The Civil War Centennial Handbook

Book excerpt: This book focuses on the Civil War, which began in the 1830s as a cold war and moved toward the inevitable conflict somewhere between 1850 and 1860, which was one of America's greatest emotional experiences. It tells a story of the human toil and machinery that produced more than four million small arms for the Union Army and stamped from copper over one billion percussion caps for these weapons during the four years of war. It is the purpose of "The Civil War Centennial Handbook" to present this unusual story of the Civil War, a mosaic composed of fragments from the lesser-known and yet colorful facts that have survived a century but have been obscured by the voluminous battle narratives and campaign studies. The handbook is divided into five basic parts. The first is a presentation of little-known and unusual facts about participants, battles and losses, and the cost of war. The second is a graphic portrayal of both the men and machines that made the war of the 1860s. The special selection of photographs for this portion of the story was made available courtesy of the National Archives and the Library of Congress. Next are reproductions in color of Union and Confederate uniforms from the Official Records Atlas and the famous paintings by H. A. Ogden. The fourth section is a reference table of battles and losses listed in chronological order, accompanied by a map showing the major engagements of the war. And primarily for the growing number of new Civil War buffs, there is a roster of Civil War Round Tables, as well as a recommended list of outstanding books on the Civil War.