Glory Road
Glory Road, the second volume of Bruce Catton's Army of the Potomac Trilogy covers the period from the replacement of McClellan to the delivery of the Gettysburg Address. This means it covers Burnside's disasters (including the Mud March), Hooker's inability to capitalize on success, and Meade's impossible task: taking over a dispersed army on the move, and in the face of the enemy.
He does a good job describing the strengths and weaknesses of the commanders, but the interesting part of this volume is that he also describes how the army is behaving, independent of the commanders. What Catton sees in history is that the Army kept getting tougher, and more skilled, despite the vagaries of command.
He insists that Gettysburg was a soldiers' battle on the Union side, and there is a lot to that. There was no unified commander on the first day, and the senior commander present was killed. (He gives Buford his due, probably the most important figure on either side.) He notes occasions when it is units that lack command structure who dig their heels in at key locations.
He does quote Meade as predicting that Lee would hit the center on the third day, but doesn't mention that Meade's dispositions were based on that belief, which proved to be crucial. Most Union commanders were expecting more work on the flanks. I was particularly struck by his descriptions of the Mud March, and by his descriptions of the aftermath of Gettysburg, and what the area looked like as the Army moved out. Excellent writing.
Indeed, it was a great temptation to go on and read the third volume again, immediately, even though I read it only five years ago.
Each of the books in this trilogy stands alone, and all are highly recommended. Is it a sin that they are out of print? Yes.
CBsIP: Exploration Fawcett: Journey to the Lost City of Z, Percy Fawcett
Ship, Brian Lavery
The Best American Short Stories 2008, Salman Rushidie, ed.
The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
Treehorn's Wish, Florence Parry Heide
The Poetry Home Repair Manual, Ted Kooser
He does a good job describing the strengths and weaknesses of the commanders, but the interesting part of this volume is that he also describes how the army is behaving, independent of the commanders. What Catton sees in history is that the Army kept getting tougher, and more skilled, despite the vagaries of command.
He insists that Gettysburg was a soldiers' battle on the Union side, and there is a lot to that. There was no unified commander on the first day, and the senior commander present was killed. (He gives Buford his due, probably the most important figure on either side.) He notes occasions when it is units that lack command structure who dig their heels in at key locations.
He does quote Meade as predicting that Lee would hit the center on the third day, but doesn't mention that Meade's dispositions were based on that belief, which proved to be crucial. Most Union commanders were expecting more work on the flanks. I was particularly struck by his descriptions of the Mud March, and by his descriptions of the aftermath of Gettysburg, and what the area looked like as the Army moved out. Excellent writing.
Indeed, it was a great temptation to go on and read the third volume again, immediately, even though I read it only five years ago.
Each of the books in this trilogy stands alone, and all are highly recommended. Is it a sin that they are out of print? Yes.
CBsIP: Exploration Fawcett: Journey to the Lost City of Z, Percy Fawcett
Ship, Brian Lavery
The Best American Short Stories 2008, Salman Rushidie, ed.
The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
Treehorn's Wish, Florence Parry Heide
The Poetry Home Repair Manual, Ted Kooser