John C. Waugh (1) (1929–)

This is a brief introduction to the Union campaign for Mobile, Alabama, in the last year of the Civil War. Following the format of its series, it presents a concise, informative account of the entrance of the Union fleet into Mobile Bay and the reduction of Forts Gaines and Morgan, followed by a briefer account of the final battles and conquest of Mobile a few months later. Sidebars provide short biographies of the principal naval and military officers involved. The appendixes include the order of battle and details about all the ships mentioned. Useful maps are included. The writing is lively, straightforward, and clear.

I recommend this book to anyone wanting a quick introduction to the Mobile Campaign, or to people planning a visit to Mobile. It will not satisfy those looking for a thorough analytical account of the background and battles.… (altro)

This book focuses on the West Point Class of 1846 which had a number of future Civil War generals in it including Stonewall Jackson, George McClellan, A.P. Hill, and George Pickett. It was incredibly interesting, yet somewhat uneven. I have never read a character study about these men and I learned a lot about who they were as men. The chapter about Jackson and Ewell (The Odd Couple) is one of the best things I've read in a long, long time. The author;s style is what was uneven. He writes very accessibly, but it seems at points to vary between a book and someone who loves history telling stories to a classroom. This is a minor quibble, but it's something I caught several times throughout. That said, it's a very unique way of looking at some major figures of the Civil War and I'm glad to have read it and can recommend it to you.… (altro)