Where the South Lost the War: An Analysis of the Fort Henry-Fort Donelson Campaign, February 1862 (The American Civil War) [Hardcover]

Kendall D. Gott (Author)

Book Description

Series: The American Civil War | Publication Date: June 1, 2003

Selected as Honorable Mention for the 2004 Albert Castel Book Award

With the collapse of the Confederate defenses at Forts Henry and Donelson on the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, the entire Tennessee Valley was open to Union invasion and control. These Northern victories set up the 1864 Atlanta Campaign that cut the Confederacy in two. Had Confederate planning and leadership been better, no one can say what difference it might have made to the Civil War in the West and the outcome of the war itself.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Some historians argue that the pivotal action of the Civil War was not Antietam or Gettysburg, but the twin Confederate losses at Forts Henry and Donelson, the battles that opened the way for the union juggernaut to penetrate the Southern heartland and carve it into pieces.... Kendall Gott's Where the South Lost the War ...should establish itself as the standard work on both engagements and their impact for the next generation."

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Stackpole Books; 1 edition (June 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811700496
• ISBN-13: 978-0811700498
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #998,242 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mr. Kendall D. Gott retired from the United States Army and his combat tours include Operation Desert Storm and Operation Desert Fox. He is a Life Member of both the VFW and American Legion. A native of Peoria, Illinois, Mr. Gott, graduated from Richwoods High School, received his Bachelors degree in history from Western Illinois University, and a Masters degree from the US Army Command and General Staff College in 1998. In 2002, Mr. Gott joined the staff of the US Army Combat Studies Institute at Fort Leavenworth, KS as the Senior Historian. He resides in his adopted hometown of Leavenworth, Kansas.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Analytical History Done Right, July 1, 2003

By 

John Bauer (Ft. Leavenworth, KS) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Where the South Lost the War: An Analysis of the Fort Henry-Fort Donelson Campaign, February 1862 (The American Civil War) (Hardcover)

This is a fine piece of old-school history: rich, objective, and thorough. Mr. Gott's writing is excellent and the story is fresh. The book is heavy on content, which I found satisfying, and the absence of leftist mythology and psychobabble is a reminder that there are still good historians out there. (Read McPherson if you want a discussion of Southern "paternalism" or Stonewall Jackon's psychological profile.)

As with most Civil War narratives, the story offers entertainment value in its own right. The collection of personalities includes inept Confederate generals, smarmy politicians and rugged country boys doing the soldiering. The unusual genesis of the Union army's river fleet is explored. Further, the battles followed a fascinating course unforeseen by either side. Fort Henry, for instance, was being abandoned by Confederate forces when it was attacked by Grant and his supporting gunboats. The resulting "defeat" at Henry was caused as much by floodwaters as by Union tactics.

Yet as the title suggests, the real story here is how the battles for Henry and Donelson shaped the events that followed. Gott never releases this theme; indeed, it is woven into his exploration of the battle from the very first page to the last. Gott's perspective as a professional battle historian is reflected in his emphasis on thorough analysis. Again, satisfying. He doesn't miss much. This book is a compelling drama for a reader interested in something deeper than the standard casual treatment of our country's bloodiest war.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inside the book flap, July 3, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Where the South Lost the War: An Analysis of the Fort Henry-Fort Donelson Campaign, February 1862 (The American Civil War) (Hardcover)

"For too long one of the Civil War's decisive campaigns has been ignored by historians. In Where the South Lost the War, Kendall Gott tells the story of the Fort Henry-Fort Donelson campaign, the operation that shattered the initial Confederate defense line in the west and enabled Union amphibious forces to thrust deep into the Southern heartland. Gott blends his experiences as a combat veteran with those of a military historian to provide a gripping narration of day-to-day operations. Particulalry relevant are his penetrating analyses of the leaders, their command decisions, and their strengths and weakensses. These elements combine to give the readers a masterful account of the campaign that served as a major milepost on "Unconditional Surrender" Grant's road to Appomattox Court House and the White House" Edwin C. Bearss, Historian Emertius, National Park Service.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great balance of strategy and tactics, February 20, 2006

By 

H. Jespersen "Hlj" (Redwood City, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Where the South Lost the War: An Analysis of the Fort Henry-Fort Donelson Campaign, February 1862 (The American Civil War) (Hardcover)

I thought this book was terrific, one of the best Civil War books in my collection. Gott writes lucidly and in an easy-to-read style. He covers the personalities and the strategies of the campaign in a manner well-balanced with the tactical details of the battles. Although the maps are rather crudely drawn, they are rich in useful detail. (As an instructor at Ft Leavenworth, he knows what to put into Army battle maps. But he also covers the naval aspects well, too.) He is unafraid to inject his candid opinions about the strengths and weaknesses of the key players and he backs these opinions well. Highly recommended.