Failure to Pursue
How the Escape of Defeated Forces Prolonged the Civil War
Published on 1. November 2016
Book
Paperback/Softback
412 pages
978-1-4766-6669-3 (ISBN)
Description
Was the Civil War preordained to last four years or were there reasons why neither side could land a knockout punch? From the outset, both North and South had anticipated a brief conflict but despite more than 50 bloody battles neither could force a decisive conclusion. For most of the war, these battles followed a pattern: the victors claimed the field and the vanquished retreated to rest, resupply and fight another day.
Some generals began to realize that pursuit to capture or destroy the retreating enemy was needed to end the war--not an easy task. Taking a fresh look at the tactics that characterized many major combat actions in the war, this book examines the performance of unsuccessful (sometimes insubordinate) commanders and credits two generals with eventually seeing the need for organized pursuit.
Some generals began to realize that pursuit to capture or destroy the retreating enemy was needed to end the war--not an easy task. Taking a fresh look at the tactics that characterized many major combat actions in the war, this book examines the performance of unsuccessful (sometimes insubordinate) commanders and credits two generals with eventually seeing the need for organized pursuit.
Reviews / Votes
"thought-provoking and well-organized. The author has done a lot of reading and knows his material. Even old buffs are likely to find fresh viewpoints and anecdotal nuggets they didn't know"-America's Civil War.More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Jefferson, NC
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Interest Age: From 18 years
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
notes, bibliography, index
Dimensions
Height: 254 mm
Width: 178 mm
Thickness: 22 mm
Weight
771 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4766-6669-3 (9781476666693)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Retired attorney David Frey served as a U.S. Marine Corps captain in the Vietnam era. He lives in Athens, Ohio, where he gives talks on Civil War topics and is active in the local Civil War Roundtable. He maintains the website Civil War Rumblings.
Content
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Western Theater
?1.?Overview-Antebellum Influences
?2.?Grant at Shiloh-April 6-7, 1862
?3.?Buell vs. Bragg in Kentucky-1862
?4.?Iuka and Corinth II-September and October 1862
?5.?Rosecrans Replaces Buell-October 1862-October 1863
?6.?Turnaround at Chattanooga-October and November 1863
?7.?Sherman's Atlanta Campaign-1864
?8.?Thomas After Nashville-December 1864
Eastern Theater
?9.?First Bull Run-July 21, 1861
10.?Stonewall in the Valley-Spring 1862
11.?Lee's Pursuit of Seven Days-June 25-July 1, 1862
12.?Second Bull Run-August 29-30, 1862
13.?Chantilly, a.k.a. Ox Hill-September 1, 1862
14.?McClellan After Antietam-September-October 1862
15.?Eastern Horse Soldiers
16.?Gathering at Getttysburg-June-July 1863
17.?Lee and Meade After Gettysburg-July 4-14, 1863
18.?Little Phil Comes East-1864
19.?Grant's Ultimate Pursuit-April 1865
20.?Conclusions
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Western Theater
?1.?Overview-Antebellum Influences
?2.?Grant at Shiloh-April 6-7, 1862
?3.?Buell vs. Bragg in Kentucky-1862
?4.?Iuka and Corinth II-September and October 1862
?5.?Rosecrans Replaces Buell-October 1862-October 1863
?6.?Turnaround at Chattanooga-October and November 1863
?7.?Sherman's Atlanta Campaign-1864
?8.?Thomas After Nashville-December 1864
Eastern Theater
?9.?First Bull Run-July 21, 1861
10.?Stonewall in the Valley-Spring 1862
11.?Lee's Pursuit of Seven Days-June 25-July 1, 1862
12.?Second Bull Run-August 29-30, 1862
13.?Chantilly, a.k.a. Ox Hill-September 1, 1862
14.?McClellan After Antietam-September-October 1862
15.?Eastern Horse Soldiers
16.?Gathering at Getttysburg-June-July 1863
17.?Lee and Meade After Gettysburg-July 4-14, 1863
18.?Little Phil Comes East-1864
19.?Grant's Ultimate Pursuit-April 1865
20.?Conclusions
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index