I started this series in 1997. I revisited vol. 1 in 2009. I went about reading this volume for a book club challenge to read a BIG BOOK for February 2020. I started in November... and I just finished. I will admit that I read other books during breaks (usually after each chapter/section). Was I bored? No! It is such a BIG BOOK that is a slow read. No skimming here. This series is simply one of the best set of books I have ever read. Here are a few bullets to explain:
* This is a historical narrative. It reads like a novel in places.
* Foote is a master wordsmith. He brings the details forward to bring the reader into the story for the big picture as well as the individual level.
* The books primarily cover the military actions, but include so much more. Politics, historical setting on both the North and South, psychological struggles of individuals, and so much more are interweaved to tell the story.
* While the major figures of both the North and South are covered, Foote also tells stories of so many people that only play minor footnotes in the history of America. It was these "minor" characters that really drew me in at times. Just one or two pages about an individual soldier could grasp your mind and imagination, forcing you to stop and think about that one individual. This is one reason the book takes so long to read.
* I listened to the Blackstone Audiobook while reading. At times, I listened at 1.20 speed while reading the text. I have never done this consistently with another book (listen and read at the same time). With other books, it is simply too frustrating to slow down like that. With this audio book, the audio and reading bring the story even deeper. I know this isn't for everyone, but it worked for me.

Well, now I am challenged with the decision on how long to wait until vol. 3. Will it be 10-11 years? No. I hope to read vol. 3 this year... but I do have 52 books to go for 2020, so I better read some shorter books and get some room for a 3 month dive later in the year. ( )

After receiving Shelby Foote’s Civil War trilogy as a Christmas present some years back, I read the first volume quickly with all good intention of pushing on to the other volumes, but because of the sheer effort and time it took to read one of them, I drug my feet, and only now have gotten around to tackling the second book, titled THE CIVIL WAR VOL. 2: A NARRATIVE: FREDERICKSBURG TO MERIDIAN. My copy comes in at 966 pages, and Foote’s writing style can be most intimidating as his paragraphs tend to run long, like huge bricks of text that take up most of a page, creating the image of a wall the reader has to overcome. But there is a wealth of detail to be found there, and if the reader makes the commitment, they will be well rewarded.

This second volume covers the events from the Fredericksburg campaign through the year of 1863, ending with Grant going east to take on Lee, while Sherman prepares for the campaign in the west which will take the Union forces to Atlanta and beyond. The two high points of the book are the recounting of the Vicksburg campaign on the Mississippi, and the titanic clash at Gettysburg, but in between and before and after, Foote digresses to some little known or discussed side actions in Texas, Florida, Charleston, Arkansas, Kentucky and the Ohio River valley, East Tennessee, and central Mississippi. He gives these seemingly minor clashes ample attention, and makes the case why they mattered and the effect they had on larger campaigns. The Union blunders at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville are well recounted, along with the Union route at Chickamauga, later redeemed by the Confederate thrashing at Chattanooga. Along the way we get a thorough feeling for the men on both sides, commanders and infantrymen alike, who shouldered the burden of winning the war for their respective sides. Without saying it in so many words, Foote makes the case that the Confederates had the better regimental and divisional commanders in the field, while the Union were often stuck with officers, who, for lack of a better way to put it, simply couldn’t get on the page or grasp an opportunity when it was in front of them. A good example is Meade, who holds a defensive position at Gettysburg and lets Lee’s own mistakes and misjudgments defeat him, and then totally fails to exploit the victory he has won by pursuing his defeated foe on his retreat from Pennsylvania to Virginia. But what the Union did right was to reward commanders who proved themselves on the battlefield, and to quickly dispense with those who failed: Burnside and Hooker were sidelined after defeats at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, while Grant and Sherman take Vicksburg and are promoted; George Thomas holds the line against a Confederate breakthrough at Chickamauga and is rewarded with the command of the Army of the Cumberland, while the Confederates allowed John Pemberton, who lost Vicksburg, and Braxton Bragg, who had to flee his HQ on Missionary Ridge lest he be captured by Thomas’ men in a surprise assault, to stay on even after it was clear they were not up to the task. A lot of Confederates spent a lot of time waiting for Joe Johnston and his army to show up, but Foote explains that Johnston, who recognized the limits of the Confederate military, genuinely cared about the men under his command, and was loathe to spill their blood needlessly. And Foote makes the case that Lee should have listened to James Longstreet more than once at Gettysburg. A lot of space is given to some of the war’s most daring cavalry raids and why the Confederacy had a pair of real assets in John Hunt Morgan and Nathan Bedford Forrest, but not so much in William Quantrill. A strong contrast is made between Lincoln and Davis and their respective Presidencies, with the patience and determination of the former, against the lack of support the latter received from his own people, and the impossible situation he was in of leading a nation dedicated to “states rights” in a war for survival, which required cherished principles to be set aside if victory was to be obtained. It is clear that what truly held the Confederacy together against crushing blows, and in the face of defeat, were the grit and guts of their common soldiers in the field regardless of the quality of who was in command. A recounting by a Union officer of finding the barefoot corpse of a Confederate who appeared to be no more than fifteen years old after a battle in Tennessee drives home the cost, and the wasted potential, of the war.

I am staggered by the amount of research it must have taken to produce this book, but I think Foote gave us one of the finest war narratives ever written. Though it took me just short of two months at reading a little more than an hour a day to finish it, I fully understand now why the events of 1863 were the fulcrum of the Civil War, where Confederate hopes for a military victory slipped away irrevocably, and the path to victory for the Union lay ahead if they were willing to do the hard bloody work to get there. This is a book that explains who was who, and what they did when and where; it is a litany of strategies implemented and battle plans made, and often the failures that occurred when first contact with the enemy was made. That is when the real leaders emerged. Foote’s THE CIVIL WAR VOL. 2: A NARRATIVE: FREDERICKSBURG TO MERIDIAN is the ultimate deep dive into that conflict, and a must read for any serious student of American history. ( )

With this middle volume of a highly detailed three-volume history of the Civil War, Shelby Foote does a meticulous job of documenting every important event (and a few unimportant ones) of the war. And yet, he does justice to every person - well known and obscure alike - to pain a picture of a country torn asunder and how it came to that failure of policy. There is no more complete telling of the scope of the war and I look forward to continuing to Vol 3.

In addition, the narration on the audio edition by Grover Gardner is spot on ( )

Which American President created a system for slaves to be judged by a jury of all black jurors? Jefferson Davis

The U.S. Constitution provided for population counting to be 3/5ths of a person for slaves. How did the Confederate Constitution describe African-Americas, in contrast? Slaves.

The second volume of Shelby Foote's Civil War history is just as thorough and comprehensive as the first. Foote has covered every aspect of the American Civil War his work. After reading this I feel that I know and understand characters on both sides of the conflict. Foote devoted pages of the book to Lincoln and Jefferson Davis, generals and politicians on both sides but also touched on the lives of the ordinary folks on both side of the conflict. I though the narration was excellent but the maps included were inadequate. I would recommend reading this book with a good civil war atlas at hand. I will be starting on the third and final volume soon.
( )

This volume is heavier than Volume 1. There are more characters about whom Foote has trouble finding good things to say. Sherman gives a trial run to Total War by carving a pathway of destruction through Mississippi. Lincoln is beginning to seem like Bomber Harris in letting little stand in his way in furthering a just cause. At the very least (in Foote's imagery) Lincoln is like a chess player who is up a rook and is more than happy to exchange pieces, sure that he would win a battle of attrition.

Still, Foote writes beautifully. Maybe I'll read Volume 3 when the pandemic is over. ( )

YESSSSSS ( )

Best intro to Civil War. ( )

Reading Shelby Foote is a delight, especially when one has to suffer the bad grammar and poor sentence structure of modern authors. His way with words is quite refreshing.

I took to this book eagerly, after reading the excellent first volume of this trilogy. This one tended to drag in places, which was a bit disappointing. Nevertheless, the narrative of the battle of Gettysburg was peerless.

All told, worth a read. I am looking forward to plowing into volume 3. ( )

I read a few pages of Foote's masterpiece everyday and finished Volume 2. And Foote the master of the narrative never disappoints. His detail in coverage of the major and minor events of this war are always interesting and an absorbing read. And knowing it actually happened in our nations' past that so shaped what we have become is even more thrilling. On to Volume 3. ( )

Superlatives cannot describe this work. I've never enjoyed such a historical work more than this one. It is arguably the best work of its kind. You are transported to the events and become an involved observer of the horrific war that changed America forever. ( )

One of the best Civil War narratives I have ever read. Goes into amazing detail while remaining extremely interesting. A must read for any person interested in the Civil War. ( )

My dad has always been a reader of military history, the Second World War and the War Between the States in particular, so, as a sort of rebellion, I never read much Civil War history. And then only when class beckoned. My first introduction to Shelby Foote, then, was in Ken Burns's great documentary.

This second volume in Foote's magnum opus, then, came after I recognized the great narrative value of the first. It is as stellarly good as people claim. Foote, a novelist (and he apologizes for that), writes his history so well it reads like a novel. He weaves his story so compellingly at times that even when I know the outcome of a battle, he makes me dramatically believe (suspend disbelief) that the other side might win. He paints his characters dramatically, gives back stories, and the like. I feel Longstreet's defensive nature, I know Sherman is fiery, I sense Jackson's quirky genius, I understand Lincoln's frustration with his generals. Though a novelist, this work is good history too. Historians might fault him for not using footnotes (though he explains why he does not), or deride him for not discussing such arcane things as social history. But this isn't his purpose. He accomplishes what he sets out to do well.

This particular volume takes the story from the stunning Confederate victories of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, to the stalemated blunder of Antietam, to the Union turning point victories of Gettysburg and Vicksburg, the last Confederate hurrah at Chickamauga, and then the stalemate of late 1863 and early 1864. This book is longer than the previous volume, and to me it dragged a bit between the major battles you know are coming, but still worthwhile and well-told. What fools Bragg and McClellan are. ( )

This portion of the war contained the battles that turned the war in favor of the Union. The battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg were disastrous defeats for the Confederates. Foote does an excellent job in describing these campaigns. The Vicksburg campaign is given extensive coverage because it lasted so long. Foote's descriptions of the trips up the rivers to try to get to Vicksburg give a good feel for the terrain and the civilians the Union Army encountered. I found the ingenuity of the Confederates in devising all types of weapons fascinating.
The Gettysburg campaign takes up a large portion of the book. I had to get myself ready to read about Pickett's charge. There was no way 15,000 men were going to take the Union position but they tried grandly.
Foote writes with great detail for the men and the topography. He always provides a summation for the battles that is very helpful. I have not read any series that covers the military aspects of the war as well as this series. They are so well written that the length is not a deterrent to reading each volume completely. ( )

The second chunky volume in Shelby Foote's excellent narrartive history of The Civil War - this one covers the decisive battles including the early Confederate victories in Virginia of Fredricksburg and Chancellorsville, the Union triumph at Gettysburg, and some of the main turning points on the Western frontier such as Vicksburg, Chickamauga, and Chattanooga. And it covers seemingly everthing in between as well -- thrilling cavalry raids, antiwar movements in both the North and the Souith, countless interesting things and people that I once had passing familiarity with from history class: the Lawrence massacre, the ill-fated Hunley, the Gettysburg address, Sojourner Truth. It is a fascinating, while exhausting work.

Whether I am more used to the style or possibly even more (?morbidly) fascinated with the subject matter, I found this volume even better than the first. The battles are clearly presented weaving in actual quotes from orders, communications, diarys while still maintaining the coherence and immediacy of the struggle. In my opinion - nothing seems biased or melodramatic - yet the emotional impact of Foote's storytelling is undeniable. Again, I am impressed at his organization and the handling of simultaneous events. I will say that it requires a close, concentrated read with constant vigilance as to which general, commander, etc he is referring to. Sometimes the author refers to people by their home state -"the Virginian, the Ohioan, ..." and this was hard for me to follow. Now, who is he refering to, again?

Overall, while not an easy read, it is as engaging and entertaining as non-fiction can be. One definately needs to take a break before delving into the next (thicker!) volume. Highly recommended for lovers of The Civil War era - including those like me, who mainly just read historical fiction -- It reads like a novel. ( )

Excellent. Long and very readable. ( )

One of the very best narrative histories of the Civil War - very balanced view, heavy on biographical detail and personality. ( )

This is the second in the outstanding and comprehensive series by Shelby Foote about the American Civil War. It narrates the change in fortunes that occurred in 1863--turning the tide of victory from South to North. The beginning of the narrative finds a northern army beleaguered by such disasters as Fredricksburg and Chancellorsville--while the South rides the wave of victory created by the genius of Lee and Jackson.

By the end of the book, Jackson is dead, and the North has tasted victory at Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Missionary Ridge. The narrative finishes with Grant and Sherman meeting in Ohio to plan the final destruction of the rebellion.

One aspect of the late Shelby's writing that I greatly appreciate is his neutrality. Though southern (Mississippian) by birth, he is complimentary and critical of northern and southern figures alike, based on their merits or lack thereof.

Given that this series was written at the time of the centennial of the Civil War (the 1960s), the following text from the bibliographical note is instructive. In thanking those who contributed to the work Shelby states,

"In a quite different sense , I am obligated also to the governors of my native state and the adjoining states of Arkansas and Alabama for helping to lessen my sectional bias by reproducing, in their actions during several of the years that went into the writing of this volume, much that was least admirable in the postition my ofrebears occupied when they stood up to Lincoln. I suppose, or in any case hope, it is true that history never repeats itself, but I know from watching these three gentlemen that it can be terrifying in its approximations, even when the reproduction--deriving, as it does, its scale from the performers--is in miniature."

In this polarized time of American history, may the only repeat of history be the courage and fortitude shown by the descendants of those on both sides who shed their blood during that great and terrible war.

www.comingstobrazil.com ( )

Speaking as an Australian who is fascinated by all history I stumbled upon this series because of shelby foote's appearance on the Ken Burns' Civil War documentary. The three books are fanatstic reading, and their sheer size may be daunting but the writing is fluid, the characters well delineated, and Foote seems (to his foreigner at least) to have no axes to grind. ( )

FAYAA