The Handy Civil War Answer Book

The nation's highest-casualty, bloodiest-war is still discussed, studied, acted out, and politically relevant. From the complex, turbulent and difficult events leading to the war, through the first shots fired at Fort Sumter, the military strategies, battles, and people, and from Lee's surrender at Appomattox to the Southern reconstruction and modern aftermath, The Handy Civil War Answer Book answers more than 900 questions, from the most widely asked to the more obscure, such as ...

Blending historical review with a little surprising trivia into an engaging question-and-answer format, The Handy Civil War Answer Book is perfect for browsing and is ideal for the serious military or history buff, students, teachers, and anyone interested in a better understanding of our nation's past-and present. Photos, battlefield maps, and a chronology of major events contribute to the understanding of the War between the States in this tome is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness.


About the Author
Samuel Willard Crompton has taught history to a generation of community college students, bridging the gap between the late analog and the early digital age. He is the author or editor of many books, including one on Ulysses Grant and another on Clara Barton. He was chosen to attend "The Civil War in Trans-National Perspective," an NEH summer program hosted by the Gilder-Lehrman Institute and NYU. One of the key questions the NEH scholars concentrated on was "Who won the Civil War?" While it is quite apparent that as of 1865 the twin causes of Union and Emancipation had prevailed, one can be forgiven for thinking otherwise when examining the South in, say, 1895. Crompton is also a major contributor to the 24-volume American National Biography, which is expected to stand as the premier American biographical reference for the next 50 years. He resides in Hadley, Massachusetts, where, when taking afternoon walks, he often passes a white stone by the side of the road that announces the birthplace of "Fighting Joe" Hooker.