Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War: Journeys through the Battlefields in the Wake of Conflict: v. 1 - Softcover

Lossing, Mr. Benson J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0801856698 ISBN 13: 9780801856693

Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1997

Synopsis

"The Battle of Bull's Run, so disastrous to the National Arms, and yet so little profitable, as a military event, to the Confederates, was in its immediate effects a profound enigma to the people of the whole country. They could not understand it. The Confederates held the field, yet they did not seek profit from the panic and flight of their opponents, by a pursuit. The Nationals were beaten and dispersed; yet, after the first paralysis of defeat, they instantly recovered their faith and elasticity. There had been marches, and bivouacs, and skirmishes, and a fierce battle, within the space of a week; and at the end of twenty-four hours after the close of the conflict, the respective parties in the contest were occupying almost the same geographical position which they did before the encounter."--from The Pictorial Field-Book of the Civil War

Before the rise of "professional" academic history, there were devoted Brahmins of a literary bent (George Bancroft, Francis Parkman, and Henry Adams) and skilled researchers and chroniclers, men such as J. Thomas Scharf of Maryland history fame and--the most prolific of all--Ben Lossing of New York, who, since they made their living by writing history, could rightly be labeled "professional" after all. Every literate history lover in the mid-to-late nineteenth century knew of Lossing and his work; he may not have been academically trained, but he knew where to look for evidence, did the digging we would expect him to do, and wrote with a flair for the dramatic. In his Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War, Lossing takes the same "on-the-scene approach" to the Civil War--visiting the sites of battles and other events, making sketches of these places, talking with people about their experiences--that earned his earlier Pictorial Field Book of the Revolution and Pictorial Book of the War of 1812 a wide and enthusiastic readership.

About this title

Review:

"Benson J. Lossing, a popular ninetenth-century historian, combined travelogue, history, and image to create a vivid and comprehensive account of the Civil War in the 1870s. Comparable to Ken Burns and Shelby Foote today, Lossing's work reached thousands of people and often set the tone of how the war was remembered by the ordinary citizen... His three-volume narrative, replete with detailed accounts of troop movements and strategies, accurate depictions of battlefields, buildings and soldiers, and countless illustrations of weapons, regimental insignias, and maps of the campaigns reflect Lossing's extensive onsite research. His determination to give readers a visual image of what the war was like is still useful for present day collectors and reenactors." -- Georgia Historical Quarterly

"The Shelby Foote of the 19th century, Lossing presents an abundantly illustrated text that makes for interesting reading. In addition to his contemporary insight of the conflict, excellent, new introductions have been added to each volume by Reid Mitchell." -- North and South

"For those who wish to study the evolution of writing about the war, Lossing is an important source. Bibliophiles and Civil War buffs alike greet with enthusiasm the re-publication of Lossing's works." -- John Robbins, "Civil War Corner," Fredericksburg Freelance-Star

Book Description:

Published shortly after the war's end by one of the mid-nineteenth century's leading popular historians, this three-volume chronicle of the Civil War battles, political events, and personalities offers some details and interpretations that will surprise the most knowledgeable Civil War buff..

About this edition

• Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0801856698
• ISBN 13: 9780801856693
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 622