American Civil War Guerrillas: Changing the Rules of Warfare

(Hardback)

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Focusing on a little-known yet critical aspect of the American Civil War, this must-read history illustrates how guerrilla warfare shaped the course of the war and, to a surprisingly large extent, determined its outcome. The Civil War is generally regarded as a contest of pitched battles waged by large armies on battlefields such as Gettysburg. However, as American Civil War Guerrillas: Changing the Rules of Warfare makes clear, that is far from the whole story. Both the Union and Confederate armies waged extensive guerrilla campaignsagainst each other and against civilian noncombatants. Exposing an aspect of the War Between the States many readers will find unfamiliar, this book demonstrates how the unbridled and unexpectedly brutal nature of guerrilla fighting profoundly affected the tactics and strategies of the larger, conventional war. The reasons for the rise and popularity of guerrilla warfare, particularly in the South and lower Midwest, are examined, as is the way each side dealt with its consequences. Guerrilla warfare's impact on the outcome of the conflict is analyzed as well. Finally, the role of memory in shaping history is touched on in an epilogue that explores how veteran Civil War guerrillas recalled their role in the war.

Reviews

This book effectively succeeds in serving the author's broader crusade of bringing irregular warfare into the consciousness of Civil War readers, in order to share equal value with the more traditional conventional battles and leaders of that conflict. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels/libraries. * Choice *
This monograph is a primer unsurpassed both in scope and clarity of presentation. * America's Civil War *

Author Bio

Daniel E. Sutherland is distinguished professor of history at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.