in the trenches"- get real! This is a Civil War battlefield guide!). It succeeds completely and admirably in its guidebook function. I am currently purchasing copies for use by West Point cadets in an intensive Civil War battlefield study and staff ride. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Thoughtful but overdone and confusing
Review: This book is designed to give those who wish to tour Civil War battlefield sites insight of the sites. Although this is a good idea it tends to confuse you more then inform you. This book is written in a manner that does not help historians or vacationers. I would recommend though donationg to the conservation fund, but if you are planning to tour the sites there are better books out there for you.
Rating:
Summary: Battlefield Synopsis
Review: This book lends itelf as a nice companion to any serious volume of research on the Civil War. It is not meant to be used as the sole study on specific battles but more so as a synopsis of what took place upon the battlefield. When used in conjunction with other works it's a great read and by itself it will give insight into the struggle that took place all across our Nation. The essays and maps are well done and to the point. However, don't rely upon these articles if you are planning on doing in depth tours or studies of the battles. Use this work as an overview of the action and then go out and enjoy the talks, lectures and battlefield literature. If there is no park then look online for books pertaining to your interests. Overall, his book is well written and is recommened for those interested in brief essays of over 350 civil war battles.
Rating:
Summary: Battlefield Synopsis
Review: This book lends itelf as a nice companion to any serious volume of research on the Civil War. It is not meant to be used as the sole study on specific battles but more so as a synopsis of what took place upon the battlefield. When used in conjunction with other works it's a great read and by itself it will give insight into the struggle that took place all across our Nation. The essays and maps are well done and to the point. However, don't rely upon these articles if you are planning on doing in depth tours or studies of the battles. Use this work as an overview of the action and then go out and enjoy the talks, lectures and battlefield literature. If there is no park then look online for books pertaining to your interests. Overall, his book is well written and is recommened for those interested in brief essays of over 350 civil war battles.
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