Scarecrow Press Historical Dictionary of the Civil War (Historical Dictionaries of War, Revolution & Civil Unrest) (Historical Dictionaries of War, Revolution, and Civil Unrest, 2 Volumes)

The Civil War was the most traumatic event in American history, pitting Americans against one another, rending the national fabric, leaving death and devastation in its wake, and instilling an anger that has not entirely dissipated even to this day, 150 years later. This updated and expanded two-volume second edition of the Historical Dictionary of the Civil War relates the history of this war through a chronology, an introductory essay, an extensive bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on persons, places, events, institutions, battles, and campaigns. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the Civil War. Review If you are a war-gamer or military history buff with a taste for the close analysis of army maneuvers and the men who made them, these two volumes should fit the bill.--Reference Reviews In this thorough work, there are 60 new entries, and the bibliography is substantially updated. Jones (history, Univ. of Louisiana; Lee's Tigers: The Louisiana Infantry in the Army of Northern Virginia) provides a detailed year-by-year chronology of events and a well-written introduction that describes happenings in the United States before, during, and after the war. By far the most important aspect of the work, though, is the 1700 plus-entry dictionary that includes hundreds of bolded cross-references and encompasses everything Civil War related, from battles to people, weapons to politics. Also provided are several black-and-white line maps that depict the east and west theaters of war, as well as a general map of the United States during 1860. This meticulously researched reference work will be as useful and educational for Civil War enthusiasts as for students and researchers. The timing of its publication this year commemorates the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War....An excellent title.-- (10/01/2011) This is an excellent set of books that covers just about everything you can think of concerning our American Civil War. This excellent two volume reference set of books is normally marketed to and found in school and university libraries.--The Lone Star Book Review This second edition is a one-man labor of love by Jones....The second edition's arrangement follows the earlier version, beginning with introductory maps, a chronology, and a historical overview. Selection criteria indicate that the emphasis of the work is on military activities.... The bulk of the work is an A-Z dictionary containing entries for all manner of topics related to fighting the US Civil War, including individuals (the strongest aspect of the book), concepts and terminology (e.g., "embalmed beef"), battles, weapons, warships, and more. Jones makes an effort to sort out the various names and spellings given to battles or other activities. Within entries, subjects that have stand-alone citations of their own are cross-referenced with boldface type. This comprehensive volume concludes with a 92-page bibliography but has no index. It should be useful for libraries. Recommended.--CHOICE With the sesquicentennial of the War between the States at hand, it is an appropriate time for the release of the second edition of the Historical Dictionary of the Civil War, authored by Jones, a veteran Civil War scholar and professor of history at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Jones' work follows the general pattern of other titles in the Historical Dictionaries of War, Revolution, and Civil Unrest series. A detailed, 39-page chronology begins with the acceptance by Congress of the Missouri Compromise in 1820 and ends with the surrender of the Confederate ship Shenandoah in fall 1865. The introduction offers a concise overview of the subject, ending with a 3-page discussion of the legacy of the war. The 1,700 entries in the dictionary section are well chosen and clearly and accurately defined. From the obvious inclusions, s