The Oxford Atlas of the Civil War - Hardcover

Woodworth, Steven E.; Winkle, Kenneth J.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0195221311 ISBN 13: 9780195221312

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2004

Synopsis

Offering the clearest and most comprehensive examination of the conflict that transformed the United States, the Atlas of the Civil War reveals the full dimensions of this historic confrontation. Surpassing the scope of any previously published single-volume work, this atlas pairs expert scholarship with bold mapping to vividly depict the ebb and flow of destruction and reconstruction.

Divided chronologically into five sections, the Atlas of the Civil War illustrates every significant battle and military campaign while simultaneously considering the important social themes that shaped the country during the same time period. All theaters of war in which armies fought and maneuvered will be covered in detail and, marking a major departure from other atlases, this volume will devote substantial attention to the nonmilitary elements of the struggle between North and South. Maps of population, economic development, elections, transportation networks and patterns of enlistment illuminate the intersections between the home front and the battlefield, demonstrating with specially commissioned cartography that no war is fought in isolation from the rest of society. Approximately forty three-dimensional maps of terrain and troop movements add yet another unique element to this ambitious reference.

Written by two esteemed Civil War historians, Kenneth Winkle and Steven Woodworth, the pithy text is accented with black and white photography and illustrations that bring key characters and settings to life. Pulitzer-prize winning author James McPherson, guides the project, setting the tone of the atlas with a foreword and five shorter essays the open each of the sections.

About this title

About the Author

Steven Woodworth is Professor of History at Texas Christian University. Kenneth Winkle is Professor of History at the University of Nebraska.

From Booklist

This is the latest in a long series of atlases dealing with the American Civil War.

Each of five major chapters is devoted to a single year from 1861 to 1865. In addition to every important battle, there is coverage of nonmilitary topics, such as population, the economy, transportation, elections, and the home front. For example, the chapter "1862: The Struggle for Union" has a section on the Emancipation Proclamation (with a table showing the number of slaves per county in 1862). The chapter "1863: The Turning of the Tide" has a section on Confederate trade. Each chapter covers around 60 pages. The work ends with a list of major battle sites, a chronology, a glossary, a short bibliography, and an index, which provides access to illustrations and maps as well as names.

The most stunning feature of this atlas is the full-color maps that depict not just battles but the value of farmland, the spread of slavery, the construction of railroads, and more. Approximately 40 specially commissioned three-dimensional maps show terrain and troop movements. The western campaigns, such as the invasion of New Mexico by Texas, receive full coverage even though they are not as widely known as the more famous battles in the East. Even smaller battles, such as Pleasant Hill and Mansfield, which are important to Louisiana but not well known outside the state, are included. Illustrations, many of them reproductions of period photographs, add still another dimension to this work.

What sets this atlas apart from others on the Civil War is the inclusion of the social, cultural, economic, and political facets of the war. Its scope and reasonable price recommend it to high-school, public, school, and academic libraries. Abbie Vestal Landry
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0195221311
• ISBN 13: 9780195221312
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 400