1001 Things Everyone Should Know About the Civil War [Hardcover]

Frank E. Vandiver (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 20, 1999

What was "the twenty-slave law" and why did it divide the Confederacy?
What circumstances nearly forced Robert E. Lee to resign in 1863?
What was Grant's "crusher" strategy?
What did Booth yell as he jumped onto the stage at Ford's Theatre?
How did the Confederate Army win the last battle of the war?
What are the lyrics for "The Battle Hymn of the Republic"--and did you know it was written by a woman?

The Civil War lasted four years and consumed the American continent, spreading from Maine to California, Florida to Wyoming, and even into Canada. It was the last war of the American Revolution and the first war of the Industrial Revolution. More than a million men--a quarter of all men of fighting age--were killed or wounded or died of disease. Every imaginable resource was expended in the war effort, and at its end, a new Union arose from the wreckage of the old.

No war is simple or uncomplicated, but the history of the Civil War is extraordinarily complex. In his new book, esteemed historian Frank E. Vandiver catalogs the significant characters, events, and cultural phenomena of the war in 1001 concise entries. Whether you read it straight from beginning to end or thumb through haphazardly, you are sure to find every page full of essential facts and fascinating trivia, from a short history of the most famous Confederate spy to the grisly details of battlefield surgery. 1001 Things Everyone Should Know About the Civil War is an essential, exhaustive resource, covering the vote for secession, General Robert E. Lee's surrender, and everything in between.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Civil War historian Frank E. Vandiver prefaces his book with the confession that "the length, breadth, cost, and anguish of the American Civil War cannot be encompassed in 1001 entries." He does, however, give it a good shot, offering up a "highly personal selection" of Civil War people, places, and events. Vandiver is careful to avoid words such as "essential" when describing his list--it's clear that some entries are included because they're funny. (For example, General Joseph Hooker did little to discourage female camp followers, thus lending his name to practitioners of the oldest profession.)

The entries are arranged chronologically from the start of the war to some final analyses and presented as a coherent (though slightly choppy) narrative. Capsule biographies of important figures are interspersed with information on munitions, individual battles, technology, medicine, and "oddities"--factoids which Vandiver takes obvious pleasure in relating.

Although the book is aimed primarily at the general reader, Civil War buffs will still enjoy learning about the lesser-known figures, such as Mrs. Mary Jackson, who led a mob of women in a food riot in Richmond, and John Burns of Gettysburg, a septuagenarian who enlisted on the side of the Union. Dozens of black-and-white photographs illustrate the text and help make it an excellent choice for anyone interested in this sad part of American history. --C.B. Delaney

From the Inside Flap

What was "the twenty-slave law" and why did it divide the Confederacy?
What circumstances nearly forced Robert E. Lee to resign in 1863?
What was Grant's "crusher" strategy?
What did Booth yell as he jumped onto the stage at Ford's Theatre?
How did the Confederate Army win the last battle of the war?
What are the lyrics for "The Battle Hymn of the Republic"--and did you know it was written by a woman?

The Civil War lasted four years and consumed the American continent, spreading from Maine to California, Florida to Wyoming, and even into Canada. It was the last war of the American Revolution and the first war of the Industrial Revolution. More than a million men--a quarter of all men of fighting age--were killed or wounded or died of disease. Every imaginable resource was expended in the war effort, and at its end, a new Union arose from the wreckage of the old.

No war is simple or uncomplicated, but the history of the Civil War is extraordinarily complex. In his new book, esteemed historian Frank E. Vandiver catalogs the significant characters, events, and cultural phenomena of the war in 1001 concise entries. Whether you read it straight from beginning to end or thumb through haphazardly, you are sure to find every page full of essential facts and fascinating trivia, from a short history of the most famous Confederate spy to the grisly details of battlefield surgery. 1001 Things Everyone Should Know About the Civil War is an essential, exhaustive resource, covering the vote for secession, General Robert E. Lee's surrender, and everything in between.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday; 1 edition (April 20, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385473850
• ISBN-13: 978-0385473859
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,560,346 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 1001 Things Everyone Should Know About the Civil War, December 2, 1999

By 

"stonewall10" - See all my reviews

This review is from: 1001 Things Everyone Should Know About the Civil War (Hardcover)

I wrote this book and like it fairly well! I am irked by the fact that most people do NOT read prefaces! Many of the criticisms I see in the reviews of 1001 Things are explained in the preface--a quick read would have avoided much confusion. Please, when you read books, do the author a courtesy and read the preface. Much is often revealed there. Thanks.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 1001 Things/Civil War, January 15, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: 1001 Things Everyone Should Know About the Civil War (Paperback)

I must admit that the seemingly conflicting reviews here encouraged me to read this book, and I discovered that the negative reviewers did not take the larger view that the author obviously did, and look at the war as a cost to both sides, and a tragedy and loss to both the North and South. (thus a battle is both a victory and a defeat...)Their comments seem mean-spirited and obviously not thought out; nor was the preface read by some of them! This author has done a difficult task- reducing the war into 1001 things- extremely well in my view; the biographical sketches were insightful and poetic and all of the battle descriptions were vivid and exciting. Excerpts from diaries and military papers and miniscule details show the depth of knowledge and the scope of research of this author. I would recommend it.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining read that offers something for everyone, February 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: 1001 Things Everyone Should Know About the Civil War (Hardcover)

Books like this one---essentially "facts" books designed as quick and entertaining reference---are often misunderstood, as evidenced by several prior reviews in this forum! From reading this book, it is obvious that Frank Vandiver has encyclopedic knowledge of the War Between the States, and that there is something for everyone to learn by just reading it, including the Preface.