American Battlefields. A Complete Guide to the Historic Conflicts in Words, Maps and Photos.

Organized chronologically by conflict and the battles within each, each entry in this book includes descriptions of every battle's underlying and strategic objectives, its notable commanders, pivotal points, and historical importance. Two-color maps help recreate actual battle plans. Drawings & archival photos.

A wonderful guide to battles fought in the United States, American Battlefields spans two centuries of history. It hits all the high points, from Yorktown to Gettysburg, and provides helpful overviews of what happened at each location. Tourists will find valuable information on these pages, and this is a good guide for planning trips as well as taking along as a travel companion. Although the bulk of the book is devoted to the Civil War, a major strength of American Battlefields is that it doesn't ignore some of the less-famous conflicts, such as the French and Indian Wars, the War of 1812, and the War with Mexico. The American Revolution, the Alamo, the Wars with Native Americans, and Pearl Harbor also get their due. Two-color maps provide helpful reference points throughout. --John Miller