Customer Reviews

A Battlefield Atlas of the Civil War

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
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If you want to know the basics of the Civil War and its battles, this is the book for you. Symonds has distilled the information that is elaborated in larger tomes down to an easy to read and reference guide of every major land battle of the war.
There is a two-page fold for each battle (with some exceptions that have more, like Gettysburg). On one page is a simple but informative map of the battle, while the opposite is an instructive narrative about the battle's events. The battles are also broken up into three sections that introduce the major campaigns and the important actors (politicians, Generals) that are vital to understanding the events of the war.
If you like the Civil War as a hobby, buy this book. If you are reading about the war in another book or novel and want an atlas of the battles mentioned, buy this book. If you are taking a Civil War course... including Symond's own at the Naval Academy... buy this book. It is an invaluable resource.

I purchased this atlas based on the many positive reviews here on Amazon. Unfortunately I have to conclude that either these reviews were planted by the publisher or the reviewers were not very well educated about the American civil war. This so-called comprehensive atlas almost completely ignores the trans-Mississippi theater, and only gives the major western campaign battles a cursory glance. No Wilson's creek, Pea ridge, Val verde, Honey springs, etc etc....not what I was looking for at all from such a well rated publication.

I love this book. It is great to have beside you whenever you are reading any other book about Civil War battles. Although some other map books have more elaborate maps, this small volume is so handy to use that I find that it is the one I always consult first.

I am the type of person who needs to see a battle laid out in a map. This is the book to get to help follow Civil War battles. Covers the major battles, most battles get two pages of coverage, the left page has the map, the right page has the narrative. (I say most battles, some battles, for example, Gettysburg get six pages, two per day of the battle). Nothing fancy with the maps but clearly laid out, the narrative uses numbers to reference the map.

This book does in a single page what entire books sometimes fail to do - give you an understandable account of the ebb and flow of Civil War battles, armies, generals, and troop movements. Each battle has a map that is well-marked and explained so you don't have to be a military historian to figure out what is happening. The book is a work of genius to the extent that less is more. Obviously the author saw the need for pearing down the huge volumes of detail that get bogged down in regimental and corporate detail and condensing it into a macro view. Get this book if you want to really understand Civil War battles. All of the major engagements are included. The author obviously knows what he's writing about, becuase it's easily understood by the reader - the hallmark of a good teacher.

Great book for a thumbnail look at the war. There is a counterpart for the Revolutionary War as well. Everyone should have these two volumes on their shelves. Many references are made to more detailed sources.. I think I've bought three or four of each. I give them away to friends. WBB

This nicely informative map-book is a practical companion for everybody from novices and casual readers to Civil War buffs. Author Craig Symonds covers 50 major battles of the Civil War, conveniently placing the map on the left side (even page) and the readable battle synopsis on the right side (odd page). That synopsis is clear, concise, and surprisingly informative, with information on overall campaigns, strategies, weather, commanders, results, even luck. The maps are nearly as good, although some readers may need practice a bit with the Key to Battle Symbols located by the Introduction. The book covers most battles in this convenient open-page style, but a couple vital struggles like Gettysburg and Vicksburg have more than one set of dual pages. The book doesn't cover every major battle, but presents most of them in about 120 nicely readable pages. A few hardcore buffs may want even more, but this remains an excellent resource. Nicely informative, and nicely done.

The collaborative work of author, educator, and Civil War authority Craig Symonds and expert cartographer William Clipson, this seventh printing of Gettysburg: A Battlefield Atlas features an informative text enhanced 24 three-color maps and 30 black/white historical photographs. Compact, comprehensive, "user friendly", and providing a narrative history along with a complete cartographic display of the famed American Civil War battle of Gettysburg, this 103-pages (plus an additional page offering author biographical synopses) battlefield atlas is a superb supplement for students of the battle rendering the events of the engagement both vividly depicted and comprehensibly understandable. Another very high recommended atlas for personal, academic, and community library American Civil War History reference collections from the team of Symonds and Clipson is A Battlefield Atlas Of The Civil War, Third Edition, (1877853259, $26.95, 128 pages, 51 two-color maps, 32 photos).