by James M. McPherson

Reviewed by Elaine Williams

I recently became interested in the Civil War after a visit to the Antietam and Gettysburg National Battlefields. I knew that the Battle of Antietam was the bloodiest single day in American history, and that Gettysburg marked the turning point of the war, but I didn't know anything about the context in which these struggles took place, nor did I realize that the war could have ended at those small towns in the east. I needed a brief, comprehensive overview of the war, one that would give me the big picture without being so detailed that I would get bogged down in confusion. Fields of Fury fits the bill exactly.

In this colorful volume, Pulitzer prize-winning author James M. McPherson covers the key battles of the Civil War, plus many more battles that may not be familiar to many Americans, such as the Battles of Mobile Bay, Cold Harbor, and the Seven Days' Battles. Again, this is not a book for those who are already scholars of the war.

Besides the battles, McPherson covers issues such as the origins of the war, how the war was financed, slavery, caring for the wounded, the roles of black soldiers and women in the war, and the rebuilding of goodwill between North and South. You'll also learn about the great war leaders and the two presidents who directed them. The illustrations are one of the book's greatest strengths. For every page of text, there is a full-page illustration or map that enhances the topic at hand. Each topic also features a sidebar of quick facts. Here are just a few of the interesting facts I picked up: the Terrill brothers, who were generals on opposite sides of the field, are buried with a single headstone that reads: GOD ALONE KNOWS WHICH WAS RIGHT Vicksburg, Mississippi refused to celebrate the Fourth of July for 81 years after its defeat by Union forces on July 4, 1863. As many as four hundred women disguised themselves as men in order to fight on both sides during the war In 1862, a slave stole a Confederate ship and surrendered it to a Union blockade ship The Virginia (or Merrimack) and the Monitor, two legendary ironclad battleships of the Civil War, had such weak engines that they could barely move. In fact, the Monitor had to be towed to the battle site!

As a general introduction to the War Between the States, Fields of Fury is highly recommended for young people and adults. There's something here for everyone interested in this period of American History. Other books by James M. McPherson include Battle Cry of Freedom and Abraham Lincoln and the Second American Revolution.

Library Call Number:  J 973.7 MCP

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Highland County, OH