Customer Reviews

Sinews of War: How Technology, Industry and Transportation Won the Civil War

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is not a full scale study of logistics, but more a series of essays on strategy, men, and events of the Civil War, with technology given more weight than some other narratives.
Bacon has a firm and lucid grasp of strategy and tactics, and an admirably readable style which will be a pleasure to the non-specialist reader.
(The numerical rating above is an unwelcome default setting within Amazon's format. This reviewer does not employ numerical ratings).

The author often shows a nice turn of phrase or insight but this book falls far short of explaining the contributions of technology to the Civil War. Some topics are simply ignored like the telegraph and signal communications. Others are given short shrift. The significance of repeating rifles is restricted to a paragraph on Wilder's Brigade at Chickamauga. Bacon is let down by a miserable index. There are no entries under repeating rifle or Spencer for the that paragraph. Nor can one find Rifled cannon, Parrot or Rodman, submarine or torpedo. Virtually any of the 24 items in this book's bibliograpy would be a better choice

Boy, that title sure sounded great! A collection of essays about select scenarios where "technology" was supposedly the key to the success of the respective participants. Actually, little is spent on any analysis of such, as much is merely a rehash of secondary sources. Perhaps of interest to a novice Civil War student, or a high school class, but as honest-to-God history, this text has little merit. No maps, no footnotes(!) and a tenth-grade term paper bibliography will assure me never to purchase anything by Mr. Bacon in the future.

Would have appreciated some biographical information to support the authenticity of the writer, Benjamin W. Bacon.

Is there an error on page 13? "Thus, Virginia, Kentucky, and Missouri - through a deft blend of of patience, diplomacy, and force - had been preserved for the Union."

Is there a context that I am missing?