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The Handy Civil War Answer Book
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15 April 2014

The nation’s highest-casualty, bloodiest-war is still discussed, studied, acted out, and politically relevant. From the complex, turbulent and difficult events leading to the war, through the first shots fired at Fort Sumter, the military strategies, battles, and people, and from Lee’s surrender at Appomattox to the Southern reconstruction and modern aftermath, The Handy Civil War Answer Book answers more than 900 questions, from the most widely asked to the more obscure, such as ...
Blending historical review with a little surprising trivia into an engaging question-and-answer format, The Handy Civil War Answer Book is perfect for browsing and is ideal for the serious military or history buff, students, teachers, and anyone interested in a better understanding of our nation's past—and present. Photos, battlefield maps, and a chronology of major events contribute to the understanding of the War between the States in this tome is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness.
"This new volume is a quick and fascinating introduction to the Civil War, touching on pertinent aspects of the conflict. The author covers the battles but also discusses, various social, economic, political, and other issues related to the period. Highly Recommended." — Choice
"This is a well-written, interesting approach to Civil War history. It will interest those who have some knowledge and want to pursue inquiries on various aspects of particular battles or other subjects. It is recommended for those readers." — Civil War News
"This title could work as a supplementary American history textbook for high school students or serve as personal reading for Civil War buffs." — Library Journal
"Using a question-and-answer format, this information-filled volume offers a plethora of facts about the Civil War ... An inexpensive addition to the numerous Civil War books being published during the sesquicentennial." — School Library Journal
"The author achieves a strong narrative flow. [He] is knowledgeable and judicious. Like the other Handy Answer Books, this entry on the Civil War is not specifically marketed to young adults, but is quite suitable for teens as well as for general readers." — Voya Reviews
Samuel Willard Crompton has taught history to a generation of community college students, bridging the gap between the late analog and the early digital age. He is the author or editor of many books, including one on Ulysses Grant and another on Clara Barton. He was chosen to attend "The Civil War in Trans-National Perspective," an NEH summer program hosted by the Gilder-Lehrman Institute and NYU. One of the key questions the NEH scholars concentrated on was "Who won the Civil War?" While it is quite apparent that as of 1865 the twin causes of Union and Emancipation had prevailed, one can be forgiven for thinking otherwise when examining the South in, say, 1895. Crompton is also a major contributor to the 24-volume American National Biography, which is expected to stand as the premier American biographical reference for the next 50 years. He resides in Hadley, Massachusetts, where, when taking afternoon walks, he often passes a white stone by the side of the road that announces the birthplace of "Fighting Joe" Hooker.
Introduction
Cast of Characters
Chronology
1 The Road to Harpers Ferry
2 Election and Secession
3 First Blood
4 A Rich Man’s War and a Poor Man’s Fight
5 Crimson Tide
6 The Home Front
7 Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Battery Wagner
8 Battles for the West
9 Total War
10 The Final Struggles
11 Elegies and Eulogies
12 The Civil War in the National Memory
Appendix A: Jefferson Davis First Inaugural Address, February 18, 1861
Appendix B: Abraham Lincolns First Inaugural Address,, March 4, 1861
Appendix C: The Emancipation Proclamation, January 1, 1863
Appendix D: The Gettysburg Address, November 23, 1863
Appendix E: Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865
Appendix F: Appendix F: Jefferson Davis conversation with Gilmore and Jaquess, July 17, 1864
Appendix G: Conversation between Secretary of War Stanton and Major General William T. Sherman, January 12, 1865
Appendix H: The Thirteenth Amendment
Appendix I: Union Regiments that Suffered the Highest Percentage of Total Casualties
Bibliography
Index