Customer Reviews

Mr. Lincoln's High-tech War

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The industrial revolution would transform lives, but prior to that Lincoln's ancestors experienced little change, if any. His father and grandfather's generations all accomplished things in the same, predictable manner, but in Abraham Lincoln's time things began to change. Inventions began to change the world. Even Lincoln owned a patent, "A Device for Buoying Vessels Over Shoals."

During the Civil War the use of new technology was of the essence as crisis showed Lincoln "the importance and difficulty of handling logistics-the art and science of getting troops, weapons, and equipment where and when they [were] needed." The Pony Express was out, the telegraph was in as he needed to keep in touch with his troops. He learned Morse code and wrote and read messages to and from his troops. Observation balloons were sent aloft to spy on the Confederate troops, even if they were difficult to control.

The "Merrimack" was turned into an ironclad ship, the first of many. The race was on to develop innovative warship designs. By land or by sea, the war was in a technological race to win the war! The Civil War was called the "last ancient war" and "the first war in which railroads played a major part." The rails would move the troops into battle or out of harms way. As weaponry became more sophisticated, the casualties mounted. A huge explosion blew up a Confederate fort. Where would this technology lead us? Was there no end?

This book gives stunning insight into the technological advances that Lincoln and the troops used during the Civil War. The usual imagery is one of hand to hand combat, not one of increasingly sophisticated warfare. This book is very well written page turner. The book is set up in double columns, has numerous pertinent boxed materials, is amply illustrated, has an excellent bibliography, an index and many additional online resources. This is a ten star book and well worth the asking price!