Osprey Essential Histories 5 : The American Civil War (3) : The War in the West 1861-July 1863

The American Civil War's vast Western Theatre witnessed enormously important military campaigning and served as the proving ground for generals who would achieve final Union victory. This book examines geographical, logistical, and strategic factors that shaped fighting in the Western Theatre, as well as assessing officers who played key roles. Major General Henry W. Halleck constructed a blueprint for early northern success, entrusting to Ulysses S. Grant the execution of his plans. Grant captured important rebel positions at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in early 1862 before marching south to win the battle of Shiloh in April. Albert Sidney Johnston, to whom the Confederacy had looked with confidence, presided over these defeats and suffered a mortal wound at Shiloh. Shortly after Shiloh, Union naval forces captured New Orleans, the South's largest city and most important port. The Confederates rebounded with a counteroffensive under Braxton Bragg and E. Kirby Smith that crested in Kentucky at the battle of Perryville in early October 1862, and the year closed with a bloody but indecisive clash at Stones River or Murfreesboro. Control of the Mississippi River stood as the North's most important goal in the Western Theatre, and Grant crafted a memorable campaign to seize the crucial Confederate stronghold at Vicksburg. After several months of frustrating failure, Grant laid siege to Vicksburg in May 1863 and took the city's surrender on July 4. Thanks mainly to Halleck and Grant, the North could savour a record of nearly unbroken progress in the Western Theatre during the first half of the war. Text by Stephen D. Engle.

Contents

• Introduction
• Chronology
• Warring Sides : From Innocents to Warriors
• The Fighting : The War without Jackson to Lee's Last Stand
• Portrait of a Soldier : McHenry Howard's War
• The World around War : 'This Horrid and Senseless War'
• Portrait of a Civilian : Ella Washington and the Federal Army
• How the War Ended : From Appomattox to Liverpool
• Conclusion and Consequences : Recovery and Reconstruction