Customer Reviews

American Civil War Fortifications (1): Coastal brick and stone forts (Fortress)

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This new addition to the Osprey Fortress series is very well written. It covers the history of Stone and Brick Coastal Forts of the Civil War from their design and construction in the early 1800s till their combat in the Civil War. The first section is on the design and the development of American Coastal fortifications and it covers the three systems of coastal fortification. The second section gives a tour of the fortificatins covered in the book. This section talks in detail about each section of the fort critical to its defence, including the outer defences and redouts. The next section documents garrision life at the fort telling about the dull life of a garrision soldier and giving examples for garrions at forts. This section also talks about the particulaur guns that defended these forts. After this is a section of the principles of defense that give information on the plans and stratagies for defending the forts. The next section gives war histories on some of the more important forts including, forts Sumter, Pulaski, Macon, and Jackson. This is the one disapointing section. Not only does it leave out several important forts,(Fort Morgan-Battle of Mobile Bay, Fort Monroe-Penisular campaign and defense of Hampton Roads,and Fort Moultre- defense of Charleston) but it has incomplete histories. For instance, the section on Fort Sumpter only covers the opening battle of the Civil War neglecting the ironclad attack on the fort and the union bombardments that occured latter in the war. The last section covers post civil war coastal fortifications. The art work of this volume is very good. There are ten one page plates. The first plate shows Forts Marion and McHenry. The other plates are Forts Jackson and McRee, Fort Clinch, Fort Sumpter, Fort Moultrie, Fort Zachary Taylor, The main Confederate Battery at Fort Macon, Fort Pulaski, artillery casemate at Fort Pulaski, and artillery at Fort Morgan. A glossary and information on ever stone and brick Civil War fort's present condition and location is also included. This is very useful. Overall this is a great reference book on researching these important Civil War forts. I hope Osprey publishes furthur volumes on sand and wood coastal forts (Fort Wagner) and Mississippi River Forts (Vicksburg) in this new series.

The book documents well the development of American coastal forts of what was known as the Third System. These Civil War forts were impressive works built of stone and brick. The drawings are excellent, but there are numerous historical errors in the details and several forts are mislabeled. A revised edition would be appreciated and make this a 5 star work.

This book is a good overview of U.S. Coastal forts. Good for the general interest or the military enthusiast.

This book makes a great introduction, but there are a number of minor errors including on the illustrations. OTherwise it is the book to have on this topic.

This new addition to the Osprey Fortress series is very well written. It covers the history of Stone and Brick Coastal Forts of the Civil War from their design and construction in the early 1800s till their combat in the Civil War. The first section is on the design and the development of American Coastal fortifications and it covers the three systems of coastal fortification. The second section gives a tour of the fortificatins covered in the book. This section talks in detail about each section of the fort critical to its defence, including the outer defences and redouts. The next section documents garrision life at the fort telling about the dull life of a garrision soldier and giving examples for garrions at forts. This section also talks about the particulaur guns that defended these forts. After this is a section of the principles of defense that give information on the plans and stratagies for defending the forts. The next section gives war histories on some of the more important forts including, forts Sumter, Pulaski, Macon, and Jackson. This is the one disapointing section. Not only does it leave out several important forts,(Fort Morgan-Battle of Mobile Bay, Fort Monroe-Penisular campaign and defense of Hampton Roads,and Fort Moultre- defense of Charleston) but it has incomplete histories. For instance, the section on Fort Sumpter only covers the opening battle of the Civil War neglecting the ironclad attack on the fort and the union bombardments that occured latter in the war. The last section covers post civil war coastal fortifications. The art work of this volume is very good. There are ten one page plates. The first plate shows Forts Marion and McHenry. The other plates are Forts Jackson and McRee, Fort Clinch, Fort Sumpter, Fort Moultrie, Fort Zachary Taylor, The main Confederate Battery at Fort Macon, Fort Pulaski, artillery casemate at Fort Pulaski, and artillery at Fort Morgan. A glossary and information on ever stone and brick Civil War fort's present condition and location is also included. This is very useful. Overall this is a great reference book on researching these important Civil War forts. I hope Osprey publishes furthur volumes on sand and wood coastal forts (Fort Wagner) and Mississippi River Forts (Vicksburg) in this new series.

Very well illustrated,with examples and photos of coastal forts from the Civil War. A very handy guide for the enthusiast or tourist that will/ or has visited Fort Sumter, Charleston, S. Carolina and other forts of that era. This is an "Osprey Military" short book or booklet with histories of battles of these forts. This is a companion book to "American Civil War Fortifications- Land and Field Fortifications"

Civil War Forts has some really good drawings, but a number of illustrations are incorrectly labeled. Some of the minor details in the text are also incorrect. It is still a good introductory work.