Wilson's Creek: The Second Battle of the Civil War and the Men Who Fought It (Civil War America) (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "William Watson had not come to America to fight..." (more)
Key Phrases: punitive crusade, corporate honor, flanking column, Missouri State Guard, Bloody Hill, Wire Road (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Piston and Hatcher . . . . have captured well the pathos of the early months of the war as it affected those who fought it.

Journal of Southern History

Piston and Hatcher have provided a service to Civil War historians.

Military Review

Wilson's Creek will stand as the definitive study of a long-neglected but important battle.

Journal of American History

With a fresh interpretive framework and rich with insights, this book will take its place among the great battle narratives.

American Historical Review

[This] detailed tactical study . . . as good as any yet produced by the new generation of military historians. . . . [A] fine book.

America•s Civil War

Product Description

In the summer of 1861, Americans were preoccupied by the question of which states would join the secession movement and which would remain loyal to the Union. This question was most fractious in the border states of Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri. In Missouri, it was largely settled at Wilson's Creek on August 10, 1861, in a contest that is rightly considered the second major battle of the Civil War.

In providing the first in-depth narrative and analysis of this important but largely overlooked battle, William Piston and Richard Hatcher combine a traditional military study of the fighting at Wilson's Creek with an innovative social analysis of the soldiers who participated and the communities that supported them. In particular, they highlight the importance of the soldiers' sense of corporate honor—the desire to uphold the reputation of their hometowns—as a powerful motivator for enlistment, a source of sustenance during the campaign, and a lens through which soldiers evaluated their performance in battle.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press; First Edition edition (March 27, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807825158
• ISBN-13: 978-0807825150
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #249,973 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars **wilson's Creek** is highly recommended!, March 5, 2000

By	Jim Schmidt (Chicagoland, USA) - See all my reviews

I have been waiting for the release of **Wilson's Creek** since I first heard about it a couple of years ago when visiting the battlefield. I finally obtained a copy this week and I was not disappointed. It is without a doubt the most thoroughly researched of any of the published accounts of this battle (e.g. Bearss or Brooksher). I was especially impressed with the extensive use of period newspapers. Besides being a narrative of the battle and campaign, it conatins a wealth of information on the individual units that fought on that day, with an emphasis on their community ties. It is well illustrated with good maps also. An extended bibliographic essay would have been helpful, but the preafce and the estensive list of sources would serve as an excellent starting point for anyone wanting to learn more about this important battle.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wilson's Creek brought to Life, June 15, 2000

By	Ivan L. Stull (Missouri) - See all my reviews

I love a book that can pull you into it. This ones certainly does. It's been several years since I toured the battlefield at Wilson's Creek, but Piston and Hatcher do an excellent job in bringing out map details and troop movements that it felt like I was on the battlefield again but this time feeling the intense battle struggle between the two sides. The details on each regiment that fought at Wilson's Creek, North and South, was excellent.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Clash of Communities, May 2, 2001

By	Beth D. Rein (Louisiana United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Piston and Hatcher have produced an excellently detailed overview of the events and participants in the battle and over the surrounding region during the summer of 1861. By beginning with unit histories of the various units engaged, the reader gains a sense of identity with the men who fought and died there. The method itself is excellent, but would be difficult to apply to later engagements in the war. The central argument, that Civil War soldiers were motivated by strong allegiances to their home communities, is well substantiated, but may also be useful only for engagements at the outset of the war. Other authors have successfully shown that this motivation waned, and that national ideology and identity with the adopted community, the unit, sustained men later in the war. The book's major fault is an unbalanced interpretation of events, especially when the leaders of both forces are concerned. Lyon is labeled a madman and Sigel is portrayed as grossly incompetent, while southern commanders are lionized and noticeably escape criticism. The author's assertion that the Missouri State Guard somehow represents a lawful military force evaporates when that same force, guaranteed under the Constitution, raises arms against federal authorities charged with protection of that same Constitution. Overall, the work is excellently researched, especially from local sources, and improved my comprehension of the tragic confrontation.