The Civil War 100: The Stories Behind the Most Influential Battles, People and Events in the War Between the States [Hardcover]

Michael Lanning Lt. Col. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2007

The Civil War was the defining event in American history. To explain why this is, The Civil War 100 uses a truly novel approach to analyze the respective importance of the events, leaders and battles of America's most important war.

Starting with the Battle of Antietam, celebrated veteran and military expert Michael Lee Lanning explains why it is the war's single most influential occurrence. Thus introducing the war's various causes and its primary players, Lanning embarks upon ranking the remaining 99 entries as a way of evaluating their relative influence over the outcome of the war. These subsequent entries include more battles, outspoken politicians, military heroes, causes of the conflict as diverse as the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin and, of course, monumental events such as the Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address.

With its totally unique approach, The Civil War 100 presents an unprecedented perspective on America's transformative event.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up—Lanning presents his list of battles, people, and events according to their influence on the outcome of the war and the future of the country, and not their contemporary prominence or importance. After a brief note to explain his approach, he begins with the battle of Antietam. Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant are second and third, followed by the battle of Gettysburg, and Robert E. Lee. The list continues with its roster of military men (no women); military campaigns; documents, such as the Emancipation Proclamation; places; and specific subjects such as weapons technology, war correspondents, and draft riots. Uncle Tom's Cabin is ranked at 49th in influence. Unique listings include music and "Presidents of the Future." At number 100 is Palmito Ranch, May 12–13, 1865, for no other reason than because it was the last battle of the war. The entries are three to four pages in length and often include a map or photograph of the subject. The cross-referencing is excellent. There are no citations in the text but a lengthy bibliography is included. This volume will entice casual readers and researchers alike.—Patricia Ann Owens, Wabash Valley College, Mt. Carmel, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Lanning takes the unique approach of presenting the Civil War by first identifying and then ranking by order of influence its 100 most significant leaders, battles, and events. He begins with the Battle of Antietam, which he labels the bloodiest day in American military history, and ends with the little-known battle of Palmito Ranch in Texas. The entries include other battles, politicians, military heroes, and what Lanning calls the causes of the conflict. Lincoln, Grant, Lee, Sheridan, Jefferson Davis, John Wilkes Booth, and John Brown are included, as expected. But also documented are such topics as blockades and blockade runners, communications and transportation, war correspondents, draft riots, and black soldiers and sailors. A map, photographs, or illustrations supplement each entry. George Cohen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 392 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.; 1St Edition edition (February 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402206593
• ISBN-13: 978-1402206597
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,291,918 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Introduction to the Civil War, February 11, 2007

By 

Dave (Great Lake State) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Civil War 100: The Stories Behind the Most Influential Battles, People and Events in the War Between the States (Hardcover)

The CIVIL WAR 100 is history with a twist. Instead of merely delivering dates and places as they happen, author Michael Lee Lanning has created a comparative reference introducing the top one-hundred people, happenings, and battles that shaped the Civil War.

Leading off are,
1) Antietam: This marginal Northern victory marked the turning point of the war; opening the door for Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and closing the door on any chance for English and French aid to the Confederacy.
2) Lincoln: This man and his unique qualities may have been the only person capable of leading the North through the Civil War and reuniting the Union.
3) Grant: Was a general who would use his superior numbers to grind away at sorely outnumbered Confederate forces. A quality lacking in a startling number of Union Generals.
4) Gettysburg: The most famous of Civil War battlefields, it demonstrated that the South could not be victorious without European aide.
5) Lee: Military hero, whose strategies are still a model for fighting larger, better supplied forces.

Notable other rankings,
38) Black Soldiers and Sailors: By the end of the war over 180,000 African-Americans had fought for union and freedom.
42) Andersonville Prison: Deplorable conditions led to the deaths of over 12,000 Union prisoners in just fourteen months.
49) Uncle Tom's Cabin: This bestseller introduced the world to the everyday horror and degradation of slavery.
50) General McClellan: Union commander who twice squandered opportunities to defeat much smaller southern forces during the Peninsula campaign and Antietam. He serves an excellent example of how ineptness can become a major factor in shaping history.
54) John Brown: Northern radical who hoped his raid on Harper's Ferry would incite a slave rebellion. Instead it heightened Southern fears of remaining in a political union with an increasingly radical North.
68) Music: Highlights the affect stirring songs such as "The Battle Hymm of the Republic" and "Dixie" had on the morale of soldiers and civilians in both the North and the South.

While a great introductory title and bookshelf guide for novices, the CIVIL WAR 100 may also interest some history buffs who will undoubtedly enjoy arguing the placement and ranking of each item on the list. If you are looking for a wealth of details, look elsewhere. But if you are interested in an engaging Civil War overview, look no further.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great primer, May 1, 2011

By 

David C. Ekstrand (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Civil War 100 (Paperback)

If you want to get a great overview of the Civil War in small bite-sized chunks, this is a well-researched primer.