Great Gambles of the Civil War

by Katcher, Philip

• ISBN13: 9780304351985
• ISBN10: 0304351989
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-05-01
• Publisher: Octopus Pub Group

Summary

In war, every decision is a matter of life and death: take a gamble and you may succeed gloriously...or fail disastrously. And, no conflict illustrates this better than America's Civil War, which was littered with cavalier actions by individual officers and entire units. These 13 dramatic "throws of the dice" show how all levels of command seized upon desperate chance in hopes of victory. Included are battles at Manassas, Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Lexington, and Yorktown.

Table of Contents

Introduction	7	(5)
A Gamble at the Regimental Level The 33rd Virginia at Manassas	12	(20)
A Gamble at the Regimental Level The 20th Maine Charges at Gettysburg	32	(19)
A Gamble at the Ship Level Brown takes the CSS Arkansas to Vicksburg	51	(15)
A Gamble at the Ship Level The USS Monitor Creates a Naval Revolution	66	(16)
A Gamble at the Brigade Level J. E. B. Stuart Rides Around McClellan	82	(19)
A Gamble at the Brigade Level Mulligan Defends Lexington	101	(18)
A Gamble at the Division Level The Battle of Port Gibson	119	(21)
A Gamble at the Division Level Wallace Buys Time at Monocacy	140	(19)
A Gamble at the Corps Level Jackson Strikes at Cedar Mountain	159	(19)
A Gamble at the Corps Level Benham Attacks Secessionville	178	(16)
A Gamble at Army Level Magruder Bluffs at Yorktown	194	(18)
A Gamble at Army Level Sherman Marches Through Georgia	212	(20)
A Gamble at the Fleet Level Farragut Passes Forts Jackson and St Philip	232	(21)
Index	253