Customer Reviews

Illinois in the Civil War

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is so well-written and readable that it seems almost churlish to give it only four stars. Were the title something like "Illinois Regiments in the Civil War" it would be a five-star book for the general reader. Unfortunately the title is quite misleading, and the buyer may not really understand what he is getting. The book is mostly a highly readable retelling of the military campaigns in the western theaters of the Civil War, with particular reference to which Illinois regiments were engaged in which battles, and what their roles were. So far, so good, but that's as far as it goes. The action leaves Illinois about page thirty, and never really returns until Johnny comes marching home in the last couple pages of the book. The story of the state itself in the Civil War is left pretty much untold. Changes in the state's economy? Life on the home front? Political developments? The role of women with so many men at the front? Public attitudes toward emancipation? Copperheads? The Charleston draft riot? Threats of Confederate raids? These stories are all left untold, and, for the most part, untouched. Of course that isn't the story Hicken set out to write. Good as this book is within its limits, the story of "Illinois in the Civil War" remains to be written.

Althought the book has plenty of info on certain units, it seems to concentrate on the politics of Illinois during the war. There are plenty of units that aren't even mentioned in the book, even though I know that info is available. A good book, but seems a little incomplete.

A great book! I must take issue with the previous reviewer - a book about Illinois in the Civil War would neccesarily have to do with Illinois politics. After all, it's not called "Iowa in the Civil War".

This book revolutionized civil war history in American when it was first published. The expanded second edition adds to the fame of this major American historian. Simply put - an excellently written book. Groundbreaking.

Very well researched and well written. I just don't understand how you can write a military history book and not have one map! Maps would have added a lot to my ability to understand what was going on.

A friend of mine gave me this book for Christmas. I couldn't put it down. Really a nice read. It made the Civil War come alive for me. Dr. Hicken is a treasure.