Customer Reviews

MARYLAND CAMPAIGN OF SEPTEMBER 1862, THE: Volume 1, South Mountain

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Until the appearance of Joseph Pierro's book presenting Carman's manuscript, the work was available only to those students who took the effort to examine the original manuscript. Pierro's book was passable, but it contained several drawbacks: it is very expensive, there are absolutely no maps, and Pierro's footnotes are woefully incomplete. Pierro only sourced most of Carman's manuscript, and there's very little discussion or explanation. The reader is left to determine for him/herself the veracity of Carman's conclusions, and the context in which they are made. In addition to all of this, a frontispiece photograph in the book which claims to be that of Carman isn't even him - it's another Federal officer. The editing process truly failed in that respect.
Now, we have this first of two volumes of Carman's life's labor by "Mr. Antietam" himself, Tom Clemens. And Tom richly deserves the nickname. Anyone familiar with the Maryland Campaign and scholars of it, know that if Carman himself were to choose an editor, he'd pick Tom.
And Carman would have picked this presentation by Savas-Beatie. There are lots of maps, absolutely necessary for such a work. In his copious footnotes, Clemens doesn't just source Carman's work - he explains it. He takes Carman to task when necessary. Hardly anyone knows the Maryland Campaign better than Clemens, and his knowledge base shows - especially when discussing South Mountain and the movements of the armies.
I eagerly await Volume 2. These volumes now present Carman's compilation for the masses, in an easy-to-use format, plenty of maps, and explanatory notes.
Carman would be very proud indeed.

Much of what we "know" about Civil War battles is due to a few men, who devoted their lives to record what happened. They corresponded with, talked to and/or walked the field with veterans. They wrote pages of notes, filed letters and some produced a manuscript. Over and above the Official Record, these men's efforts provide a personal account of a battle. While they are not always right, they are the best personal record we have.
Ezra A. Carman is one of these men. The Civil War consumed his life, first as a Union officer and later as a historian and trustee for Antietam. Carman is unique in that he is a veteran of The Battle of Antietam leading the 13th New Jersey during fighting in the Cornfield. After the battle, Carman wrote he wanted to prepare "a good map" of the field. His "good map" grew into a handwritten 1,800-page history. This document took most of the 1890s to produce. A treasure trove for scholars, it only recently became available to the general public.
Thomas G. Clemens is an authority on Antietam and the Maryland Campaign of 1862. He is an Antietam guide, a student of Dr. Joseph L. Harsh and active in preserving the area. Having him edit and make annotations brings two experts to the table. Carman talked with the veterans and Clemens has years of studying and analyzing the historical records. Together, they complement and extend the narrative producing a whole that is greater than a single effort by either of them.
This is the first of two volumes covering the Maryland Campaign of 1862. We start with a brief history of Maryland in the Civil War as seen by a Union Officer. Clemens is very even handed here, stressing the source of Carman's writing. The second chapter is a 50-page essay on the reasons for the campaign and what the Confederacy hopes to accomplish. The next eight chapters are a detailed history from the crossing of the Potomac River to the armies taking position on Antietam Creek. This includes South Mountain, Harpers Ferry and Pleasant Valley.
Savas Beatie put thought into designing this book. Clemens' comments are footnotes, on the page where they occur, not endnotes buried in the back of the book. This format follows Carman's commentary while enhancing his words. This is a book where you want and need to read the footnotes as they expand the narration with historical sources. Where something is questionable, the footnotes outline the question and the reasons for Carman's statements.
Another enhancement is a series of maps by Gene Thorp covering movement from September third to the fifteenth. These are not standard military style maps. These maps are aerial pictures showing mountains, roads, towns and rivers. The armies are men and horses with lines of march clearly indicated. The effect is looking at a series of satellite views as the campaign on folds. The detailed maps for Harper's Ferry, Crampton's Gap, Fox's Gap and Turner's Gap capture movement in a very real way. Fifty years ago, I had the American Heritage Centennial history of the Civil War that uses this style of map. This style of mapping is easier to follow than the standard military maps and much more fun.
A series of period photographs, detailed organization of the armies, bibliography and index complete the book.
This publication is a major step in the history of Antietam. Bringing Carman and Clemens together produces a complete narrative. We have the work of a man who fought at Antietam and talked with the veterans, coupled with an authority on our understanding of the battle. Together they produced an in-depth study that will be the authority on this campaign.

This was one of the best civil war books I have read. Is was not full of political bias that I have always run into with other authors. This book demonstrated the enormous tasks, i.e. logistics, communication, obeying orders, etc involved on both sides of any given battle. It also brought to light all the other battles that were fought leading up to the large fight at antiedam. It was made very clear in this book that both sides made plenty of mistakes and one breakdown in communication, logistics, poor leadership could cause an entire battle to drift one way or the other. I can't wait for Vol. 2 to come out.

Very good book; the footnotes alone are worth the price... although I quickly found that Clemens is VERY sympathetic to McClelland, while Carman hated Halleck's guts. Very good history book.

Tom Clemens has done an absolutely masterful job of editing Ezra Carman's seminal work on the Maryland Campaign. Only in the past few years has the manuscript been published. The prior attempt was large, expensive, difficult to read, and totally devoid of maps. Tom, and his editor, Ted Savas, have changed all that. The manuscript is now in spread over two books, and the first volume, which covers the background of the campaign through the South Mountain battles is user-friendly to the eyes and is filled with photographs and maps. Most useful are Tom's footnotes, which skillfully complement Carmen's narrative.

I know that this is a worn-out phrase, but it I can't think of a better way of ending this review: This book (and volume 2) belongs on every Civil War bookshelf.

For those wishing to gain a thorough understanding of the consequential September 1862 Maryland Campaign, this book is a must. Expertly edited and annotated by Dr. Thomas Clemens, one of the leading authorities on the campaign, Ezra Carman's exhaustive work provides an in-depth look at the campaign, the leaders, the strategies, and the blow-by-blow action on the field of battle. Simply stated, one's Civil War library is incomplete without this important work.

The Maryland Campaign of September 1862 Volume 1: South Mountain presents the historical manuscript originally assembled by Ezra A. Carman, once a colonel of the 13th New Jersey Infantry during the American Civil War, and later appointed as the "Historical Expert" to the Antietam Battlefield Board in 1894. Now rendered in a new edition, edited by Dr. Thomas G. Clemens (a historian with particular expertise in the Maryland Campaign), The Maryland Campaign of September 1862 Volume 1 is an exhaustive accounting, originally assembled from the testimonies of hundreds of veterans, as well as thousands of letters and maps. An extensive introduction familiarizes the reader with the origins and importance of the manuscript, as well as the research and presentation processes that Carman used. The Maryland Campaign of September 1862 is an excellent addition to college library and Civil War reference shelves, deserving the highest recommendation.

To be honest ,I have not read it yet ,just perused it for near future reading.It seems to be fascinating and most interesting ,especially since it took place with in 10 milles and with the South Mountain in view from my home just outside Middletown, Md. I am eager to read it! It is supposed to be agreat book with Civil War history stories.I wanted to know more about the vital battles in that region .I purchased the book before the supply was exhausted.
Thank you!
Betty DeColigny