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The Civil War: A Narrative

February 16, 2024

The Civil War: A Narrative (1958–1974) is a three volume, 2,968-page, 1.2 million-word history of the American Civil War by Shelby Foote. Although previously known as a novelist, Foote is most famous for this non-fictional narrative history. While it touches on political and social themes, the main thrust of the work is military history. The individual volumes include Fort Sumter to Perryville (1958), Fredericksburg to Meridian (1963), and Red River to Appomattox (1974).

The Civil War: A Narrative
Volumes 1–3, hardcover
AuthorShelby Foote
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
SubjectAmerican Civil War
GenreNarrative history
PublisherRandom House
Publication date
1958, 1963, 1974
Pages2,968
ISBN0-307-29038-7 (original three-volume set)
OCLC86110903
973.7
LC ClassE468 .F7

Writing edit

On the strength of his novel Shiloh, Random House asked Foote for a short Civil War history. Foote soon realized that the project would require much more time and energy, and therefore offered to write a comprehensive narrative history of the war. Random House agreed, and using the money from his 1955 Guggenheim Fellowship (Foote won Guggenheims also in 1956 and 1959),[1] Foote set out to write the trilogy's first volume, Fort Sumter to Perryville. This 400,000-word account was published in 1958. By 1963 Foote had finished the second volume, Fredericksburg to Meridian.

In 1964 he began Volume 3, Red River to Appomattox, but found himself repeatedly distracted by the ongoing events in the nation and was not able to finish and publish it until 1974. Writing the third volume took as many years as had the first two combined.

Volumes edit

The Civil War: A Narrative
 
Volume 1, first edition 		 
Volume 2, first edition 		 
Volume 3, first edition

Fort Sumter to Perryville edit

The first volume covers the roots of the war to the Battle of Perryville on October 8, 1862. All the significant battles are here, from Bull Run through Shiloh, the Seven Days Battles, Second Bull Run to Antietam, and Perryville in the fall of 1862, but so are the smaller and often equally important engagements on both land and sea: Ball's Bluff, Fort Donelson, Pea Ridge, Island No. Ten, New Orleans, Monitor versus Merrimac, and Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaign.

Fredericksburg to Meridian edit

The second volume is dominated by the almost continual confrontation of great armies. The starting point for this volume is the Battle of Fredericksburg, fought on December 13, 1862, between General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of the Potomac commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside. For the fourth time, the Army of the Potomac attempts to take Richmond, resulting in the bloodbath at Fredericksburg. Then Joseph Hooker tries again, only to be repulsed at Chancellorsville as Stonewall Jackson turns his flank, resulting in Jackson's mortal wounding.

External videos
  Booknotes interview with Foote on Stars in Their Courses, September 11, 1994, C-SPAN

In the West, one of the most complex and determined sieges of the war has begun. Here, Ulysses S. Grant's seven relentless efforts against Vicksburg demonstrate Lincoln's and Grant's determination. With Vicksburg finally under siege, Lee again invades the North. The three-day conflict at Gettysburg receives significant coverage. (The lengthy chapter on Gettysburg has also been published as a separate book, Stars in Their Courses: The Gettysburg Campaign, June–July 1863; his account of Vicksburg was published separately as The Beleaguered City: The Vicksburg Campaign, December 1862 – July 1863.)

Red River to Appomattox edit

The final volume opens with the beginning of the two final, major confrontations of the war: Grant against Lee in Virginia, and Sherman pressing Johnston in north Georgia in 1864. The narrative describes the events and battles from Sherman's March to the Sea to Lincoln's assassination and the surrender of Lee at Appomattox.

Detailed release information edit

Original hardcover with dust jacket release by Random House:

  • The Civil War: A Narrative. New York: Random House. 1958–1974. ISBN 0-307-29038-7. – boxed set
    1. The Civil War: A Narrative, Vol. 1: Fort Sumter to Perryville. New York: Random House. 1958. ISBN 0-307-29039-5.
    2. The Civil War: A Narrative, Vol. 2: Fredericksburg to Meridian. New York: Random House. 1963. ISBN 0-307-29040-9.
    3. The Civil War: A Narrative, Vol. 3: Red River to Appomattox. New York: Random House. 1974. ISBN 0-307-29041-7.

Vintage Books, a Random House subsidiary, reissued the series twice as trade paperbacks in January and November 1986, with different cover art for each printing but without changing the ISBNs:

  • The Civil War: A Narrative. New York: Vintage Books. 1986. ISBN 0-394-74913-8. – boxed set
    1. The Civil War: A Narrative, Vol. 1: Fort Sumter to Perryville. New York: Vintage Books. 1986. ISBN 0-394-74623-6.
    2. The Civil War: A Narrative, Vol. 2: Fredericksburg to Meridian. New York: Vintage Books. 1986. ISBN 0-394-74621-X.
    3. The Civil War: A Narrative, Vol. 3: Red River to Appomattox. New York: Vintage Books. 1986. ISBN 0-394-74622-8.

Beginning in 1999, Time–Life published a fourteen volume "40th Anniversary Edition" with contemporary photographs and illustrations, addended with maps originally commissioned for their own 1983-87 comprehensive The Civil War book series. This hardcover with dust jacket edition was sold by subscription, but when Time–Life exited the book business, remaindered copies appeared in bookstores. Relatively few copies of volume 13 were printed, increasing the after-market value of that particular volume and the set as a whole. The divisions were based on keeping each volume to 288–300 pages (a few are shorter or longer), rather than historic or thematic considerations. Each volume has its own index, which appears to be more detailed than the indexes in the three-volume edition. For example, "Rockfish Gap" appears in volume 13 of the Time–Life set, but not in volume 3 of the original edition.

  1. The Civil War: A Narrative, Secession to Fort Henry (40th Anniversary ed.). Alexandria, VA: Time-Life. 1999. ISBN 0-7835-0100-5.
  2. The Civil War: A Narrative, Fort Donelson to Memphis (40th Anniversary ed.). Alexandria, VA: Time-Life. 1999. ISBN 0-7835-0101-3.
  3. The Civil War: A Narrative, Yorktown to Cedar Mountain (40th Anniversary ed.). Alexandria, VA: Time-Life. 1999. ISBN 0-7835-0102-1.
  4. The Civil War: A Narrative, Second Manassas to Pocotaligo (40th Anniversary ed.). Alexandria, VA: Time-Life. 1999. ISBN 0-7835-0103-X.
  5. The Civil War: A Narrative, Fredericksburg to Steele Bayou (40th Anniversary ed.). Alexandria, VA: Time-Life. 1999. ISBN 0-7835-0104-8.
  6. The Civil War: A Narrative, Charleston Harbor to Vicksburg (40th Anniversary ed.). Alexandria, VA: Time-Life. 1999. ISBN 0-7835-0105-6.
  7. The Civil War: A Narrative, Gettysburg to Draft Riots (40th Anniversary ed.). Alexandria, VA: Time-Life. 1999. ISBN 0-7835-0106-4.
  8. The Civil War: A Narrative, Tullahoma to Missionary Ridge (40th Anniversary ed.). Alexandria, VA: Time-Life. 1999. ISBN 0-7835-0107-2.
  9. The Civil War: A Narrative, Mine Run to Meridian (40th Anniversary ed.). Alexandria, VA: Time-Life. 2001. ISBN 0-7835-0108-0.
  10. The Civil War: A Narrative, Red River to Spotsylvania (40th Anniversary ed.). Alexandria, VA: Time-Life. 2001. ISBN 0-7835-0109-9.
  11. The Civil War: A Narrative, Yellow Tavern to Cold Harbor (40th Anniversary ed.). Alexandria, VA: Time-Life. 2000. ISBN 0-7835-0110-2.
  12. The Civil War: A Narrative, James Crossing to Johnsonville (40th Anniversary ed.). Alexandria, VA: Time-Life. 2000. ISBN 0-7835-0111-0.
  13. The Civil War: A Narrative, Petersburg Siege to Bentonville (40th Anniversary ed.). Alexandria, VA: Time-Life. 2000. ISBN 0-7835-0112-9.
  14. The Civil War: A Narrative, Fort Stedman to Reconstruction (40th Anniversary ed.). Alexandria, VA: Time-Life. 2000. ISBN 0-7835-0113-7.

In 2005, Random House published the narratives as nine hardcover with dust jacket volumes by splitting the original three into three volumes each. As with the preceding Time-Life edition, some of the maps from the original work, hand drawn by Foote, were replaced by more elaborate, full-color maps that originally appeared in the Time-Life Civil War history series. Photographs and artwork were also added. Like the Time-Life edition, no box set variant was issued for this release.

  1. The Civil War: A Narrative, Fort Sumter to Kernstown: First Blood–The Thing Gets Under Way. New York: Random House. 2005. ISBN 0-307-29023-9.
  2. The Civil War: A Narrative, Pea Ridge to the Seven Days: War Means Fighting, Fighting Means Killing. New York: Random House. 2005. ISBN 0-307-29024-7.
  3. The Civil War: A Narrative, Second Manassas to Perryville: The Sun Shines South. New York: Random House. 2005. ISBN 0-307-29025-5.
  4. The Civil War: A Narrative, Fredericksburg to Chancellorsville: The Longest Journey. New York: Random House. 2005. ISBN 0-307-29026-3.
  5. The Civil War: A Narrative, Gettysburg to Vicksburg: Unvexed to the Sea. New York: Random House. 2005. ISBN 0-307-29027-1.
  6. The Civil War: A Narrative, Tullahoma to Meridian: Riot and Resurgence. New York: Random House. 2005. ISBN 0-307-29028-X.
  7. The Civil War: A Narrative, Red River to Chattahoochee: Another Grand Design. New York: Random House. 2005. ISBN 0-307-29029-8.
  8. The Civil War: A Narrative, Petersburg to Savannah: War Is Cruelty–You Cannot Refine It. New York: Random House. 2005. ISBN 0-307-29030-1.
  9. The Civil War: A Narrative, Five Forks to Appomattox: Victory and Defeat. New York: Random House. 2005. ISBN 0-307-29031-X.

In 2011, Random House released a new hardcover (without dust jacket) edition of the trilogy,[2] edited by Jon Meacham, along with a companion volume by Meacham entitled American Homer: Reflections on Shelby Foote and His Classic The Civil War: A Narrative:

  • The Civil War: A Narrative. New York: Random House. 2011. ISBN 978-0-679-64370-8. OCLC 671703677. – boxed set
    1. The Civil War: A Narrative, Vol. 1: Fort Sumter to Perryville. New York: Random House. 2011.
    2. The Civil War: A Narrative, Vol. 2: Fredericksburg to Meridian. New York: Random House. 2011.
    3. The Civil War: A Narrative, Vol. 3: Red River to Appomattox. New York: Random House. 2011.
    4. Meacham, Jon, ed. (2011). American Homer: Reflections on Shelby Foote and His Classic The Civil War: A Narrative. New York: Random House.

References edit

  1. ^ "Shelby Foote".
  2. ^ Meacham, Jon (April–May 2011). "Shelby Foote's War Story: How a Memphis novelist's history of the Civil War made history itself". Garden & Gun. Retrieved 2011-05-08.

External links edit

  • New York State Writers Institute: Shelby Foote
  • The Mississippi Writer's Page: Shelby Foote

February 16, 2024
civil, narrative, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, november,. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources The Civil War A Narrative news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Civil War A Narrative 1958 1974 is a three volume 2 968 page 1 2 million word history of the American Civil War by Shelby Foote Although previously known as a novelist Foote is most famous for this non fictional narrative history While it touches on political and social themes the main thrust of the work is military history The individual volumes include Fort Sumter to Perryville 1958 Fredericksburg to Meridian 1963 and Red River to Appomattox 1974 The Civil War A NarrativeVolumes 1 3 hardcoverAuthorShelby FooteCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishSubjectAmerican Civil WarGenreNarrative historyPublisherRandom HousePublication date1958 1963 1974Pages2 968ISBN0 307 29038 7 original three volume set OCLC86110903Dewey Decimal973 7LC ClassE468 F7 Contents 1 Writing 2 Volumes 2 1 Fort Sumter to Perryville 2 2 Fredericksburg to Meridian 2 3 Red River to Appomattox 3 Detailed release information 4 References 5 External linksWriting editOn the strength of his novel Shiloh Random House asked Foote for a short Civil War history Foote soon realized that the project would require much more time and energy and therefore offered to write a comprehensive narrative history of the war Random House agreed and using the money from his 1955 Guggenheim Fellowship Foote won Guggenheims also in 1956 and 1959 1 Foote set out to write the trilogy s first volume Fort Sumter to Perryville This 400 000 word account was published in 1958 By 1963 Foote had finished the second volume Fredericksburg to Meridian In 1964 he began Volume 3 Red River to Appomattox but found himself repeatedly distracted by the ongoing events in the nation and was not able to finish and publish it until 1974 Writing the third volume took as many years as had the first two combined Volumes editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed November 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Civil War A Narrative nbsp Volume 1 first edition nbsp Volume 2 first edition nbsp Volume 3 first editionFort Sumter to Perryville edit The first volume covers the roots of the war to the Battle of Perryville on October 8 1862 All the significant battles are here from Bull Run through Shiloh the Seven Days Battles Second Bull Run to Antietam and Perryville in the fall of 1862 but so are the smaller and often equally important engagements on both land and sea Ball s Bluff Fort Donelson Pea Ridge Island No Ten New Orleans Monitor versus Merrimac and Stonewall Jackson s Valley Campaign Fredericksburg to Meridian edit The second volume is dominated by the almost continual confrontation of great armies The starting point for this volume is the Battle of Fredericksburg fought on December 13 1862 between General Robert E Lee s Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of the Potomac commanded by Maj Gen Ambrose E Burnside For the fourth time the Army of the Potomac attempts to take Richmond resulting in the bloodbath at Fredericksburg Then Joseph Hooker tries again only to be repulsed at Chancellorsville as Stonewall Jackson turns his flank resulting in Jackson s mortal wounding External videos nbsp Booknotes interview with Foote on Stars in Their Courses September 11 1994 C SPANIn the West one of the most complex and determined sieges of the war has begun Here Ulysses S Grant s seven relentless efforts against Vicksburg demonstrate Lincoln s and Grant s determination With Vicksburg finally under siege Lee again invades the North The three day conflict at Gettysburg receives significant coverage The lengthy chapter on Gettysburg has also been published as a separate book Stars in Their Courses The Gettysburg Campaign June July 1863 his account of Vicksburg was published separately as The Beleaguered City The Vicksburg Campaign December 1862 July 1863 Red River to Appomattox edit The final volume opens with the beginning of the two final major confrontations of the war Grant against Lee in Virginia and Sherman pressing Johnston in north Georgia in 1864 The narrative describes the events and battles from Sherman s March to the Sea to Lincoln s assassination and the surrender of Lee at Appomattox Detailed release information editOriginal hardcover with dust jacket release by Random House The Civil War A Narrative New York Random House 1958 1974 ISBN 0 307 29038 7 boxed set The Civil War A Narrative Vol 1 Fort Sumter to Perryville New York Random House 1958 ISBN 0 307 29039 5 The Civil War A Narrative Vol 2 Fredericksburg to Meridian New York Random House 1963 ISBN 0 307 29040 9 The Civil War A Narrative Vol 3 Red River to Appomattox New York Random House 1974 ISBN 0 307 29041 7 Vintage Books a Random House subsidiary reissued the series twice as trade paperbacks in January and November 1986 with different cover art for each printing but without changing the ISBNs The Civil War A Narrative New York Vintage Books 1986 ISBN 0 394 74913 8 boxed set The Civil War A Narrative Vol 1 Fort Sumter to Perryville New York Vintage Books 1986 ISBN 0 394 74623 6 The Civil War A Narrative Vol 2 Fredericksburg to Meridian New York Vintage Books 1986 ISBN 0 394 74621 X The Civil War A Narrative Vol 3 Red River to Appomattox New York Vintage Books 1986 ISBN 0 394 74622 8 Beginning in 1999 Time Life published a fourteen volume 40th Anniversary Edition with contemporary photographs and illustrations addended with maps originally commissioned for their own 1983 87 comprehensive The Civil War book series This hardcover with dust jacket edition was sold by subscription but when Time Life exited the book business remaindered copies appeared in bookstores Relatively few copies of volume 13 were printed increasing the after market value of that particular volume and the set as a whole The divisions were based on keeping each volume to 288 300 pages a few are shorter or longer rather than historic or thematic considerations Each volume has its own index which appears to be more detailed than the indexes in the three volume edition For example Rockfish Gap appears in volume 13 of the Time Life set but not in volume 3 of the original edition The Civil War A Narrative Secession to Fort Henry 40th Anniversary ed Alexandria VA Time Life 1999 ISBN 0 7835 0100 5 The Civil War A Narrative Fort Donelson to Memphis 40th Anniversary ed Alexandria VA Time Life 1999 ISBN 0 7835 0101 3 The Civil War A Narrative Yorktown to Cedar Mountain 40th Anniversary ed Alexandria VA Time Life 1999 ISBN 0 7835 0102 1 The Civil War A Narrative Second Manassas to Pocotaligo 40th Anniversary ed Alexandria VA Time Life 1999 ISBN 0 7835 0103 X The Civil War A Narrative Fredericksburg to Steele Bayou 40th Anniversary ed Alexandria VA Time Life 1999 ISBN 0 7835 0104 8 The Civil War A Narrative Charleston Harbor to Vicksburg 40th Anniversary ed Alexandria VA Time Life 1999 ISBN 0 7835 0105 6 The Civil War A Narrative Gettysburg to Draft Riots 40th Anniversary ed Alexandria VA Time Life 1999 ISBN 0 7835 0106 4 The Civil War A Narrative Tullahoma to Missionary Ridge 40th Anniversary ed Alexandria VA Time Life 1999 ISBN 0 7835 0107 2 The Civil War A Narrative Mine Run to Meridian 40th Anniversary ed Alexandria VA Time Life 2001 ISBN 0 7835 0108 0 The Civil War A Narrative Red River to Spotsylvania 40th Anniversary ed Alexandria VA Time Life 2001 ISBN 0 7835 0109 9 The Civil War A Narrative Yellow Tavern to Cold Harbor 40th Anniversary ed Alexandria VA Time Life 2000 ISBN 0 7835 0110 2 The Civil War A Narrative James Crossing to Johnsonville 40th Anniversary ed Alexandria VA Time Life 2000 ISBN 0 7835 0111 0 The Civil War A Narrative Petersburg Siege to Bentonville 40th Anniversary ed Alexandria VA Time Life 2000 ISBN 0 7835 0112 9 The Civil War A Narrative Fort Stedman to Reconstruction 40th Anniversary ed Alexandria VA Time Life 2000 ISBN 0 7835 0113 7 In 2005 Random House published the narratives as nine hardcover with dust jacket volumes by splitting the original three into three volumes each As with the preceding Time Life edition some of the maps from the original work hand drawn by Foote were replaced by more elaborate full color maps that originally appeared in the Time Life Civil War history series Photographs and artwork were also added Like the Time Life edition no box set variant was issued for this release The Civil War A Narrative Fort Sumter to Kernstown First Blood The Thing Gets Under Way New York Random House 2005 ISBN 0 307 29023 9 The Civil War A Narrative Pea Ridge to the Seven Days War Means Fighting Fighting Means Killing New York Random House 2005 ISBN 0 307 29024 7 The Civil War A Narrative Second Manassas to Perryville The Sun Shines South New York Random House 2005 ISBN 0 307 29025 5 The Civil War A Narrative Fredericksburg to Chancellorsville The Longest Journey New York Random House 2005 ISBN 0 307 29026 3 The Civil War A Narrative Gettysburg to Vicksburg Unvexed to the Sea New York Random House 2005 ISBN 0 307 29027 1 The Civil War A Narrative Tullahoma to Meridian Riot and Resurgence New York Random House 2005 ISBN 0 307 29028 X The Civil War A Narrative Red River to Chattahoochee Another Grand Design New York Random House 2005 ISBN 0 307 29029 8 The Civil War A Narrative Petersburg to Savannah War Is Cruelty You Cannot Refine It New York Random House 2005 ISBN 0 307 29030 1 The Civil War A Narrative Five Forks to Appomattox Victory and Defeat New York Random House 2005 ISBN 0 307 29031 X In 2011 Random House released a new hardcover without dust jacket edition of the trilogy 2 edited by Jon Meacham along with a companion volume by Meacham entitled American Homer Reflections on Shelby Foote and His Classic The Civil War A Narrative The Civil War A Narrative New York Random House 2011 ISBN 978 0 679 64370 8 OCLC 671703677 boxed set The Civil War A Narrative Vol 1 Fort Sumter to Perryville New York Random House 2011 The Civil War A Narrative Vol 2 Fredericksburg to Meridian New York Random House 2011 The Civil War A Narrative Vol 3 Red River to Appomattox New York Random House 2011 Meacham Jon ed 2011 American Homer Reflections on Shelby Foote and His ClassicThe Civil War A Narrative New York Random House References edit Shelby Foote Meacham Jon April May 2011 Shelby Foote s War Story How a Memphis novelist s history of the Civil War made history itself Garden amp Gun Retrieved 2011 05 08 External links editNew York State Writers Institute Shelby Foote The Mississippi Writer s Page Shelby Foote Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Civil War A Narrative amp oldid 1188770639, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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