Description
Book Synopsis The Confederacy had a great opportunity to turn the Civil War in its favor in 1864, but squandered this chance when it failed to finish off a Union army cornered in Louisiana because of concerns about another Union army coming south from Arkansas. The Confederates were so confused that they could not agree on a course of action to contend with both threats, thus the Union offensive advancing from Arkansas saved the one in Louisiana and became known to history as the Camden Expedition.
The Camden Expedition is intriguing because of the might-have-beens had the key players made different decisions. The author contends that if Frederick Steele, commander of the Federal VII Army Corps, had not received a direct order from General Ulysses S. Grant to move south, disaster would have befallen not only the Army of the Gulf in Louisiana but the entire Union cause, and possibly would have prevented Abraham Lincoln from winning reelection.
Trade ReviewWell-researched and very readable account...maps are excellent and a valuable order of battle and campaign chronology are included...fine study...this exciting account of the Camden Expedition will convince readers that there are still good stories to be found ‘west of the river"" -
The Civil War News""scholarly...recommended"" -
Colorado Libraries""compelling...Forsyth is an excellent military author"" -
The Journal of America’s Military Past.Table of Contents
- Acknowledgments
- List of Maps
- Introduction
- 1 “A mere demonstration will not be sufficient…
- 2 The Rebel Commanders
- 3 The Yankee Commanders
- 4 Toward a Common Center?
- 5 Starting “in style”
- 6 A Change in Plans
- 7 “… a destroying mania had seized the rebels”
- 8 “I decided to fall back at once…”
- 9 “There was no dry place to lie down…”
- 10 “There was nothing of the romance of war…”
- 11 Steele Loses a Campaign but Saves an Army
- Appendix 1: Campaign Chronology
- Appendix 2: Order of Battle
- Bibliography
- Index
