A Stillness at Appomattox

If you're going to see things with just one eye, which eye would you choose?

Bruce Catton's writings were devoted almost entirely to the American Civil War, and -- because he was such an excellent writer -- he wrote many, many books on the conflict. Most are very good, and most are quite popular, but to distinguish them, he had to write from different perspectives.

This book, and the series which contains it, isn't really a history of the war. It isn't even a history of the war on the Virginia front. It's a history of the Union's Army of the Potomac -- and of the peculiar circumstances which caused it to fight so well as a group of soldier and be so unsuccessful as an army. It is, in a way, not a history but a psychological study.

To show more manage that, Catton supplies many anecdotes, about raiders and freed slaves and slaves killed and minor men who succeeded or failed in unusual ways. As often as not, these stories are about things which really didn't affect the outcome of the war at all. What they supply is the feeling -- the frustrations of the men, the confusion of the officers, all the things that made the Army of the Potomac what it was. Sometimes, I find this a little too cutesy. But I am very much a just-the-facts type. And even I think it's a good book. If you like all those human interest touches, you're likely to regard this as a great book. show less

My first Catton trilogy, "Centennial History of the Civil War," was excellent. This is the third book in his other trilogy, "The Army of the Potomac." I've read other books on the Civil War, but never with such rich details and moving drama. U. S. Grant appeared, of course, another hero of mine. But also "Little" Phil Sheridan, the amazing cavalry general who would arrive at a gallop, urge on the retreating soldiers, and save the day! More than one day, actually.

I've been living the Civil War for a long time now, through Catton's books and others. When Sheridan cut off Lee's army near Appomattox and the Rebs waved a white flag -- finally! -- it was a very emotional scene! Especially when a Pennsylvanian crossed the "battle" line and show more mingled with the now-friendly Rebs. To steal a line from Al Stewart: "I'm coming home, I'm coming home, now you can taste it in the wind, the war is over."

Highly recommended if you want details and drama. show less

I first read this about fifty years ago as a teenager. At the time, Bruce Catton was the most well-known, or should I say 'best-selling' Civil War historian out there. I really enjoyed it then and I really enjoyed rereading it again now. The main difference between my two readings is that I have since learned much more about American history in general and the Civil War in particular, having read books by such fine authors as [author:Shelby Foote|24846], [author:Doris Kearns Goodwin|1476],[author:T. Harry Williams|85312], and [author:David McCullough|6281688] and have learned that there are more points of view to this conflict that can be seen by the officers and men of the Army of the Potomac.

Bottom line: This is an excellent book but show more if you want to learn about this conflict, it is only the beginning.

My thanks to the late Mike Sullivan, aka Lawyer, and all the folks at the On the Southern Literary Trail group for giving me the opportunity to read and discuss this and many other fine books. show less

This third volume in the Army of the Potomac trilogy is a marked change from the first volume. The supreme civil war buff that wrote, and very often entertained us, in the first volume, has transitioned in each following volume to become a most competent professional historian. While the genuinely fascinating anecdotes that highlighted the first volume have diminished, this final volume is constantly and consistently still very interesting, blending more smoothly the "stories" with the facts and analysis. Also, this final volume no longer gives the impression of blindly looking at the history from an unnecessarily one-sided perspective, a problem that occasionally marred the first two volumes. Perhaps the biggest highlight of many in show more this volume is the telling of General Philip Sheridan's actions during the Battle of Cedar Creek: extraordinarily stirring without embellishment. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author. show less

What a wonderful tome! Bruce Catton brings the civil war to life and death with his clear accounting of troop movements, strategies, missed opportunities, and person stories full of triumph and sometimes despair. But it's a story of the civil war and it wasn't pretty. I spent a good deal of time reading the bibliography as well as the story, because Mr. Catton's research is so thorough and clear. I plan to read the other two books in this series and I have no doubt they will be as eloquent as this portion.

This book is highly readable, well researched and most informative. It is not a history of the war in general, but a history of the Army of the Potomac the Union's principal force inthe eastern Theatre. This third volume is a narrative of the army's last, and professional period, the one where Ulysses Grant and George Meade ran it. There is a bias in favour of the unon, but those who have been ensorceled by Shelby Foote's narrative, "The Civil War" should read this book and its two companions as a corrective. A balanced look at the conflict demands it. We move as does the army fom the wilderness all the way to the end. The triology is a considerable achievement.

A really fine history book by a master of the genre. Pulitzer Prize winner for history and rightfully so. Brings the Civil War to life. Grant takes over the Army of the Potomac and slowly and then suddenly conquers the gallant but hungry and decimated Army of Northern Virginia. Sedgwick, Sheridan, Custer, Chamberlain, Pickett, Lee, Early, A.P. Hill. Wow. Just a great read. Highly recommended as blue ribbon history.