Customer Reviews

Great Maps of the Civil War: Pivotal Battles and Campaigns Featuring 32 Removable Maps (Museum in a Book)

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As the Forward to this beautifully rendered large format book states, "The war was first waged on paper. Before troops engaged in battle, both sides plotted strategy and tactics on the maps of the day. Knowing the field, understanding the terrain, recognizing the route of assault--and the line of retreat--could determine triumph or defeat." Perhaps more so than in wars since, the American Civil War was fought primarily by massing large troop formations against each other. As a consequence, moving those men and their equipment using the most efficient and advantageous route became paramount. More often than not, occupation of key terrain meant victory, and therefore, arriving at the right spot, first, and with the most men was a strategic necessity in every encounter.

Typical in books of this nature, what you experience is a detailed depiction of the array of military forces produced on a map after the battle was fought. What the author (William J. Miller) states as one of his primary objective in this book, was to provide the reader with a set of maps (in this case there are actually 32 removable maps) that were used by the participants in this war or would have commonly been available to them at the time. And to present with these maps, the same depiction of the terrain as seen by the commanders as they planned their operations. Miller's stated intent was to help the reader understand why a particular battle was fought the way that it was, rather than just how it was fought, as an after-the-fact. Having said that, Miller does include a number of very detailed and artistically accurate post battlefield maps, like the famous and extremely collectible Bachelder Bird's-eye Panoramic of Gettysburg. He also devotes a great deal space in the book to describing the technology of map making and reproduction at that time in history, and fills his book with interesting stories about the consequence of fighting blind or with gross geographically errors.

All in all this is a wonderful book. It is probably not the type of book to be read in one sitting or even sequentially, rather one to be kept as a reference and authoritative resource for reading and rereading. It simply is a beautiful book, truly unique in its field, and more than worth the price that is sells for new. It is a collectible filled with removable copies of collectible material. My highest recommendation for the Civil War enthusiast!

I was hoping and expecting to see some great maps I could use in my Civil War reading and study. They are not that. The maps are so small (can we say font size 2 or even less) for the most part, so faded, and so crowded with detail that I find them essentially unusable for what I wanted. I live in Yorktown, Virginia, for instance, and had a hard time trying to figure out what was what on that map when I know all the landmarks. The text is mostly about the history of map making during that era. Interesting enough but not a high priority on my reading list now. There are a number of nice period photographs which are fine. Still, with what I was needing and expecting, I am disappointed. I would not recommend the book unless you want to know about making maps during the Civil War rather than using Civil War era maps as maps.
margaret1115

Great Maps of the Civil War is as stated, a museum in a book. If one already has Rod Gragg's poignant collection of Civil War letters, "From Fields of Fire and Glory", or the Civil War in a box collection that was a bestseller some years back, then this book is a must for your collection.

Mr. Miller has chosen some 32 wonderful and even some little-known maps, including the "Cram map" that was ill-used by McClellan in the Peninsula Campaign, the bloodstained map that Union General James McPherson was using when he was killed in action during the Atlanta campaign (one can clearly see the blood stains on this removeable map - starkly bringing the reality of the Civil War home). There is even a unique map illustrating the proposed Confederate defenses of Danville, Viriginia, the town that Jefferson Davis and the Confederate cabinet fled to on the eve of Appomattox. The plan to defend Danville as if it were the new Confederate capital came to an abrupt end as Lee met Grant at the McLean home.

This is as close as one can get to holding history in his or her hand without possessing the actual document or map. My only qualm is the $35 price - amazon offers it pretty reasonably - and the knowledge that many books like this one do end up on bargain tables in about a year at a 1/4 of the price. Having said that, though, this is probably the best new Civil War gift book one would be most happy to receive this holiday season.

This text by Miller is excellent, but "Maps and Mapmakers of the Civil War" by Earl B. McElfresh is superior. I suggest reading McElfresh's book first and this one second.

As schoolchildren we all gazed in wonder at the crude, fanciful and often highly distorted maps of other ages. The nuances and truth of a map are alas diminished by reproduction. Take note that all great libraries have map rooms, with elegant thin-drawered cabinets that hold the worldviews of the ages. And that is the genius of this volume. By providing the maps so they can be pulled out, laid on a table and pondered, traced, turned and measured, it is easy to be transported to a dimly lit tent on a soft Southern night. In the age of Mapquest and GPS handhelds, nothing is more real than a contemporaneous map. It is a record, a voice, and an accoutrement, as vital to understanding as any diary, written record or photograph.

Thomas Nelson's Rutledge Hill Press publishing division has created a lovely book that tells a simple narrative of the Civil War focusing on the importance of maps in the war and the men who made them.

The cover of the book is designed to look like a leather bound canvas portfolio, much like a mapmaker's sketchbook of the era. The text of the book is beautifully printed on high quality paper. I appreciated the fact that the publishers included lots of pictures of everday soldiers - not just the same old posed shots of the generals and politicians.

There are 32 removable maps included as well. The removable maps are stored in between the pages. The publisher has printed on only one side of the thick paper pages and then glued the blank sides together on the edges to make an envelope of sorts between the pages. The maps are securely stored so there is no chance of accidentally losing a map.

I would not recommend this book as an introduction to the topic of the Civil War since it does precious little to introduce the issues that caused the war or Reconstruction. However, it is an attractive volume that would be welcome in the collection of any Civil War buff.

I don't know where this book has been hiding since it was published, but what a find! It is absolutely gorgeous in ever detail! If you are a Civil War buff - as my husband is, this is a MUST HAVE for your library! He was stunned when he opened this on Christmas day - he owns many, many fine books on the Civil War - but he declared this was undoubtedly one of the best he'd ever received. It is amazing for the money. I can't describe it here with any justice - you must SEE this book to believe it!

this book will be convienent for any civil war buff, historian,and wargamer. I really like the way the maps also can be removed to look
at better,this comes in handy when reading other civil war sources
for ease of reference or when visiting the actual sites. It also explained
the map making process at the time and the various methods used, with the
mention of many of the cartographers of the time, and in both armies.
I personally wish they would make more of these books on different eras of history

I purchased the book for my son-in-law, who is a Civil War buff, mainly for the removable maps. I was quite pleased to see that it will be not only a nice addition to his collection but also is a handsome tabletop book. Since he and his family live near sites of some of the great battles they, they'll be able to take a map with them when they visit. My grandson, aged 11, should also enjoy this as the commentaries bring the War to life. Now I'm going to have to buy one for us as my husband wanted to keep it for his own enjoyment!

I gave this book to my husband for his birthday and he was ecstatic. He has studied each map and marked them with colored markers. He emerges from its covers about twice a week to thank me again for getting it for him. I don't think I've ever given him a birthday present that he has liked more.