From the firing on Fort Sumter to the shot that killed Abraham Lincoln, this fascinating reconstruction of the Civil War conveys the sights, sounds and emotions of the conflict that shaped our history and our national consciousness. Here is the vivid and compelling commentary of generals, common soldiers, politicians and ordinary civilians from both sides of the conflict. This fascinating work explores the long-standing social issues that plunged the nation into war, providing an in-depth analysis of the politics of the war years and of the colorful personalities of Federal and Confederate leaders. Here is one comprehensice, utterly engrossing volume is the Civil War as it really was - the forces and events that caused it, the soldiers and civilians who fought it, the ideas and values that are its legacy today.
