ROMANCE

Commanding the Storm: Civil War Battles in the Words of the Generals Who Fought Them

by John Richard Stephens
Lyons: Globe Pequot. Nov. 2012. c.304p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780762782239. $27.95. HIST
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U.S. Air Force veteran Stephens (Wyatt Earp Speaks!) presents what is, in effect, a chronological history of the Civil War as described, or later remembered, by commanders on the field (or, in one case, on the waters). He selects 12 who fought for the Confederacy and 12 who supported the Union, choosing the words of famous men about famous battles (for each battle there's a selection relating to the offensive position, then one about the defensive), rather than offering lesser-known details from ordinary soldiers.
VERDICT From George Armstrong Custer's reminiscence of being at West Point at the start of fighting, to Winfield Scott Hancock's thoughts on how historians may view the war, this will bring Civil War history alive to high school students and grads. Stephens's decision to silently abridge his selections and occasionally interpolate a second source means this is not a book for specialists.
Reviewed by MH , Nov 15, 2012
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