Editorial Reviews
Review
"Field fortifications played a major role in the American Civil War, evolving from a widely despised expedient to a universally recognized necessity. It is a cause for astonishment that no one has attempted a scholarly look at that burgeoning military development--until now. Field Armies and Fortifications, by Earl J. Hess, ably takes on the important topic, and makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the war. (Robert K. Krick, author of Stonewall Jackson at Cedar Mountain and The Smoothbore Volley That Doomed the Confederacy)"
Book Description
The eastern campaigns of the Civil War involved the widespread use of field fortifications, from Big Bethel and the Peninsula to Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Charleston, and Mine Run. While many of these fortifications were meant to last only as long as the battle, Earl J. Hess argues that their history is deeply significant. The Civil War saw more use of fieldworks than did any previous conflict in Western history.
Hess studies the use of fortifications by tracing the campaigns of the Army of the Potomac and the Army of Northern Virginia from April 1861 to April 1864. He considers the role of field fortifications in the defense of cities, river crossings, and railroads and in numerous battles. Blending technical aspects of construction with operational history, Hess demonstrates the crucial role these earthworks played in the success or failure of field armies. He also argues that the development of trench warfare in 1864 resulted from the shock of battle and the continued presence of the enemy within striking distance, not simply from the use of the rifle-musket, as historians have previously asserted.
Based on fieldwork at 300 battle sites and extensive research in official reports, letters, diaries, and archaeological studies, this book should become an indispensable reference for Civil War historians.
Field Armies and Fortifications in the Civil War : The Eastern Campaigns, 1861-1864 (Civil War America)
Field Armies and Fortifications in the Civil War: The Eastern Campaigns, 1861-1864 (Civil War America),Earl J. Hess,The University of North Carolina Press,0807829315,19th century,Army of the Potomac,Campaigns,Civil War, 1861-1865,East (U.S.),Fortification,Fortification, Field,Historic sites,History,History - General History,History - Military / War,History: American,Military - Strategy,Military - United States,United States,United States - Civil War,Big Bethel; Chancellorsville; Mine Run; Richmond; Manassas; Antietam; Maryland Campaign; Fredericksburg; Goldsborough; New Bern; Washington, North Carolina; Suffolk; Seven Pines; The Peninsula Campaign; Gettysburg; Lee's Pennsylvania Campaign; Charleston; Battery Wagner; Bristoe Station; Plymouth, North Carolina; Yorktown; Harpers Ferry; Chaffin's Bluff; Williamsburg; James Island; Wynn's Mill; Garrow's Point; Lee's Mill; Centreville; Fort Totten; Fort Slemmer; Camp Bartow, West Virginia; Camp Alleghany, West Virginia; Grapevine Bridge, Chickahominy River; Fort Sumner; Fair Oaks; Mechanicsville; Second Manassas; Loudoun Heights; Maryland Heights; Prospect Hill; Hazel Grove; Marye's Hill; Culp's Hill; Little Round Top; Seminary Ridge; Morris Island; trenches; berms; Overland Campaign,History / United States / Civil War Period (1850-1877)
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