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The Story of the Civil War

By John Codman Ropes

and

William Roscoe Livermore

A Concise Account of the War in the United States of
America between 1861-1865

Part I.-Narrative of Events to the Opening of
Campaigns of 1862. With 5 maps. By
John Codman Ropes.
8°, net $2.00.

"The most complete, comprehensive, and interesting account of the Civil War which has ever been published. We unhesitatingly recommend it as containing a wealth of information that no one can afford to be deprived of."-New Haven Evening Leader.

Part II.-The Campaign of 1862. With 13 maps. By John Codman Ropes. 8°, net $2.50. "Mr. Ropes evidently possesses that judicial type of mind so necessary to the accurate historian, and appears to be entirely free from individual bias. He has told the story of the Civil War as far as he has gone in a clear and comprehensive manner, and his work, when completed, will undoubtedly take rank among the standard histories of that great conflict."-New York Herald.

Part III.-The Campaigns of 1863 to July 10th. Together with the Operations on the Mississippi from April, 1862. In two volumes. With about 70 maps and plans. By William Roscoe Livermore.

8°. Price, each volume

net $2.50.

Book I.-Chancellorsville, Operations against Vicksburg, etc.

Book II.-Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Tullahoma, and Gettysburg.

The operations described in these volumes include an account of the First, Second, and Third Advances on Vicksburg; the Military Situation in January, 1863; the Bayou Expeditions; the Campaign behind Vicksburg; the Campaign of Chancellorsville; the Campaign of Gettysburg; the Campaign of Vicksburg.

New York G. P. Putnam's Sons London

The

Story of the Civil War

A Concise Account of the War in the United States of
America between 1861 and 1865, in Continuation
of the Story by John Codman Ropes

By

William Roscoe Livermore
Colonel United States Army

Member of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and of the Military Historical Society
of Massachusetts; Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, etc.
Author of “The American Kriegspiel"; "Manœuvres for Infantry, Principles and
Forms," etc.

With Maps and Plans

Part III

The Campaigns of 1863 to July 10th
Together with the Operations on the Mississippi from April, 1862

Book I.

Chancellorsville, Operations against Vicksburg, etc.

G. P. Putnam's Sons
New York and London

The Knickerbocker Press

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PREFACE

THE death of John C. Ropes, twelve years ago, left unfinished his history of the Civil War. Two volumes that he had completed cover, with the exception of certain campaigns in the valley of the Mississippi, the operations of 1861 and 1862. Mr. Ropes, who was a leader of the bar and an eminent citizen of Boston, had attained a high distinction for his works on military history and particularly on the problems connected with the campaigns of Napoleon and on those of the American Civil War. The latter became the chief study of his life. Mr. Ropes had been eager to take an active part in the service, and he was bitterly disappointed to be rejected as physically disqualified. He possessed in an eminent degree the qualifications for the work of a staff officer; his inability to serve was a loss to the service. From the end of the War to the close of his life, he was interested in coming into personal relations with those who had been leaders in the struggle, Confederate as well as Federal, and the campaigns and battles were fought over again and again in the charming hospitality of his home in Mount Vernon Street, and in the Military Historical Society of Massachusetts which he founded for this purpose, and which became the model for a number of similar societies throughout the country. Mr. Ropes's legal training enabled him to gather the evidence from the conflicting accounts of the actors,

while his eminently judicial temperament helped him to weigh this evidence without bias from favor or affection. His brilliant intellect, his lively sympathy, his magnetic personality, made the style of his narrative most attractive. It was my privilege as his neighbor to discuss with him his work in all its stages. We generally agreed in our estimates of the commanders, and of their conduct of the campaigns and battles; but I was inclined to believe that he was too severe in certain of his criticisms.

His history of the Civil War had been undertaken at the instance of his friend, the publisher, Major George Haven Putnam, himself an author and a veteran of the War; and during the preparation of the two volumes that were completed and their passage through the press, Major Putnam was called into frequent consultation in regard to various details. Mr. Ropes left no memoranda for carrying on his work. At the request of Major Putnam, I have taken it up where Mr. Ropes left off.

His attractive and inspiring style was his own. I hope that it has so brightened up the subject that less effort will be required to follow the more detailed account of the period covered by the present volume. I have to approach the subject from a different standpoint. This volume treats of the critical period of the War. In the former part of this period, the Federal operations in the East and in the West were gloomy failures; in the latter, the Federal armies were everywhere victorious. A careful examination appears to show that the manner in which the troops were directed in campaign and especially in battle had more influence on the result than is generally appreciated. The military operations are therefore

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