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Wrap10
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Posted: Thu Jul 9th, 2009 01:48 am |
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Okay folks, this is where you can post your top seven list for Shiloh. So list away! If you're not sure what the heck I'm talking about though, see the link below...
http://www.shilohdiscussiongroup.com/view_topic.php?id=470&forum_id=6
Perry
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"And all is hushed at Shiloh." - Herman Melville
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Ron
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Posted: Thu Jul 9th, 2009 02:10 pm |
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My list of he most influential books concerning the Battle of Shiloh.
1. War of the Rebellion, Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 10, Serial 10 and 11.
This is a must read for any serious students of the battle. I know it is a hard read but the joy of discovery of hidden tidbits of information is more then the pain. The secret is reading the battle reports you are interested in more than twice.
2. The Battle of Shiloh and the Organizations Engaged, Major D W Reed, 1902. This represents the origins of first person research of the battle, the thoughts of the veterans, the men who were there. Although the book does contain some unintended errors, it remains most valuable.
3. Shiloh, Bloody April, by Wiley Sword, 1974. Although written after Edward Cunningham's book (see below) it was published first and must be considered the first of the modern books about the Battle of Shiloh. A good, well written book, it could be a easy read but at times, is confusing. The confusion arises from the battle which itself was very confusing. The book actually flows well through the overall narration and is a good read in most instances. The author does a good job but more effort to explain the actions should have been made. It leaves many questions after the book is read but still a good book. The Order of Battle for the confederate army contained in the Appendix B contains historical errors which were not corrected.
4. Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862, O. Edward Cunningham, written in 1966 as his doctoral thesis, it was unpublished until 2007 when edited by Timothy Smith and Gary Joiner. This book contains some independent thoughts by Dr. Cunningham which does not repeat the more traditional accounts of the battle. He places less importance of the Hornets Nest/Sunken Road fighting and more on the Crossroads fighting near the Woolf Field, a thought I agree with. He also questions the number of guns in Ruggles artillery line as not 62 guns but 51 guns. I also question the number of guns in the line but estimate them to be 55 guns. The Order of Battle of the confederate army is flawed because the historical errors contained were repeated and not edited out.
5. Shiloh, The Battle That Changed the Civil War, Larry J Daniel, 1997. Another well written and enjoyable book, it shares the same criticism as Swords book as it also has a confusing narration of moments of the battle. More effort could have been taken to explain the battle situations. Another criticism is faulty information from past reports has been repeated here with no effort to edit. The Order of Battle for the confederate army is flawed because the historical errors contained were repeated and not edited out. It still remains a good interesting book worth the price.
6. An unusual book for this list is the biography of General Albert Sidney Johnston written his son, Colonel William Preston Johnston, 1879. Biographies may contain too much enthusiasm for the subject but this book has a good balance between actual events and a son's desire to protect his father's name and reputation. A good and recommended read.
7. Confederate Artillery at the Battle of Shiloh, April 6th and 7th, 1862 by Ron Black, unpublished because it is not finished. A wonderful fully researched book that does much to reduce the confusion of the battle and to correct some historical errors. It also questions the importance of the Hornets Nest/ Sunken Road fighting while placing more importance on the 2 pm attack up the River Road led by General Johnston, Governor Harris and General Breckinridge (ex-Vice President of US), General Johnston being mortally wounded in this attack. Also corrected is the number of guns in Ruggles line of guns. Importantly, a study of the overnight positions of the rebel army is presented and continues into the fighting of the second day of the battle. Featured is a more complete narration of the Monday fighting which will allow the reader a greater appreciation of the role of the leaders and the fighting. Unpublished
SPECIAL NOTE; Actually I include the last book in humor so don't think ill of me. It is a hard project I have been working on since 2000 and will probably never be published. Work on this project has really improved my understanding and appreciation of the battle. It also tought me how to read those boring, boring reports in the Official Records.
Last edited on Fri Jul 10th, 2009 12:12 am by Ron
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RONUSMC
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Posted: Fri Jul 10th, 2009 04:21 pm |
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Hi everyone, Finally made it back home!! saw lots of neat stuff including some site during the Indian Wars.
I am starting my list with a book I recently read that is not soley about Shiloh but has a unique perspective.
"Ripples of battle" by Victor Davis Hanson. Dr. Hanson reviews the consequences and effects on the lives of various historical figures caused by their participation in Battle.
Very interesting. I struggled with his treatment of the Peloponnesian wars, but he also goes into the battle for Okinawa and especially the lives of Lew Wallace, Grant and Sherman in the Battle at Shiloh.
Ron Hoak
Last edited on Fri Jul 10th, 2009 04:23 pm by RONUSMC
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dwmadison
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Posted: Fri Jul 10th, 2009 11:38 pm |
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Ron
Never give up on the book. I have been researching the Army of Northern Virginia and its artillery for 15 years or so. Everytime I think I have seen it all I get to visit another historical society or someone lets me know what they have in their collections. If there is anything I can help with from Richmond Virginia let me know.
Dennis in Tichmond
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Ron
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Posted: Sat Jul 11th, 2009 01:51 am |
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Dennis,
thanks for encouragement. Since you have been at it for 15 years, you know the feeling. Good luck on your project and maybe I can offer you assistance as I am interested in civil war artillery as well as the western campaigns during the war. I have a index card file on confederate batteries in all theaters. The cards for the eastern theater is very extensive. I also have a library of artillery books for research work. If you have any requests, my e-mail address is in my profile. You do have the book "The Long Arm of Lee" by Jennings Cropper Wise? If not, you need it.
Good luck
Ron
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Manassas1
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Posted: Sat Jul 11th, 2009 06:35 pm |
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My list of favoite Shiloh books include:
1. Shiloh: Bloody April by Wiley Sword (1988). Good account of the battle and easy for beginners, as well as long time civil war students, to read.
2. This Great Battlefield of Shiloh: History, Memory, and the Establishment of a Civil War National Military Park by Timothy B. Smith (2004) As someone who enjoys the history of the momumentation of civil war battlefields and the civilians who lived in the area during the battle, this book ranks high on my list
3. Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862 by O. Edward Cunningham ((2007) A very good dissertation on the battle.
4. Shiloh: A Novel by Shelby Foote (1952) Who doesn't like anything written by Shelby Foote?
5. Shiloh: In Hell before Night by James Lee McDonough (1977) This book provided answers to some of my early questions on the battle.
THE MANASSAS BELLE
Last edited on Sat Jul 11th, 2009 06:45 pm by Manassas1
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Pennsylvania Cajun
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Posted: Mon Jul 13th, 2009 12:09 pm |
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Ron,
Having been about where you are on a couple of my publishing projects, I can appreciate your desire to be as thorough as possible. Several good friends told me concerning my research on Louisiana Confederate units to "publish already"! And I reached that point where I made the hard decision to stop researching and start writing. I am interested in reading your book when it is done, particularly what you will have to say about the Ruggles/Shoup "battery."
Art
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Wrap10
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Posted: Tue Jul 14th, 2009 01:16 am |
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Art,
Now I know you can come up with seven books on Shiloh that you'd recommend!
Ron - I agree with Art about your book. (And Art and I usually don't agree on anything.) You should seriously consider publishing it.
Perry
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"And all is hushed at Shiloh." - Herman Melville
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vtclark
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Posted: Thu Jul 16th, 2009 09:01 pm |
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Hey Ron:
Believe it or not, I actually enjoy reading the battlefield reports in the War of the Rebellion Series. My students, on the other hand, seem to think I've lost my mind.
I don't know if you are aware of this or not, but the entire series is available on two CD's. The best part - YOU CAN SEARCH FOR SPECIFIC KEYWORDS!! I cannot tell you how valuable the CD's have been. I don't really use the CD's for anything other than a reference source. That way, I can go directly to the volume and page without a whole lot of hassle.
Violet Clark
vtclark@rocketmail.com
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vtclark
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Posted: Thu Jul 16th, 2009 09:52 pm |
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I guess I will list my top seven books. I have to admit, I’ve been quite lax in my academic study of the Western Theater. However, I am quickly catching up.
Most of the books that I will mention are ones that I’ve either used in the classroom, or have found to be productive resources for all – from the academic to the casual reader.
1. Wakefield, J.F. (Ed.). 1999. Battle of Shiloh (Incidents of the Civil War series). Honors Press.
This volume from the “Incidents in the American Civil War” series contains the edited battle reports of two Confederate and two Union officers who participated in the Battle of Shiloh in 1862. Includes etching, drawing, maps, photographs, and endnotes. Rather than reading the entire list of reports in the WORS, college students can access the most important documents related to the battle and its outcome. This series includes other significant battles of the Civil War.
2. Rich, J.W. (2007). The Battle of Shiloh (1911 Reprint ed.). Kessinger Publishing Company. The memoirs of a member of the Twelfth Iowa Regiment that fought at Shiloh. This was a hard to find book until the reprint in 2007. I’ve found that upper – level graduate students are better equipped to read this memoir. Undergrads seem to struggle with the proper use of the English language that existed in the early 20th century.
3. Smith, T.B. (2008). Untold story of Shiloh: The battle and the battlefield. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press.
This work is a collection of essays regarding the battle, its aftermath, and the historiography that has transpired since the end of the war. I am particularly fond of this book because it is rooted in solid historigraphical content.
4. Luvaas, J., Bowman, S., & Fullenkamp, L. (Eds.). (1996). The U. S. Army War College guide to the battle of Shiloh. Topeka, KS: University of Kansas Press.
Eyewitness accounts by battle participants make these guides an invaluable resource regardless if you are traveling or sitting in your easy chair at home. Explicit directions (if you are traveling), points of interest and maps—illustrating the action and showing the detail of troop position, roads, rivers, elevations, and tree lines as they were 130 years ago. It’s important to note that this book is part of the U.S. Army War College Guides to Civil War Battles series. Some of the other guides in this series are excellent as well.
5. Woodworth, S.E. (Ed.). The Shiloh campaign. (2009). Southern Illinois University Press.
Students of the battle of Shiloh! This is one of the most comprehensive guides to the battle of Shiloh that’s been published in years. Top notch historians convey the battle in rich detail. It’s an impressive piece of the “Civil War Campaigns in the Heartland” series, which has a few more works that have yet to be published.
The last two that I would consider on my top seven have already been listed:
6. Shiloh: Bloody April by Wiley Sword (1988).
7. This Great Battlefield of Shiloh: History, Memory, and the Establishment of a Civil War National Military Park by Timothy B. Smith (2004).
So, there you have it – my top seven.
Violet Clark
Last edited on Sat Jul 18th, 2009 12:49 am by vtclark
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tcb816
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Posted: Fri Jul 17th, 2009 07:15 pm |
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Here is some of the books on shiloh that i have read and like in someway.
1 ''Shiloh: A NOVEL'' BY SHELBY FOOTE HE TAKES YOU TO THE BATTLE. I HAVE READ THIS ONE OVER 20 TIMES IT IS A MUST FOR SHILOH READING.
2 ''SHILOH 1862: THE DEATH OF INNOCENCE'' BY JAMES ARNOLD
3 ''SHILOH: IN HELL BEFORE NIGHT'' BY JAMES McDONOUGH
4 ''SHILOH, BLOODY APRIL'' BY WILEY SWORD
5 ''SHILOH: BATTLE THAT DECIDED THE CIVIL WAR'' BY LARRY DANIELS
AARON YATES
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Wrap10
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Posted: Sun Jul 19th, 2009 07:30 pm |
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Below is my Top 7 list for Shiloh.
To start with, I really don’t think there is such a thing as a definitive book on Shiloh. No one book that you can point to as the one where you will learn as much as we are ever likely to learn. Each of the books on this list has strengths and weaknesses, and each will give you a perspective on various aspects of Shiloh that is somewhat different than what you will find in the others. Each will provide you with answers to some questions, and probably still leave you wondering about others.
In other words, I don’t know as there is one single best book on Shiloh. But I do know that there are several excellent books on Shiloh. I’ve tried to include some of the ones that I think qualify here, but by no means is this all of them. By no means at all.
What I’ve tried to do with this list is come up with what I think are the books that best combine the details of the battle with a broader perspective, placing Shiloh within a larger context. That was my general guideline that I decided to follow. With that in mind, here’s my list...
1. Shiloh: The Battle That Changed the Civil War, by Larry J. Daniel (1997)
Larry Daniel’s book isn’t actually my favorite book on Shiloh - although it’s up there pretty high - but I’m placing it at the top of this list because I think he probably does the best job of combining detail and overview. It’s close on that score between his book and the next one below. In fact, it’s just about a coin-flip. But I’d probably give the nod to Daniel.
At the time it was published, in 1997, Daniel’s book was the first major book on Shiloh to appear in about 20 years. Generally speaking, prior to Daniel’s book most people had a choice between Wiley Sword’s detailed examination of the battle or James Lee McDonough’s more readily available overview. Daniel’s book combines these two elements together, and does so in a way that sets it apart from either of the other two. And even after more than 10 years and the recent release of another major book on the battle, Daniel’s book holds up very well.
In a sense in fact, Daniel’s book could be considered as the first modern book on Shiloh to incorporate some of the more recent "revisionist" findings that call some of the traditional aspects of Shiloh into question.
At the same time though, Daniel does not follow in lock-step with the revisionist line of thought. His conclusions about the fighting in the Hornets Nest for instance, will come across as more in line with the traditional version of the battle than what might be considered the more revisionist version.
Another element of his book that is unique among Shiloh books is the photographs. Two of my standard complaints about most Civil War book are the need for more photographs and more and better maps. Daniel’s book could use more of both, but the ones included are not bad.
There are precious few early-day photos of Shiloh floating around, and only three that actually date to the war. But Daniel’s book includes several post-war photos of the battlefield from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including a few that even pre-date the park itself. Those aren’t really major considerations in the big scheme of things, but it does score points with me.
Of the four major books on Shiloh, Daniel’s also might have the best battle maps, although it does not include a map of the Union camps prior to the battle, or the location and formation of the Confederate army prior to the battle. Both of which are oversights in my opinion.
Daniel also places Shiloh within a much larger scope than just the battle, or even the campaign that began at Fort Henry and ended at Corinth. And he may do this better than anyone else.
Daniel reaches some conclusions in his book that I’m not sure I agree with, but that’s a purely personal opinion. And even where I disagree with his conclusions, I think he usually does a good job of presenting his case.
All in all, Larry Daniel’s book still has to rank as one of the best books available on Shiloh, and quite possibly the best at blending the details of the battle with the larger picture.
2. Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862, by O. Edward Cunningham (2007).
Cunningham’s book has the unique distinction of being the oldest book on this list (with one exception), and also the newest. It was originally released as a PhD dissertation in 1966, and not published in book form until 2007, after some minor editing by historian and former Shiloh park ranger Tim Smith and historian Gary D. Joiner.
Some of Larry Daniel’s research was based on Cunningham’s dissertation, and the two have a somewhat similar feel about their overall treatment of the campaign and battle. But there are significant differences, and you won’t mistake one for the other. They do not always reach the same conclusions, emphasize the same things, or hold the same opinion about various decisions or commanders.
Cunningham in my opinion also has a warmer, more conversational writing style than does Daniel, and brings more of a human touch to his subject.
Probably the best way to describe his approach to the battle is "even-handed." You don’t really come away from his book (or at least I didn’t), thinking that one aspect of the battle was somehow more important than any other.
And truth be told, this is one of the major "selling points" of Cunningham’s book. His treatment of the battle is a radical departure from the decades-long version that emphasizes the Hornets Nest above all else. Cunningham does not do this, and that is noteworthy in and of itself.
It should be noted that Cunningham does not dismiss the importance of the Hornets Nest - a claim which is amazingly (and incorrectly) made on the dust-jacket of the current hardback edition of the book. He simply places it alongside other aspects of the battle, giving it what amounts to equal billing. But, in the larger picture of Shiloh’s historiography, that’s big news.
His original dissertation is also a major catalyst behind what editors Tim Smith and Gary D. Joiner refer to in the introduction as the "revisionist" line of thought about Shiloh. (In fact, Tim Smith in recent years has expressed a point of view about Benjamin Prentiss and the Hornets Nest that some people might consider to be taking the revisionist line a bit too far. It makes for a good debate.)
Surprisingly, of the four major, modern books on Shiloh, Cunningham’s is the only one to have a map showing the position and formation of the Confederate army prior to the battle. And the maps in this book are products of the editors, specifically Gary D. Joiner.
Each of the other three modern, full-scale books on Shiloh (Daniel, Sword, and McDonough) begin their series of maps on the battle with the opening attack; but each of them fail to show the location or formation of the Confederate army before that attack began. (To be fair, McDonough’s book actually does have a map showing the southern army’s location, but not the formation.)
That’s a serious oversight, and thanks to the editors, one not repeated in Cunningham’s book. Understanding how the Confederate attack formation was arranged is crucial to understanding how the battle evolved, and while written descriptions help with visualizing it, nothing beats seeing it.
The editors also included a section of modern photographs of the park near the back of the book. A thoughtful addition.
As carefully researched as Cunningham’s book obviously was, there are a few rather surprising errors here and there, usually in describing certain parts of the battle. These are corrected by the editors, and the changes are called to your attention in the footnotes.
While no book is going to be perfect and Cunningham is rightly praised for his ground-breaking research, some of these boo-boos are real head-scratchers. Just as an example, his description of the original location for Peabody’s brigade at the start of the battle is so convoluted that not even the editors could figure out where he was placing them.
Mistakes like this are a little surprising, especially for someone who was clearly engaged in some very meticulous research than included many visits to the park. Then again, as the saying has it, stuff happens. 
The book also has a somewhat abrupt ending, with no concluding chapter that ties everything together. As a counterweight to that, it does contain a good account of the Corinth campaign. Something that is usually missing from other books on the battle.
In sum, Cunningham’s book is an outstanding piece of work. The drawbacks are fairly minor and do not take away from an excellent book on Shiloh. In fact, anyone who lists this book as their top choice for Shiloh would get no argument from me.
3. Shiloh: Bloody April, by Wiley Sword (1974, 2001).
This is my favorite book on Shiloh. Sword is the one who truly opened my eyes to the fact that there was more to the battle than the Hornets Nest. If you’re looking for a detailed account of the entire battle, you’ll be hard-pressed to do better than Wiley Sword.
In fact, as Ron said earlier, I think Sword’s book can be looked on as the first truly modern treatment of the battle, and in that respect I’m not sure he’s received the credit I think he deserves for showing us Shiloh’s broader scope beyond the Hornet’s Nest. Cunningham and Daniel are both lauded for doing this, and rightly so. Sword should be as well.
I also think Sword has a marvelous writing style. It is very similar to Cunningham’s, and while Cunningham’s book is probably better at giving a broader view, Sword’s is better on the details.
Of all the books on this list, Sword’s is the very best at putting a human touch on a nearly blow-by-blow account of the battle. The way in which he weaves personal stories into the larger battle narrative is excellent, and done so smoothly than you might not even notice the transition. I like to say that his book is more than just facts and figures - it’s facts, figures, and faces. He skillfully reminds you that the story you are reading about happened to real, flesh-and-blood people.
On the negative side of the ledger, the maps could use some work, and there are not nearly enough pictures. But again, those are standard complaints for me. The maps in Sword’s book are basic and functional, and do the job, but I still wish there would have been more, and with more detail.
The format he uses for his endnotes, listed at the back of the book, is also a bit odd, and a little difficult to follow at first. He also does not give any additional information or opinions in his endnotes. That’s a personal and fairly minor complaint on my part, as I like to see such things.
Sword also emphasizes different aspects of the battle from either Daniel or Cunningham, and you will come away from his book with the opinion that he views the death of Albert Sidney Johnston as not just a major moment in the battle, but also in the war.
In fact, Sword has what could almost be called an obsession with getting the National Park Service to relocate the monument and marker noting where Johnston died. (Of the four major, modern books on the battle, Sword’s is almost certainly the most favorable toward Johnston. Daniel and McDonough are pretty harsh toward the Confederate commander, Cunningham not quite so much.)
Sword adamantly believes that Johnston died further north on the battlefield than where indicated by the Park Service, and he has waged an ongoing campaign to have this site moved. His belief that Johnston’s death marked a major turning point in the war, and not just the battle, is almost certainly the driving force behind this.
Unfortunately, it is also almost certainly the reason why far more attention seems to be called to Sword’s focus on Johnston than his even-handed approach to the larger battle. And unfortunate is the right word for it.
I suspect that when a lot of folks think about Sword and Shiloh, they think first about his focus on Johnston. But there is much more to his book than that. In the introduction to Cunningham’s book, editors Tim Smith and Gary D. Joiner call Sword’s book the best tactical treatment of Shiloh. Despite some minor faults here and there, that’s exactly what it is.
So if I’m that high on the book, why don’t I have it listed at the top? It is at the top for me personally, but while I think this is the best book on the battle itself, I also think Daniel and Cunningham do a somewhat better job of telling the story of Shiloh from a broader perspective.
That’s painting with a little too broad of a brush, as Sword does place the battle in a larger context, and Daniel and Cunningham do provide details of the battle in their respective books. For the most part though, I think Sword is the details guy, and Daniel and Cunningham are a little more big-picture. As is McDonough.
So generally speaking, if you want overview combined with some detail, Daniel, Cunningham, and James Lee McDonough might be your best choices. If you’re looking for more detail about the battle along with another perspective, Sword’s your man.
#4. The Battle of Shiloh and the Organizations Engaged, by D.W. Reed (1902, 1909).
David Wilson Reed’s book just might be the most interesting title on this or any other list about Shiloh. It is strictly a tactical treatment of the battle, along with a brief overview of the preceding campaign. And within that context, it is not only an excellent book, it’s a book that any serious student of Shiloh simply has to read at some point.
A veteran of the battle and the park‘s first historian, Reed more than any other person is responsible for the park at Shiloh as we know it today, as well as the traditional story of the battle as it has been handed down to us through the years.
For that reason alone, his book is worth your time. It was last issued in 1913 and since then it has virtually dropped from sight, although it has recently been re-published. An online version is also available to read for free.
Given the importance of Reed and his book in the history of Shiloh, it might be a bit surprising to discover just how even-handedly he covers the battle. Some faults might be found or disagreements had with certain details here and there - which is true for any of these books - but Reed clearly strove for an accurate view of the entire battle. And by and large, he delivers just that.
And yet, Reed and his book are together considered one of the cornerstones for the traditional version of the battle in which the Hornets Nest dominates the story.
Tim Smith, in The Untold Story of Shiloh (page 9), believes that part of the reason for that might be the amount of time that Reed devoted in his account to the Sunken Road and Hornets Nest, as well as the subtle way in which the text becomes somewhat more dramatic when turning to the fighting in that area, where Reed himself participated. Smith is probably right about that. The change in tone is there, although it is indeed quite subtle and can be a little difficult to detect if you aren’t looking for it.
But Smith also concluded that even if Reed did not mean to, in Tim Smith’s words, "institutionalize the Hornets Nest school of thought," as Smith adds, "he certainly suggested it for later writers to use."
Put another way, later writers and historians picked up on Reed’s emphasis on the Hornets Nest, however subtle, and ran with it. As a result, the Hornets Nest and the Sunken Road have not only come to dominate the story of Shiloh, they quite simply dwarf every other part of the battle, even to this day.
Which brings us back to Reed’s book. It is doubtful that Reed ever intended for one area of the battle or battlefield to dominate so much attention in this manner. And I think when you read his book, you’ll see this as well. Reed attempted to give an objective account of the entire battle from both sides, including what he refers to as "detailed movements" of all three armies down to the brigade level.
With good reason, D.W. Reed is considered the father of Shiloh National Military Park. He is also probably the father of what is still the dominate version of the story of Shiloh. Something he would no doubt be proud of, and all things considered, probably also find ironic. The irony lying in the fact that his original, well-balanced version of the battle has become so unbalanced in the retelling. For all of those reasons, Reed’s account of the battle is one that needs to be read.
5. Shiloh: In Hell Before Night, by James Lee McDonough (1977).
It’s possible that McDonough’s truly fine book is the best overview of Shiloh available, at least in book form. In fact, some people would no doubt call it exactly that.
The main reason I don’t have it listed at the top is due to the fact that two other, more recent books do what I think is a better job of incorporating more recent research into excellent overviews of the campaign and battle. Those two books of course being Larry Daniel’s and Edward Cunningham’s. (Even though, again, Cunningham’s book actually pre-dates McDonough’s.)
McDonough’s book is more in line with the traditional version of the battle. It is also pretty light on the details compared to the other books on this list. But that’s only a shortcoming if you’re looking for more detail rather than an overview. And you would be hard-pressed to find a better overview of Shiloh than this one.
McDonough’s book also rivals Daniel’s when it comes to the pictures. McDonough, in fact, does something that none of the others do, which is include wartime sketches of the battlefield. Given the dearth of wartime photographs of Shiloh, the use of sketches was a very nice touch.
McDonough’s book might also be the most readable, for lack of a better word. Much like Sword and Cunningham, McDonough’s account has a very human touch about it.
The maps aren’t bad, although the rendering of the armies as small, black and white arrowheads strikes me as a bit unusual, although I think I see why it was done. But the maps do the job, especially as part of a general overview.
I don’t see eye-to-eye with McDonough on some of his conclusions, but I also think that his book should be included on anyone’s list for Shiloh.
6. From Fort Henry to Corinth, by Manning Force (1881).
Like Reed, Manning Force was a veteran of the battle, having served in Lew Wallace’s division at Shiloh. And in 1881 he released what historian Tim Smith says was the first full-scale book about the entire battle. After nearly 13 decades, it still holds it own, and serves as an excellent comparison with more modern accounts. (Also like Reed's book, it can be read online in its entirety. Simply do a search for the author and title.)
The title of Force’s book does not do it justice. The narrative actually begins well in advance of Fort Henry, taking you all the way back to the spring of 1861 in Missouri. Force gives surprisingly detailed accounts of several actions that pre-date Fort Henry, including Wilson’s Creek, Pea Ridge, Belmont, Island #10, and other engagements. He covers events in 1861 Missouri and Kentucky, and sets the stage for the Shiloh Campaign extremely well.
After dealing with events from Fort Henry to the eve of Shiloh, he then plunges into the battle, providing a narrative that probably rivals both Reed and Sword for detail. Reed’s account is pretty straightforward and to the point, and the same can largely be said of Force’s narrative, which pre-dates Reed’s by two decades.
Force’s approach to the battle is interesting in another respect, in that he does not follow the battle in chronological order, as do most of the more modern accounts. Instead, after recounting the opening phase of the battle along the outer perimeter of the Union camps, he then moves to the western side of the battlefield and walks you through the action there before moving on to the center and then the eastern side of the field.
There is some overlap, but for the most part, he takes you through the action on each section of the battlefield from start to finish before moving on. He repeats this technique for the second day’s fight, only going in reverse order and moving from east to west. Some people may very well find this an easier way to follow the battle than the more typical timeline version.
He seems to give a clue in the narrative itself as to why he chose this particular approach to describing the battle: "A combat made up of numberless separate encounters of detached portions of broken lines, continually shifting position and changing direction in the forest and across ravines, filling an entire day, is almost incapable of a connected narrative."
Hard to argue with that!
Force also gives what might be the best account of how the various Union divisions came to be arranged at Pittsburg Landing prior to the battle.
He also refers to the Hornets Nest by name (remember this is 1881), and refers to the Sunken Road as an "old, sunk, washed-out road,"without calling it the 'Sunken Road,' a name which, according to Larry Daniel, may not have come into general use until after the formation of the park.
But, you will not come away from Force’s book with the impression that the fighting in the Hornets Nest was the pivotal moment of the battle. Like Cunningham nearly a century later, his account is much more even-handed.
Another interesting aspect involves his treatment of Ruggle’s Battery and the bombardment against the Sunken Road line. He does not give a total for the number of cannons involved, but he does infer that the bombardment only succeeded in driving off some of the Union artillery. (Namely, he refers to Hickenlooper’s battery leaving the area at this time.)
This goes against what has become the more traditional line of thought, which holds that the bombardment was a major reason why the Hornets Nest finally collapsed.
There are precious few maps, each of which is decent but not great. There is but a single map for the battle itself, and too much information is crammed into too small a space. There are no pictures whatsoever. Minor quibbles, although having a good, modern map of the battlefield handy when following along with his account is a very good idea.
As is true with each book here, folks will find things to quibble about in some of the details of Force’s narrative. And not without reason. But don’t let that stop you from reading this truly fine book.
Even though he was a Union veteran of the battle and the account does seem to tilt a little toward the North, like Reed some 20 years later, Force clearly attempted to provide an objective view of the battle from both sides. On the whole, I think he did a superb job of it.
As you read through his narrative in fact, you might find yourself forgetting that it was originally written well over a century ago, and before the Hornets Nest came to dominate the battle’s historiography. It’s an excellent and well-balanced account of Shiloh written less than 20 years after the battle, by someone who was there.
7. Blue & Gray special issue on Shiloh, by Stacy Allen (1997).
That’s right, the seventh title on my list of books is a magazine article. So I’m breaking the rules. Hey, sometimes you just feel the need to be wild and crazy. (In all seriousness, you can include whatever you think should be included, be it book or magazine article.)
And in fact, if this were a book instead of a magazine article, I’d have it listed at the top of this list. Because in my personal opinion, Stacy Allen has provided us with what I still consider to be the best overview of Shiloh that’s ever been written, period.
He also outlines why he believes the southern commanders had a faulty understanding of the position of the Union army prior to the battle, and how this impacted the battle. The narrative also includes some excellent (albeit necessarily general) maps of the battlefield.
You'll also find several different driving tour maps for when you visit the park. One of these takes you around the park, following the main tour stops as they existed when the article was first published. The others allow you to follow the routes taken by the Confederate army on their approach to Pittsburg Landing, as well as re-trace Lew Wallace's infamous march, and William Nelson's march from Savannah. There are also maps for Fallen Timbers, and brief tours of both Savannah and Corinth.
If you’re looking for a solid overview of Shiloh written by the person who probably knows more about the battle than anyone else alive, and can be read in a single sitting, Stay Allen’s article is the way to go.
The main drawback to all this is that the article, written in 1997, can be difficult to obtain anymore. It was originally released as a two-part series, and Blue & Gray only shows Part 2, covering the second day’s battle, as being available for backorder on their web site. (The two issues have since been combined into a single, all-inclusive special edition.)
Another alternative, and so far as I know probably the best alternative, is to order the single-copy version from the bookstore at Shiloh. As I understand it, they periodically receive additional copies from the folks at Blue & Gray, although I don’t know how long that will last. But you can contact the bookstore at 731-689-3475, and ask for the Blue & Gray special issue on Shiloh.
Perry
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"And all is hushed at Shiloh." - Herman Melville
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Wrap10
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Posted: Sun Jul 19th, 2009 07:42 pm |
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Violet and Aaron - just wanted to say thanks for posting your lists!
Perry
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"And all is hushed at Shiloh." - Herman Melville
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Wrap10
Administrator
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Posted: Sun Jul 19th, 2009 08:08 pm |
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Just so everyone knows, there's no need to post a 10,000 word novel like I just did. You certainly can if you want, but the point is, whatever list you decide on, and whatever description you post with it, is absolutely fine. It's your list, and your description. I'm just a long-winded person by nature. If you are as well, welcome to the club! If not, you're fortunate! 
Either way, the main point of all of this is to have a little fun with coming up with a list, and giving other folks ideas about what to read. If you do that, you're going to get a thank you from me, because I appreciate your taking the time to do it. I know I speak for Brett on that score as well.
So jump in and post your list.
Perry
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"And all is hushed at Shiloh." - Herman Melville
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idaho native
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| Location: | Boise, Idaho USA |
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Posted: Mon Jul 20th, 2009 05:05 pm |
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My List includes works already listed by others including: O.E. Cunningham's book; L. J. Daniels book, W Sword's book and J. L. McDonough's book as well as three others as follows:
Shiloh and Corinth: Sentinels of Stone by Timothy T. Isbell - the book has beautiful photographs of Shiloh and Corinth with some text.
Eyewitnesses at the Battle of Shiloh compiled and edited by David Logsdon - the book contains extracts from eyewitness accounts of the battle.
another favorite and a special treasure is
"Shiloh House of Peace: The Church That Named the Battle", by Dr. Ronnie Fullwood - there is some info about the prelude to the battle in this book as well as some great pictures & interesting local history.
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"In our youth our hearts were touched with fire." - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.
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