Perryville: This Grand Havoc of Battle (Hardcover)

by Kenneth W. Noe (Author) "ON A GRAY, RAINY DAY IN JANUARY 1862, ONE OF MANY THAT DREARY winter, English novelist Anthony Trollope crossed the rising Ohio River from Cincinnati..." (more)
Key Phrases: open knob, grand havoc, pension applications, Kirby Smith, Peters Hill, Russell House (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"A model study that helps expand the definition of campaign histories." -- Gary Gallagher, Washington Post Bookworld

"An exceptional book. Serious scholars will enjoy what should be the definitive work on this battle for time to come." -- Civil War News

"An interesting reading for not only the avid Civil War buff, but the casual reader.” -- Back Home in Kentucky

"Noe has rescued this key engagement form obscurity with this masterful study." -- Ohio History

"Noe has rescued this key engagement from obscurity with this masterful study." -- Ohio History

"Noteworthy....Provides a detailed history of this 1862 battle." -- Kentucky Monthly

"The best volume on arguably the least understood important battle during the Civil War. No Civil War buff will want to miss it." -- William W. Freehling

"The first true history of the battle, its afermath, and the wide-spread repercussions of the South's loss." -- McCormick (SC) Messenger

“A conversational, easy-to-follow style with vivid imagery, Perryville clearly sets out the battle lines and savagery that took place there.” -- Danville Advocate-Messenger

“Noe gives a clear sense of the ‘grand havoc’ referred to in the book’s title.” -- Lexington Herald-Leader

Review

"An indispensable source for an understanding of the events in Kentucky in the fall of 1862, when Braxton Bragg's Southern soldiers fought courageously to achieve what turned out to be the 'high water mark' of the western Confederacy.-- America's Civil War" -- America's Civil War

"Full of facts, details, and descriptions of the battle, but it also contains vivid descriptions of the soldiers and civilians caught in the wake of the battle making it interesting reading for not only the avid Civil War buff, but the casual reader.-- Back Home in Kentucky" -- Back Home in Kentucky

"For anyone seriously interested in the Civil War in Kentucky, Noe's books is a must buy. It should remain the definitive work of the Perryville campaign for many years.-- Bowling Green Daily News" -- Bowling Green Daily News

"Noe has authored the essential book on this battle.-- Civil War Book Review" -- Civil War Book Review

"About as detailed as it can get regarding this long-overlooked and recently discovered Civil War battle for Kentucky.-- Civil War Courier" -- Civil War Courier

"None of the professional works that touch on Perryville... can offer the breadth of perspective and the innovative investigation that inform Noe's Perryville.-- Civil War History" -- Civil War History

"An exceptional book. Buffs and serious scholars alike will enjoy what should be the definitive work on this battle for some time to come.-- Civil War News" -- Civil War News

"A conversational, easy-to-follow style with vivid imagery, Perryville clearly sets out the battle lines and savagery that took place there.-- Danville Advocate-Messenger" -- Danville Advocate-Messenger

"Does a masterful job of placing the Battle of Perryville, and Kentucky more generally, in the context of the Civil War and southern history.-- Filson History Quarterly" -- Filson History Quarterly

"Noe's study of this pivotal campaign will be the standard work on the subject for some years to come. Essential reading on the military events in the west, and a model for future studies.-- Florida Historical Quarterly" -- Florida Historical Quarterly

"A model study that helps expand the definition of campaign histories.-- Gary Gallagher, Washington Post Book World" -- Gary Gallagher, Washington Post Book World

"Noe's scholarship is very good, his research exhaustive, and his ability to explain the course of events enhances the narrative.-- Georgia Historical Quarterly" -- Georgia Historical Quarterly

"Noe has produced a model study that has comprehensively included a broad picture of military strategy and action as well as larger political issues.... This comprehensive effort constitutes what battle history ought to be.-- H-Net Reviews" -- H-Net Reviews

"Noe clearly has established himself as a significant player among national Civil War historians of the western theater.-- Indiana Magazine of History" -- Indiana Magazine of History

"An excellent book that will be hard to surpass in covering this battle.-- Journal of America's Military Past" -- Journal of America's Military Past

"Perryville was, in the words of one participant 'a square, stand-up, hand-to-hand fight.' In that spirit, Noe has written a model study of just such a Civil War battle.-- Journal of American History" -- Journal of American History

"An impressively researched, balanced, and detailed book that will please many readers, especially those who enjoy exciting battle histories.-- Journal of Military History" -- Journal of Military History

"The best among a good group of modern studies on the Kentucky campaign and by far the most detailed on the battle of Perryville itself. It brings a better recognition of this neglected battle's significance to the war's outcome.-- Journal of Southern History" -- Journal of Southern History

"Noteworthy.... Provides a detailed history of this 1862 battle.-- Kentucky Monthly" -- Kentucky Monthly

"Untangles the complicated events leading up to and during the crucial battle between the forces of Union General Don Carlos Buell and Confederate General Braxton Bragg.-- Kirkus Reviews" -- Kirkus Reviews

"Noe gives a clear sense of the 'grand havoc' referred to in the book's title.-- Lexington Herald-Leader" -- Lexington Herald-Leader

"The first true history of the battle, its aftermath, and the wide-spread repercussions of the South's loss.-- McCormick (SC) Messenger" -- McCormick (SC) Messenger

"A blow by blow account of not only the battle itself, but also its prelude and, most importantly, its aftermath.-- News 4U" -- News 4U

"Noe has produced a model study that expands our understanding of a long neglected battle and raises our expectations for future campaign histories.-- North Carolina Historical Review" -- North Carolina Historical Review

"Noe has rescued this key engagement from obscurity with this masterful study.-- Ohio History" -- Ohio History

"Noe captures the intensity and the frustrations well by delving into personal memoires for much of the battle narrative. Very well written and well worth getting.-- Paper Wars" -- Paper Wars

"Noe's outstanding book, which relates the battle to the campaign and to overall Confederate strategy, fills an important need and will doubtless serve as the definitive account of the battle.-- Register of the Kentucky Historical Society" -- Register of the Kentucky Historical Society

"Noe artfully steers the combatants toward Perryville, provides a coherent account of that confused clash, and tells what it meant to soldiers and civilians caught in the maelstrom.-- Society of Civil War Historians Newsletter" -- Society of Civil War Historians Newsletter

"Casts new light on this epic struggle for Kentucky and restores it to a deserved place in the Civil War's pantheon of great campaigns.-- Southern Historian" -- Southern Historian

"This superb book unravels the complexities of Perryville, but discloses these military details within their social and political contexts. These considerations greatly enrich our understanding of war, history, and human endeavor.-- Virginia Quarterly Review" -- Virginia Quarterly Review

"Noe writes with a fine eye for detail and a moving prose: his work is a first-rate historical narrative.-- Wargamer" -- Wargamer

"Noe details in stirring prose backed by impressive research, the full dimension of the campaign and the battle that ended in a tactical victory yet could not win Kentucky for the South. In surely the most detailed and exhaustive study to date, Noe has produced in Perryville a work that will stand as the definitive word on a lost opportunity, and a lost dream.-- William C. Davis" -- William C. Davis

"Noe's well researched, well written Perryville is the best volume on arguably the least understood important battle during the Civil War. No Civil War buff will want to miss it.-- William W. Freehling" -- William W. Freehling

"While providing all the parry and thrust one might expect from an excellent battle narrative, the book also reflects the new trends in Civil War history in its concern for ordinary soldiers and civilians caught in the slaughterhouse." -- cmapaigns-books.blogspot.com

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 520 pages
• Publisher: University Press of Kentucky (August 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813122090
• ISBN-13: 978-0813122090
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #391,691 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent account of KY's most significant civilwar battle!, October 12, 2001

By	E. M. Holderman (Perryville, Kentucky USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"Perryville - This Grand Havoc of Battle" is a great work of thorough research and presentation. The most recent book written about the civil war Battle of Perryville, Kennenth Noe sets the stage in providing the reader w/ a context of the civil war itself and the events leading up to the encounter between General Carlos Buells'(Union) and General Braxton Braggs'
(Confederates) men in this little central Kentucky town. With Perryville being home to me all my life, my interest is of course more personal, but civil war history has always intrigued both my brother and I, who have always taken in the re-enactment of the Battle of Perryville since we were kids. We grew up playing on the beautiful rolling hills of Perryville Battlefield State Park. It's amazing to think that our childhood place of play was once a bloody battlefield. It's also amazing to me to know the very land we live on was most likely traveled & camped upon by Union or Confederate forces, perhaps both.

The Battle of Perryville is probably one of the least understood battles of the civil war. While battles like Gettysberg and Shiloh are better known, Perryville was one of the biggest turning points in the war and certainly for Kentucky, as it was truly the Confederacy's last effort at winning the state. It was the largest battle ever fought on Kentucky soil. I think Noe does a remarkable job in helping the reader to understand the significance of the battle of Perryville. With guidance from locals here who are the most knowledgable when it comes to the accuracy of this battle, Noe's depication of detail is impressive, or so I found. He includes research never before written of. One of the more notable sections I found really interesting was how this battle affected the families of those soliders who fought at Perryville and how the towns people were affected by the aftermath of it - they were literally left to "pick up the pieces." After reading this section, I realized more than ever, that the magnitude of devastion must have been very overwhelming to all involved. Living here, it's really interesting to tangibly see present day landmarks that played a role of some sort in the battle. Overall, I feel Noe brought to light the significance of Perryville in both the social and political realms of the civil war. The book includes maps, pictures and illustrations and it concludes with a chapter entitled "The World Has Changed," which as I stated earlier, describes the days, weeks, and years of the lives of those soliders, families, and towns people following the battle. Noe also includes present day information regarding the preservation of Perryville and Perryville Battlefield State Park.

If you're a civil war buff, I would think this book would be of interest to you. It certainly would be to those who are Kentuckians, as it is provides the legacy of our state concerning the war. It's well researched, well written and a really good read.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Western Civil War gets an important literary addition, October 31, 2001

By	Chris Carter (Greensboro, NC United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Kenneth Noe's book is a fantastic addition to the recent books dealing with obscure Western battles. It expands upon the previously small amount of material dealing with Bragg's Kentucky campaign and its climax on the fields of a small town called Perryville. The book is quite readable, and is filled with first-hand descriptions from period accounts, some of which are absolutely fascinating.
Overall, I found this to be a very good read. The book seemed to flow well, and I never got bogged down in dry facts. One minor quibble is that the maps sometimes were hard to reconcile with the text. Eventually I would get to the part of the narrative that corresponded to the map, but I had to use my imagination sometimes to fill in the blanks. Also, there were several towns and/or brigades mentioned that were not labeled on the appropriate map, or were not clear. However, I could usually figure out where they would have been located by using other maps, and overall it did not hurt the main story.
Noe also tries to draw some new conclusions about different facets of the battle, but I did not get the sense that he was trying to rigidly rewrite history. He does imply that they are new interpretations and not solid facts. This allows the readers to decide for themselves, instead of having a new theory forced upon them by a pretentious author as the final word on the subject. This was refreshing, and really made the book more enjoyable and intelligent.
If you enjoyed Shea and Hess's account of Pea Ridge, or Cozzen's book on Iuka and Corinth, I think you will find this book to be similar in style and tone. It does not quite match the Pea Ridge book, but it is very close, and I would recommend it as the best current book on Perryville. If you want to understand a little-known battle which was the high-water mark of the Western Confederacy, it is a must read.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A model campaign study, March 15, 2003

By	George C. Rable (Tuscaloosa, Alabama) - See all my reviews

An unfailingly interesting account by a fine historian. Kenneth W. Noe has made sense of one of the most neglected and confusing campaigns of the entire Civil War. He has sorted through the geographical complexities and factionalism in both armies to show his readers why people should still care about what happened near an obscure Kentucky village over 140 years ago. His work is truly a pioneering one. Unlike most campaign studies, this excellent book pays considerable attention to the treatment of the wounded, the effects of battle on the local landscape, the lives of veterans after the war, and even how the battlefield itself was interpreted and preserved. It will be the standard account for many years to come.