Who would you consider to be some of the best and worst Civil War historians based on the multiple books written about this topic over the years? Some names to think about include Douglas S. Freeman, James M. McPherson, Gary W. Gallagher, James I. Robertson, and William C. Davis, among others. Can anybody think of any who you consider to be biased or fair in their research? If there are other names you can add, feel free to do so.
shareI recently read William Marvel's biography of Ambrose Burnside. Definitely not the worst as it's fairly well-written, but it must win some sort of award for special pleading. Everyone but Burnside was responsible for that man's failures: McClellan, Stanton, Lincoln, Halleck, Franklin, his pet dog. Then there's the hilariously backhanded comment that "few men" were capable of leading such a huge force as the Army of the Potomac in 1862. True, but no one's comparing Burnside to fishermen and stone masons.
"Do you know what lies at the bottom of the mainstream? Mediocrity!"
I agree. Sometimes I don't know where Marvel's head is at.
I wondered in his Andersonville book if he was trying to get across that Andersonville really wasn't that bad of place.
Frank: Just a man.
Harmonica: An ancient race.
Don't know about historians but the best book I have ever read about the American Civil War is "Fighting For The Confederacy" The Recollections of General Edward Porter Alexander. It is magnificent!!
shareDon't know about historians but the best book I have ever read about the American Civil War is "Fighting For The Confederacy" The Recollections of General Edward Porter Alexander. It is magnificent!!
shareI am a Military Historian, and in my opinion Shelby Foote is the best.
shareIs Shelby foot truly a historian? I love his trilogy and would recommend it to anyone. But as he stated in the tv shoe he wanted to known as a writer. He did no primary source research (which to do what he did he could not have done). He told the story great, but he relied on others to tell it to him.
shareAs a historian of 40 years myself, I believe the best on the Civil War to be Shelby Foote.
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