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The riveting saga of a nation at war with itself - from the Union Army's disaster at Fredericksburg to its costly triumph at Gettysburg - by Pulitzer Prize-winning Civil War chronicler Bruce Catton In the second book of the Army of the Potomac Trilogy, Bruce Catton - one of America's most honored Civil War historians - once again brings the great battles and the men who fought them to breathtaking life. As the War Between the States moved through its second bloody year, General Ambrose show more Burnside was selected by President Lincoln to replace the ineffectual George "Little Mac" McClellan as commander of the Union Army. But the hope that greeted Burnside's ascension was quickly dashed in December 1862 in the wake of his devastating defeat at Fredericksburg. Following Burnside's exit, a mediocre new commander, Joseph "Fighting Joe" Hooker, turned a sure victory into tragedy at Chancellorsville, continuing the Union's woes and ensuring Robert E. Lee's greatest triumph of the war. But the tide began to turn over the course of three days in July 1863, when the Union won a decisive victory on the battlefield of Gettysburg. Months later, Lincoln would give his historic address on this ground, honoring the fallen soldiers and strengthening the Union Army's resolve to fight for a united and equal nation for all of its people. With brilliant insight, color, and detail, Catton interweaves thrilling narratives of combat with remarkable portrayals of politics and life on the home front. Glory Road is a sweeping account of extraordinary bravery and shocking incompetence during what were arguably the war's darkest days. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
In this second of his Army of the Potomac Trilogy, the author has smoothed out all the rough edges of his first volume, Mr. Lincoln's Army. His strengths in telling vignettes is maintained and spread out through more of the book. This is an embedded reporter's point of view. His battle descriptions are more balanced as well, though they still suffer somewhat from ignoring certain key elements. Ultimately, it must be understood that this is a rather biased view of events in that it not only is covering the Army of the Potomac, and is, thus, leaving out -- I would say unnecessarily -- important aspects of what is happening on that army's opponent's side. It is also prone to embellish somewhat the part of its subject's actions. I can show more elaborate on both these points, by citing the Gettysburg battle. The author describes great efforts by the Union soldiers to avoid defeat. In many cases, barely hanging on by a thread, so to speak. Extraordinary efforts are painted in bright colors. And yet, there's not a word about all the criticism that has been laid on Confederate generals Ewell, Longstreet, and especially Stuart, for what they did NOT do, and maybe could have. Lack of action that, if the author is to be taken at face value, would most certainly have caused the Union army to be crushed. I appreciate that applauding the efforts of "your team", just as in sports, requires some positive comments, but barely winning a ball game can be viewed in a very different light when the opposing team is the best in the league and when it's against the junior varsity. This author had a choice to go for good public relations or good history, and he didn't always go for good history. Having said that, this is still a terrific read. Downright exciting at times. It's my own advanced knowledge of the subject that keeps me from giving it my highest rating. show less
The central book in Bruce Catton's masterpiece, the Army of the Potomac. We begin with the withdrawal after the bloody nose at Fredericksburg and end with the crowning mercy of Gettysburg. the Army goes from Burnside, to Hooker, and finally to Meade, being in command, and is badly abused, but eventually triumphant. Catton has sympathy with these men, and the books shows it well. No Civil War libary is complete without this volume, and, the position it holds says a good deal aboout the sympathies of the owner of the library. If you have read the curious production of Shelby Foote, this series is a necessary and more accurate corrective.
Excellent writing and research! Despite loving history, I never cared much for battle scenes until I encountered this author. He makes the scenes come alive with rich details and personal drama--the weather, the colors of the sky, the misery of the freezing rain, the slogging through miles and miles of thick mud, the burning heat and the thirst. The unbelievable suffering. The wounded men calling out. The cowards and the heroes. Real life.
More officers' names than I can remember, but that's okay.
The first trilogy I read was "Centennial History of the Civil War." This is the second book in Catton's trilogy "The Army of the Potomac." Now on to the third: "A Stillness at Appomattox."
Both trilogies are highly recommended for those who want show more rich details of the Civil War. show less
More officers' names than I can remember, but that's okay.
The first trilogy I read was "Centennial History of the Civil War." This is the second book in Catton's trilogy "The Army of the Potomac." Now on to the third: "A Stillness at Appomattox."
Both trilogies are highly recommended for those who want show more rich details of the Civil War. show less
Far superior to Mr.Lincoln's Army, this second chapter covers the Army of the Potomac from just after the Battle of Antietam through Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and on to the three days of Gettysburg. Nice counterpoint to Shelby Foote's The Civil War whose main focus is the Confederate side of things, this brilliantly gives the account from the Union side.
Volume 2 in Bruce Catton's three-volume series was very informative. Perhaps it's been so long that I read Shelby Foote's Civil War narrative, I forgot just how dismally the Army of the Potomac was led (with perhaps the exception of Meade) until Grant took command. And how close in 1863 the Union came to losing the war (thinking of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and how the Union almost lost at Gettysburg).
Fabulous reading of how the War began
Catton's Army of the Potomac series - first volume starts right before Antietam as McClellan is restored to command.
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Author Information
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Bruce Catton, whose complete name was Charles Bruce Catton, was born in Petoskey, Michigan, on October 9, 1899. A United States journalist and writer, Catton was one of America's most popular Civil War historians. Catton worked as a newspaperman in Boston, Cleveland, and Washington, and also held a position at the U.S. Department of Commerce in show more 1948. Catton's best-selling book, A Stillness at Appomattox, a recount of the most spectacular conflicts between Generals Grant and Lee in the final year of the Civil War, earned him a Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award in 1954. In 1977, the year before his death, Catton received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, from President Gerald R. Ford, who noted that the author and historian "made us hear the sounds of battle and cherish peace." Before his death in 1978, Catton wrote a total of ten books detailing the Civil War, including his last, Grant Takes Command. Since 1984, the Bruce Catton Prize was awarded for lifetime achievement in the writing of history. In cooperation with American Heritage Publishing Company, the Society of American Historians in 1984 initiated the biennial prize that honors an entire body of work. It is named for Bruce Catton, prizewinning historian and first editor of American Heritage magazine. The prize consisted of a certificate and 2,500 dollars. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Awards and Honors
Notable Lists
Torchlight List (24.3)
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Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1952
- People/Characters
- Robert E. Lee; Ambrose E. Burnside; Joseph Hooker; George Gordon Meade; Darius N. Couch; William B. Franklin (show all 14); John Gibbon; Winfield Scott Hancock; Stonewall Jackson; James Longstreet; John F. Reynolds; Dan Sickles; Henry W. Slocum; James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart
- Important places
- Virginia, USA; Pennsylvania, USA; Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA; Cemetery Ridge, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA; Cemetery Hill, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA
- Important events
- American Civil War (1861 | 1865); Battle of Fredericksburg (1862-12-13); Battle of Chancellorsville (1863-04-30 | 1863-05-06); Gettysburg Campaign (1863); Battle of Gettysburg (1863-07-01 | 1863-07-03)
- Dedication
- To my mother
- First words
- ONE
Deep River
1. For What There Was in It
Returning to his regiment in the fall of 1862 after a furlough in his home city of York, the chaplain of the 102nd Pennsylvania Infantry looked at the rava... (show all)ged Virginia countryside and noted in his diary that war was very mysterious. - Quotations
- The smoke lifted like a rising curtain, and all of the great amphitheater lay open at last, and the Yankee soldiers could look west all the way to the belt of trees on Seminary Ridge. . . . [A]nd whether they had ten minutes ... (show all)or seventy-five years yet to live, they remembered it until they died. There it was, for the last time in this war, perhaps for the last time anywhere, the grand pageantry and color of war in the old style, beautiful and majestic and terrible: fighting men lined up for a mile and a half from flank to flank, slashed red flags overhead, soldiers marching forward elbow to elbow, officers with drawn swords, sunlight gleaming from thousands of musket barrels, lines dressed as if for parade. Up and down the Federal firing line ran a low murmur: "There they are. . . . There comes the infantry!"
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)The orator finished, and after the applause had died away the tall man in the black frock coat got to his feet, with two little sheets of paper in his hand, and he looked out over the valley and began to speak.
Classifications
- Genres
- History, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 973.734 — History & geography History of North America United States Administration of Abraham Lincoln, 1861-1865 Civil War Operations Campaign of 1863
- LCC
- E470.2 .C36 — History of the United States United States Civil War period, 1861-1865 The Civil War, 1861-1865
- BISAC
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- Reviews
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- (4.32)
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- English
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- ISBNs
- 8
- UPCs
- 1
- ASINs
- 35