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65 of 66 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you read only one, read this one!, April 25, 2007
In the 1960's O. Edward Cunningham completed his Ph.D. at Louisiana State University with "Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862". While unpublished, this paper did not gather dust lying forgotten in a desk drawer. Shiloh experts, park rangers, professional and amateur historians knew about this rich source of information. For years, they have consulted it and developed their ideas from it. While not a secret, the public did not have easy access to the manuscript and many never knew it existed.
Forty years after being submitted Dr. Cunningham's manuscript is available to the public. This is not a dated, stuffy dissertation that only historians will be able to read. The writing is crisp, informative and stands with the best of battle histories. His style is as easy to read as Sears, Wittenberg or Woodworth. His views on the battle were ahead of the times and are just now finding acceptance. To complement his writing, Gary Joiner & Timothy Smith do an outstanding job editing the book. Both are accomplished historians with extensive knowledge of the subject. Their editing extends and explains Dr. Cummingham's work without changing his ideas. This results in a much stronger, more accurate book that combines the strength of the three men into a single informative volume. The editor's are very careful to document their changes and to supply reasons for them. In addition, they point out the differences in Cunningham's ideas and the standard battle story. Sword's "Shiloh, Bloody April", Daniel's "Shiloh the Battle that Changed the Civil War" and McDonough "Shiloh - In Hell before Night" were all written after this book. The editor's document the differences between these books in an extensive set of special footnotes. This effort provides the reader with a series of references and reminders while following this version of the battle.
This is more than a battle history. The battle of Shiloh is the major part of the book but is not treated as an isolated event. We see Shiloh as part of a logical sequence beginning with Grant's attacks on the river forts and ending with the evacuation of Corinth. Politics, national, local and military influence the story. While they are not covered in detail, we have enough to understand the part they play. The book's examination of the two armies is something that I have not seen elsewhere. The standard "green armies" paragraphs are dropped and replaced with detailed evaluations. This section contains a series of word portraits of the major commanders with comments on their good and bad points. Coupled with a close examination of the training, equipment and experience of the men in ranks this produces some startling comparisons of the two armies. Having read the Shiloh books mentioned, I do not recall anything of this detail about the armies.
A second unique item is the time spent on how the Union camp at Pittsburg Landing comes into being, giving the reader an understanding of site selection and the haphazard nature of the camp. The author avoids the "dig or drill" question, concentrating on what happened and not trying to assign blame.
The heart of the book is the Battle of Shiloh. Over 250 pages cover the approach, the fighting and the aftermath. How different is the history of the battle in this book? Dr. Cunningham was very careful in documenting what he wrote. He counted fewer attacks on the Hornet's Nest, less cannon on Ruggles' line and a slower battler than we are used to. In addition, he moves some of the emphasis to the West side of the field where Sherman and McClernand fight. This produces a more balanced view of the battle and a shift away from Prentiss in The Hornet's Nest as the focal point of the first day. Additionally, the Confederates have a much harder time of it. The bad weather, the long march, lack of food, poor weapons and loss of command & control take a greater toll and slow them more. This with the fighting on the western side of the field makes the Hornet's Nest more logical, understandable and less of the central theme. The question could Grant's last line be broken and did Buell save Grant, are dealt with in an intelligent and evenhanded manner. The editors do an outstand job of placing the other books about Shiloh in the overall answer to these questions.
Action during the night and the second day's fighting are well covered. The emphasis is on what is happening, not on what history feels should have happened. This is a refreshing change and avoids much of the blame game some authors are determined to play. After reading the detailed treatment of the first day, you will have a better appreciation for why things happened as they did. The coverage of the retreat and pursuit is sufficient to convey what happened. Halleck's advance on Corinth and the Confederate response complete the history.
Footnotes are on the page where I feel they should be. The author's and the editor's footnotes are easy to identify. The editor's footnotes cover any changes they made to the original book and provide information about the author's views and the current ideas on Shiloh. Appendices cover the organization of the two armies, casualties and a photo tour of Shiloh. The photo tour is 22 pictures from the park with a map locating them n the field. A bibliography and index complete the book.
This is a Savas Beatie publication meaning a high quality book with maps, maps and more maps. They seem to be the only publishing house that understands military history cannot be done with out maps. The list of maps is three pages long, meaning that the reader is never far from one. At critical points in the battle, the maps are about seven pages apart. Maps add value expand our understanding of the battle, make it easier to follow the fighting and increased our enjoyment of the book.
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
History As It Should Be Written, August 12, 2007
Battle histories are not generally easy reads; by their very nature they are a detailed account of a specific battle. Some are more detailed than others. By and large battle histories are not, and should not be "quick reads." They do tend to be somewhat dry and tedious reading. Not so with O. Edward Cunningham's "Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862."
Written as a doctoral dissertation in the 1960's Cunningham's manuscript remained unpublished for nearly forty years, though it has not been forgotten. The manuscript, a copy of which was housed in the library of the Shiloh National Military Park, has been consulted by armature and professional historians alike. Now thanks to the efforts of editors, Timothy B. Smith and Gary D. Joiner, the manuscript has at long last been published by Savas Beatie Publishing Company.
Cunningham's writing is a joy to read, his narrative flows with ease, and as editors Smith and Joiner, only needed to step in to update new information which has come to light during the 40 years since Cunningham wrote his dissertation or to clarify points here and there where Cunningham's narrative needed a little help... needless to say those times were few and far between.
For a forty year old manuscript, Dr. Cunningham's work seems surprisingly fresh and vibrant; the writing does not date itself. The book contains many new ideas, and different approaches to interpreting and understanding this first, major, catastrophic battle of the American Civil War. For instance, Cunningham deemphasizes the importance of the fight at The Hornet's Nest while shifting the spotlight to the fighting at the crossroads on the west side of the field.
Not only is Dr. Cunningham's narrative, a history of the Battle of Shiloh, but also the whole western campaign from the Confederate Army's invasion of Kentucky & Grant's twin victories and Forts Henry & Donnellson to Shiloh, Corinth and beyond.
Mr. Joiner has drawn over 30 maps to assist the reader in following the action, and there many period photographs and even a photographic tour of the battlefield as it exists to day. Cunningham's notes are true footnotes, located at the bottom of the page, allowing you to quickly look down to see where his information came from without having to thumb to the back of the book which scores an A+ in my grade book.
Being a Savas Beatie publication, "Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862" is a quality volume, printed in a nice easy to read font, on acid free paper, and the artwork on the dust jacket is just gorgeous. This book was a great read and I am proud to list this among the titles in my collection.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
New Essential for your Civil War Library, August 26, 2007
"Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862" is the previously unpublished 1966 doctoral thesis of O. Edward Cunningham with an editorial touch up by Dr's Joiner and Smith. Dr. Cunningham was a doctoral student at the Louisiana State University of the late T. Harry Williams, author of the vastly influential work "Lincoln and His Generals". The editors are both authors of books on the Civil War in the West with Dr. Smith writing the well received "Champion Hill - Decisive Battle for Vicksburg"
The Battle of Shiloh was one of the most critical battles in American History. Some of the biggest figures of the Civil War - Grant, Sherman, Johnston, Bragg, Beauregard, Buell - they all fought there. As Grant would write in his memoirs, before Shiloh, Americans on both sides of the Mason Dixon line believed that the war could still be a short limited affair. Shiloh shattered that illusion. The two day battle saw some of the fiercest fighting of the war in which over 23,000 men were taken casualty.
Dr. Cunningham's work is a detailed history of the battle of Shiloh. The focus of the work is on the Divisions, Brigades, Regiments and the men that fought in them. . It covers in excellent detail which brigades, fought for which piece of ground, when they were fighting and what happened. In fact, the book is so crammed with details that at times it risks losing the forest for the trees with all the Colonel This of the 23rd Volunteer Infantry and Captain That of Company C, 10th Southern Infantry. Close but not quite. The work presents a clear and cogent picture of how the battle unfolded.
This is not a command study as Larry Daniel's more recent "Shiloh - The Battle That Changed the Civil War" is. While the decisions of Grant, Beauregard and Johnston are covered, they are not examined in detail. In many respects the Army Commanders are the supporting actors in this story. Once the battle was joined, Grant and Johnston were secondary to the fate of their armies. In fact, much of the Confederate Army was unaware of Johnston's death until after the battle was over. This is not to say that they are totally ignored in the work, only that they are not its emphasis.
Like all Campaign Histories, this one spends the first third of the work placing the Armies in context. The opening phases of the war, the capture of Forts Henry and Donelson, the Confederate concentration at Corinth, and the Union movement to Pittsburg Landing are all covered. What is not covered in any critical depth is Beauregard's plan for the battle and its impact on the outcome of the battle. For that you will need to read Daniel's book.
I very much enjoyed this work. Unlike so many recent books on Military History, this one came with 32 maps of the battle. Additionally the end of the book their is a photo tour of the battlefield today. Unfortunately, the maps lack any road or creek names. It would have been nice when Dr. Cunningham is discussing McClernand's position along the Purdy Road, that the Purdy Road would be indicated on the map that accompanies the text. Some times I felt like Lew Wallace, wondering which road I should follow. As for the photos I think a better use for them would be to have put the photos alongside within the chapter that discussed the battle for that particular location. The book also comes with photos of all the Generals that participated in the battle. The pictures are all taken from the "Generals in Blue" and "Generals in Grey" works. As a real fan of portraits, I would have wished that we could have had more original pictures other than the mug shots we have all seen a million times before.
Dr. Cunningham's work is much enhanced by the editing of Joiner and Smith. They have altered the original text to clean up minor historical errors, such as removing Dr. Cunningham's assertion that Grant's men erected field fortifications in the final Union defensive position. All corrections are properly footnoted at the bottom of each page. I have never read a book that has had such wonderful footnotes. They provide additional insights and a running commentary on the book. There were times when I would find myself turning the page just to see what juicy little tidbit would be there. I think in the future I will make the effort to read the footnotes just in case I am missing something.
"Shiloh and the Western Campaign of 1862" for all that it is 40 years old, and a doctoral dissertation at that, does not have a dated or arcane feel to it. It very much reminds me of the works by Peter Cozzens. Shiloh is a battle that deserves multiple serious works on it. There is room in every Civil War library for the major books on this battle. Those of Larry Daniel, Wiley Sword, James McDonough, and now Dr. Cunningham. I know my library would not be complete without it.
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