Sherman's March [Paperback]

Cynthia Bass (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1995

Autumn, 1864, and the Civil War has ground to a bloody stalemate. Frustrated by its slow and costly advance, the North looks for a way to cut the South in two and bring the war to an end. Told from the unique perspective of three participants, this novel brilliantly captures the personal tragedy and costly heroism which followed in the wake of General William Tecumseh Sherman's infamous march from Atlanta to the sea. Nicholas J. Whiteman is a Captain in Sherman's army, a history buff caught in the maelstrom of history in the making. He is the conscience of an army that had lost its conscience, pillaging and burning its way across the South, and a witness to the dark heart of war--and humanity--in a moment of searing emotional intensity that will change him forever. Anne Saunders Baker lost her husband at Shiloh and her modest home to the looting of the advancing Yankee army. Now she wanders through the scarred and devastated landscape, a woman alone, hoping to defend all she has left--her life--with a soldier's iron will. And, finally, there is the General himself: harsh, outspoken, uncompromising, who dared to take upon his shoulders the burden of a mission that will both glorify and condemn him to history and leave him one of the most misunderstood figures of the war--a man whose unparalleled brutality had one goal: to save lives. Never before has this fateful crossroads in our history been rendered in such intimate detail and with such exquisite honesty. Sherman's March takes its place among the greatest novels of the Civil War and introduces Cynthia Bass as a powerful new voice in American fiction.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The end of the Civil War, according to Bass's powerful debut novel, began in November 1864, when General William Tecumseh Sherman signed Special Order Number 120. Underlying that order, which contained "explicit and careful instructions for the March to the Sea," was Sherman's conviction that civilians in the South had to suffer all the ravages of war before they could be persuaded to give up the Confederate cause ("Harder war, stricter war, crueller, deeper . . . until the people themselves sample its sting"). Bass firmly roots this conviction in Sherman's complex personality, revealed through the general's narration, which occupies a third of the novel. Two contrasting voices follow Sherman's: Union captain Nick Whiteman speaks of the conflict's tedium and savagery, and Confederate widow Annie Baker limns the grinding, yet curiously freeing, experience of the refugee. Bass's depiction of how Sherman's order brought out the murderous beasts in once-honorable men is convincingly horrific, but scenes dealing with casual betrayal of freed slaves by both sides seem contrived merely to lend some justification to the brutal March. Sherman sees his March as the only way to peace--but, as circumstances bring the three narrators together, it's left to the reader to decide whether peace is worth obtaining at such a terrible cost. Sherman is a powerful creation--so persuasively drawn, so vital, that when he's off the page the story flags, however slightly. This impressive novel should attract not only Civil War buffs and fans of historical fiction but others interested in quality fiction.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA-Homes and businesses were burned, family valuables stolen, ordinary people displaced, and crops and farm animals seized to provide for the insatiable hunger of Major General William Tecumseh Sherman's army during his March to the Sea. His Special Field Order 120 waged economic warfare against the South's civilian society and destroyed its last economic resources. He believed it was the way to end the Civil War and to bring about not just victory, but peace. Bass has imaginatively and eloquently written a historically accurate, fictionalized "primary source" in three personal narratives. Speakers include Sherman; Nicholas J. Whiteman, Captain XIV Corp, U.S. Army; and Annie Saunders Baker, Southern widow and refugee. They meet briefly as the book closes, but it is Sherman's afterword that allows readers to contemplate the March and the man who led this strategic end to war. History students as well as YAs only vaguely interested in the topic will enjoy the characterizations and the story. The writing couldn't be better.
Linda Vretos, West Springfield High School, Springfield, VA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (September 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553375474
• ISBN-13: 978-0553375473
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,469,604 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WAR REALLY IS HELL, May 23, 2000

By 

John Boland - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sherman's March (Paperback)

With all my so called "Civil War" knowledge, I never knew it was Sherman who coined the phrase, "war is hell". This is the kind of book that educates you without you even feeling it. It is a first novel which I find usually are really special. This one was great. It's not your typical Civil War book in that there isn't great detail of positions, units, etc. But it gives you a side you rarely see so well written, the everyday person, especially a women, and everyday soldiers. This is a book you will remember for years and recommend to all your friends.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CIVIL WAR FICTION AS IT SHOULD BE, March 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Sherman's March (Paperback)

This is an absolutely splendid novel, which has never received the attention it deserves. Few if any Civil War novels manage to intertwine so effectively a story of military action with a story of civilian experience; here both are given credible and powerful treatment. Though quite short, this book captures what the "March to the Sea" meant to the soldiers who took part, and to the civilians who were in its path, with honesty and tremendous emotional force. Her characters are so alive they could walk off the page. Only Michael Shaara, in The Killer Angels, has drawn major figures of the war with such vividness as her portrayal of General Sherman. The story itself is beautifully conceived, and its three converging strands come together unexpectedly and brilliantly.

This is a MUST READ for all Civil War buffs. But, whether Civil War buffs or not, I would also recommend it in particular to women who think they don't like "war stories," and to men who think a good "war story" takes place only on the battlefield. You will be pleasantly surprised.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Historical Fiction, May 3, 2000

By 

Shogun Len "tokieyasu" (Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sherman's March (Paperback)

This tiny little work of historical fiction is amazing. The story of Sherman's march on Atlanta as told by him, an officer, and a Southern lady. Simply a great read. Anyone who is interested in the Civil War will enjoy this book. I agree with the reviewer before me, this book ranks up there with "Killer Angels." I highly recommend this book. It is a short book and reads quite fast.