Customer Reviews

Antietam (Voices of the Civil War)

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In working with Time-Life to produce this work, I ran across many personal accounts that were previosuly unpublished. To see their inclusion in this book was gratifying in that the past would not be left to gather dust on some old archival shelf.

Many accounts in our regimental files at the battlefield contained personal letters and photos from families across the country. The editiors of Time-Life compiled many of those items into an easy to read format, spelling out the specifics of attack across the once feritle farmland now known as Antietam National Battlefield.

The horrors of battle are not easy to grasp, but by including personal letters, maps, photos, and the Hope paintings the reader gets a brief look into what life was like on 17 September 1862.

Whether or not you can get to the battlefield pick up this book. It's accounts are moving, and the impact of what happened will flow from the pages as you begin your journey into the Maryland Campaign of 1862.

This book is a must for any historian or student of the Civil War.

The books of this Time Life series are very important to anyone who wants to learn about the Civil War. The first series, the gray set, is a good starter, but this set is a great next step.

This particular volume is very moving and comsuming. I found it hard to leave, and I also found it somewhat haunting. Fortunately, I've been to Antietam many times, and know the ground pretty well, but the men's words change the ground into a hallowed field that will always be looked at differently.

There is in this book a cold matter-of-factness in the letters and writings of the participants that is unsettling. Death and human destruction are so common, that it matters not to the writer. To losely quote General W. T. Sherman, "I look at the lose of a few thousand men as a morning dash".

To read this book is to go back in time, to live as they did, and to feel what they felt. The editors did a fine job of material selection. Can not imporve on the contents at all. Well done to all.

When you read the book (and you better), try to prepare yourself for the final 2 pages, the article from the New York Times newspaper. Words like this do not come often in this life, and to miss these would be a loss. Events such as these deserve to be memoralized and remembered, or we are "doomed to relive them". A stunning book for all.

This volume in the TimeLife series, "Voices of the Civil War", is terrific! Using a combination of photos, maps, paintings, and impressive text drawn from the diaries, letters and writings of participants from both North and South--as well as civilians, the story of the entire September 1862 campaign of the Army of Northern Virginia comes alive.

I rated the volume an 8 out of a possible 10 score because: 1. some of the maps showing battle action can be a little confusing to follow; 2. the commentary prior to each section does not always give command ranks or first names consistently; 3. editing of some of the accounts, particularly that of Gordon's memoirs dealing with the Sunken Road, may have inadvertently left out some very important explanatory notes for actions taken by that person.

Despite this, I found the volume to be very well put together. The impact of reading the words of actual combatants who survived the bloodiest day of American history can not be easily described. There is humor in these pages; there is also profound tragedy, sadness and grief.

I recommend this volume to any one who wants to gain a more immediate understanding and appreciation for the Army of Northern Virginia's campaign into Maryland in September, 1862 culminating with the bloody Battle of Antietam, September 17, 1862. This book is perhaps the next best thing to actually visiting the battlefield site itself.<P

this book tells the story of the battle in the soilders view through their letters and reports. The letters start off cheerfully with the Confederates marching through Frederick, MD followed by the Union army all accounts say things about how though they might be cheery now they know a large battle will soon happen. Then Sharpsburg becomes the meeting place of the two mighty armies and the soilders on both sides soon realize the great disaster they have front seat tickets to and through their letters they put you onto the battle field. this book is amazing

Antietam was a most sanguinary battle, with both armies taking many casualties. This book takes a personal view of this conflict. While there are some standard features of a battle's depiction, such as maps, the order of battle, narrative discussion, that is not the heart of this book. This volume features reflections on the battle from the point of view of participants--from foot soldiers to generals. It is an "up close and personal" view of this battle.

This volume begins with a brief essay on the aftermath of Second Manassas (Bull Run), as the Confederate host under General Robert E. Lee began a movement to invade the northern states (Maryland as the first). This essay brings the two armies together at Sharpsburg/Antietam Creek. The chronology on page 13 helps to make sense of the current of events. The order of battle appears on page 14 (down to brigade level). Of note, the corps commanders of the Confederate army were James Longstreet and Stonewall Jackson. Their Union peers: William Franklin, Darius Couch, Fitz-John Porter, Edwin Sumner, Joseph Mansfield, Joseph Hooker, and Jesse Reno (obviously, the Confederate corps were much larger than their Union counterparts).

One of the entries of interest (page 21) is Robert E. Lee's message to the people of Maryland.

Pages 32-33 feature discussion of the battle for passage through South Mountain, which the Union forces won, although there was stout opposition. As a Midwesterner, this is an important conflict for me, since this is where the "Iron Brigade" achieved its "nom de plume," from General McClellan himself.

A brief essay on pages 53-54 introduces us to the battle at Antietam itself. There is a nice map on page 55 that shows the disposition of forces at the outset of this bloody fight. Comments from combatants follow, giving us a sense of the savagery of this struggle. On page 135, the "butcher's bill" is provided, showing the casualties of the two armies. Then, snippets from participants on the aftermath. . . .

In the final analysis, a useful perspective from the perspective of those actually involved in this deadly battle. . . .