Terrible Swift Sword: The Centennial History Of The Civil War Series, Volume 2 (2001) - Plot & Excerpts
This is the second of Catton's Civil War trilogy, apparently picking up where his first, The Coming Fury, left off (I say apparently because I started with this one). I've never read Catton before but now I'm hooked on his work. He had a wonderful way of writing about history, bringing it to life with a great deal of humanity and a sometimes sardonically wicked sense of humor. He was a superb historian as well; he knew the Civil War and had an ability to write about it from the viewpoint not only of the generals and politicians, but from the common soldiers of both the North and South. This "every man's" touch helps to give his story a tenderness that merely writing about the concerns of "the professionals" would not have provided. Besides being a terrific source for learning about the Civil War from after Bull Run up to the time the War drew near its end, Terrible Swift Sword is a thrilling read. Catton captures the gritty sense of the battles, the urgency and uncertainty, the back-and-forth strategy of the commanders, as well as the fear all the soldiers fought their way through. If you are a history reader, or are interested in becoming one, get a book by Bruce Catton. (Warning: Like I, you'll probably want to hit General McClelland, commander of the Union Armies, with a large stick for being such a ridiculous, juvenile git!)
I wasn't expecting this trilogy to measure up to Catton's Army of the Potomac trilogy, because I liked those so much. To my happy surprise, however, it does, or at least this book definitely does; I haven't read the other two yet (Catton books are hard to find at the library sometimes). Amazingly, this trilogy manages to cover the same time period as the other one, yet with so much new interesting facts, and so many different perspectives, that it doesn't feel like a repeat at all (which amazes me, since many authors can't make their books feel different from their other books even when the topic is entirely different). I loved this book and it was not the slight letdown I had expected after already having read the Army of the Potomac trilogy. I can't wait to read the other two! This book was Catton at his best, and if you read Catton you will realize that is really saying something.
What do You think about Terrible Swift Sword: The Centennial History Of The Civil War Series, Volume 2 (2001)?
The war is fully under way and the rebels are outnumbered and outgunned. The outcome depends upon whether they can acquire allies in Europe. A decisive Confederate victory might induce British support, but English mills have enough cotton for the present. European aid does not materialize. The South is on its own, but Lee's military success in the East prolongs the war. U.S. Grant emerges in the West and moves to take Vicksburg, as Volume 2 comes to a close.This book drags on for hundreds of pages, but then so did the war. A clear and readable account of the war to 1863. Huge bibliography and lots of maps.
—P.J. Sullivan
I really enjoy "good historical writing". This is a really top series of three volumes on the Civil War. It provides the broad sweep of a very complex and intricate conflict. This is the second volume finished and now beginning the third and final book. Catton has been a masterful story teller as all first rate historians are. As I proceed through the series I find my understanding of the forces at work behind this cataclysmic event in American history clarifies with each passing page. The personalities of the major players rises from the page in stark relief, and with the exception of so few, most Confederate military men, most are condemned as prideful butchers of astonishing ineptitude. The books provide the framework within which to place the more detailed accounts of these battles, the most horrific ever experienced prior to WW1 as the age of industrial warfare dawns. Bravo! It is such a great pleasure to read well researched history and learn with no pain! Catton earned every cent he made off this effort, a great piece of work.
—Steve Woods
