The Glories of War: Small Battle and Early Heroes of 1861 [Hardcover]

Charles P. Poland Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 15, 2004

A unique telling of Civil War military activity in 1861, The Glories of War focuses on the Union's invasion of Virginia from four directions; it is the first study of the four invasion corridors of the Civil War. The Union invasions mainly produced small battles and skirmishes, as well as widely celebrated heroes, that received national attention in both the North and South but are forgotten today. Major themes include combatants' romanticized visions of the "glories of war," as well as their subsequent disillusionment. Special emphasis is placed on military activity in western Virginia (modern West Virginia), which has received limited study. Extensive use of Union and Confederate newspapers, along with previously unused sources, brings new information to readers. The text is supplemented by maps depicting both overviews and details of military action.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

CharlesP. Poland Jr. is the author of three books and teaches undergraduate andgraduate courses on the Civil War including field trip courses to all thebattle sites of the eastern theater. As a professor of history and the founderand director of Northern Virginia Community College's Civil War Mobile Museum, he visits colleges, schools, and civil groups andpresents programs and gives commentary to visitors to the museum. He has alsospoken to numerous Civil War roundtables and historical societies. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 592 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (December 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1418440671
• ISBN-13: 978-1418440671
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,372,541 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Invisible Civil War, September 16, 2006

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Steven A. Peterson (Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL)) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Glories of War: Small Battles and Early Heroes of 1861 (Paperback)

The very earliest part of the Civil War is normally treated in a cursory fashion. The battles examined in this book include only the merest handful that people are usually conversant with, such as First Manassas and Ball's Bluff. Many of the other encounters are treated by different authors in a mere handful of paragraphs before those authors move on to the major battles.

This book, though, gives a flavor of the armies in the East in 1861, as most officers and soldiers were learning their job. Most of the "Old Army" officers had never commanded anything larger than a company or, at most, a regiment. Now, all of a sudden, these were moving into commands of brigades, divisions, and corps.

This volume provides a view of units often being little more than amateur armed mobs led by amateur officers. In 1861, soldiers and officers learned their job. Later, they became more skilled. The poor officers were weeded out with time; those who were competent were more likely to rise. This book certainly introduces us to some pretty poor excuses for officers--on both sides of the War.

The author uses geography as his organizing principle, examining four "invasion corridors": the eastern invasion line, from Washington DC across the Potomac, from the south from Fort Monroe, from the West through the western part of Virginia (now West Virginia)--where George McLellan first made his name, and from the north through Harper's Ferry.

There is enough detail so that the reader actually understands what happens at these smaller scale, obscure contests. But 1861 is when a lot of soldiers and officers began to learn their craft.

Soon, the scale of the Civil War would change, with Shiloh an almost incomprehensibly bloody battle as compared with those described in 1861. Forts Henry and Donelson would fall in early 1862, a major strategic victory for the north, much more profound in its effect than almost anything occurring in 1861.

Still, though the Civil War in 1861 was "small potatoes" compared with what would come later, it provides the early training ground for what came later. And this book does an excellent job of infrming the reader of this training ground.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The First Year of War in Virginia, October 13, 2005

By 

L. D. Lee (Stafford, Virginia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Glories of War: Small Battles and Early Heroes of 1861 (Paperback)

Never before have I found a text that so thoroughly explains the first year of the Civil War in Virginia. Dr. Poland takes great pains to explain the minor actions that influenced not only the armies, but the two nations as well.
The battles are descibed in detail and set the stage for the following years of war in the Eastern Theater. Much of the information concerning western Virginia (present day West Virginia) is usually absent or diluted in most modern accounts.
Dr. Poland also examines the press accounts of this period in the war and contrasts the sentiments of the public in the North and South. The book is well footnoted and gives many examples of newspaper coverage. This is especially enlightening in the current climate of news coverage.
The division of the conflict into the four invasion corridors makes the information easier to follow and allows the reader to better visualize the conflict. This is important because the information is sometimes tedious by the nature of detailed troop movements.
While this book and its detailed description of minor, athough fierce, battles may not hold the interest of the young or casual reader, it is a must for any student or buff of the Civil War in Virginia. It is also good for those generally interest in Virginia/West Virginia history. Attention to detail is required to read this, but it is that amount of detail that makes it worth it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Close look at Virginia/West VA battles in 1861, August 24, 2005

By 

Colinda "L.S.W." (Historic Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Glories of War: Small Battles and Early Heroes of 1861 (Paperback)

If you are looking for a romantic view of heroic battles, the title "The Glories of War" may mislead you. The stories in this book are dramatic but not glorious. The concluding remarks in this book make it clear that the "glories" were those imagined by soldiers when they enlisted in 1861. By the end of that year, many a soldier had learned that the harsh realities of war and army life held more misery than glory.

The American Civil War started in a country that was idealistic, more naive and less technologically-oriented than today. Dr. Poland recounts countless examples of inexperienced soldiers finding overwhelming fear, confusion, suffering, and tragedy when they met their enemy. Neither side was well-prepared for the war and the battles of 1861 were often poorly executed, chaotic, and even inconclusive.

This book is as much a collection of stories as it is a description of strategy and battles. It begins with the occupation of Alexandria, Virginia by Federal Troops and uses that story to introduce "The Eastern Invasion Corridor." This part of the book also describes the Bull Run Campaign and the Battle of Ball's Bluff. "The Southern Invasion Corridor" focuses on the Battle of Big Bethel. "The Western Invasion Corridor" details the struggle for control of western Virginia, which resulted in the creation of West Virginia as a new Union state. "The Northern Invasion Corridor" briefly covers Federal movement into Harper's Ferry and Romney.

Dr. Poland combines scholarship with a folksy style of storytelling. Humor and tragedy make their appearance regularly. I found the footnotes to be worth reading for their additional anecdotes as well as explanatory notes.

This book is suitable for Civil War buffs, researchers, and students. Those who are squeamish may prefer something else, as it does not ignore the hideous results of combat. However, carnage is only a small part of the book and is reported honestly. The book offers us a look at what soldiers went through along with clarifying descriptions of battles.

The story of Ball's Bluff is particularly detailed and well-told and the action in West Virginia is given over 200 pages. Quotes from soldiers who were there enliven the stories and help us picture the challenging geography and weather.

This reviewer has taken classes under Dr. Poland and found that he is incredibly knowledgeable about the Civil War in Virginia and West Virginia. He makes it a point to describe hardships that were suffered by soldiers and citizens so that we don't get carried away by the mythical glamour of this war.