No Greater Courage: A Novel of the Battle of Fredericksburg [Hardcover]

Richard Croker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 2006

Midway through its second year the Civil War was no closer to resolution. Pressured by politicians to deliver a significant victory in Southern territory before the winter set in, General Ambrose Burnside, the newly appointed commander of the Army of the Potomac, quickly advanced his troops into Virginia toward the city of Fredericksburg.

It was a rash gamble, and a Union victory was totally dependent on the element of surprise.

It was a terrible and bloody mistake . . .

With a vivid cast of characters that includes President Lincoln, General Lee, and Stonewall Jackson, as well as common soldiers on both sides, all based on actual participants, Richard Croker's No Greater Courage is a blazing narrative of one of the most infamous engagements of the Civil War—brilliantly re-creating the smoke, brutality, and incredible gallantry that was the Battle of Fredericksburg.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Lincoln, Lee and Stonewall Jackson figure prominently in this historically accurate but wooden fictionalized account of the disastrous 1862 Union defeat at Fredericksburg. As the book opens, Lincoln has replaced the sluggish commander of the Army of the Potomac, Maj. Gen. George McClellan, with a reluctant Ambrose Burnside. Gen. Robert E. Lee's ruminations on Burnside's next steps, after hearing the news, are positively prophetic. Abraham Lincoln also muses, and he feels (surprise!) an ominous foreboding. So it goes. The historical characters remain two-dimensional: the pompous Union general in chief, Henry Halleck; selfless Clara Barton; the scheming Union general Joseph Hooker. Minor characters, some authentic, deliver the nuts and bolts of the story as they suffer the miseries of 19th-century campaigning. The Union army lumbers South, delayed too long at the river across from Fredericksburg, Va., as the soldiers await pontoon bridges. When the pontoons arrive, the army crosses and Burnside orders a suicidal attack against Lee's well-fortified position. The book concludes with Lincoln dismissing Burnside, and with more prophetic pessimism, appointing Hooker in his place. Croker's fast-moving debut aims for fans of Civil War battle novelizations, but falls short of classics like The Killer Angels. (Mar.)
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow (February 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060559101
• ISBN-13: 978-0060559106
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,989,812 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Different Opinion, August 20, 2007

By 

E. Suhre "braisl4" (Alhambra, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: No Greater Courage: A Novel of the Battle of Fredericksburg (Mass Market Paperback)

I don't know who reviewed this book at Publishers Weekly, but I couldn't disagree more with whoever it was. Having read several non-fiction and fictionalized novels of the Civil War, I would have to say this book ranks almost equally with Jeff Sharra's The Last Full Measure and above his Gods and Generals which I felt was weak. I am enjoying new characterzations and characters in Croker's book that weren't covered in Shaara's books. In fact I have ordered his "To Make Men Free" and am looking forward to reading it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Untimely Battle of Fredericksburg, January 24, 2009

By 

Ruth Thompson "Weaver of Tales" (Venice, FL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Greater Courage: A Novel of the Battle of Fredericksburg (Mass Market Paperback)

Croker takes you to the front lines of the Battle of Fredericksburg. Lincoln has removed McClellan because he had not crushed Lee when he had the opportunity and his continued delays in following Lincoln's orders. Burnside takes his place and moves forward but must wait for the pontoons bridges to arrive. When Burnside charged the boys in gray were established and ready. Croker makes you feel the frustration of the boys in blue while they wait and wait. You are there witnessing this horrible battle. By Ruth Thompson author of "The Blue Grass Dream" - and "Natchez Above The River" The Bluegrass Dream: A Wilderness Adventure of Early SettlersNatchez Above The River: A Family's Survival In The Civil War

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fine bit of historical fiction., September 15, 2008

By 

DWD "DWD's Reviews" (Indianapolis, IN) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: No Greater Courage: A Novel of the Battle of Fredericksburg (Mass Market Paperback)

Richard Croker's novelization of the events leading up to and including the Battle of Fredricksburg in December of 1862 is just about as good as it gets in the "cast of thousands" (lots and lots of characters) type of historical fiction.

Due to the nature of this book, it is just about impossible to get too deeply involved in many of them. But, Croker does an admirable job of giving us something to know about each of them, reminding the reader who each character is when they re-join the narrative and then we get to watch them in arugably the Union Army of the Potomac's worst moments. Most of the characters are real and not all of them are big generals. Not only do we get to see the action in the battle itself, but there is plenty of focus on the behind-the-scenes political intrigue that demonstrates how truly talented Lincoln was as a politician and also the dangers of too much civilian interference in purely military matters.

The only complaint I have concerns maps. There are not enough of them and the maps that are included are so stylized that I had difficulty reading them. Fortunately, the maps are not absolutely necessary for the book to be enjoyed and if you find yourself confused, historical maps of this battle abound on the internet.

I hope that Richard Croker is working on another book. Chancellorsville comes up next chronologically and he would do a great job with it.

Croker's previous novel of the Civil War, To Make Men Free: A Novel of the Battle of Antietam is not required pre-reading to enjoy this novel.