I look forward to in the future looking back at this book with much deeper and wider knowledge based on my upcoming reading. The negative impression comes simply from the description of how time after time Davis supported morally problematic practices and ideals. Conversely, he has a low regard for Jefferson Davis-though he is admirably calm and descriptive about Davis.
He greatly admires Abraham Lincoln, but he gives us enough information to help us form our own opinions of this central character. He clearly writes as a “Yankee,” but I don’t think his tone is at all hostile toward the Confederates.
I found McPherson to be careful and respectful in his many descriptions of people and events (albeit, I grant that at this point I am just beginning my reading about the Civil War so I don’t have a lot to compare it to). It actually does feel like a coherent volume (unlike many other long historical surveys), even though it is long enough to be broken into three volumes. Though obviously McPherson has to leave a lot out, the book is comprehensive. The writing is straightforward and lively. Though it is 30 years old now, it still seems pretty vital and authoritative. I can see why this book has such a high reputation as the best one-volume history. James McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era Oxford University Press, 1988. I will start with this post that responds to what seems to be considered the go-to one volume history of the CW itself. As I read these books, I will write blog posts reflecting on some of the things I am learning-both from the books themselves and from my on-going reflections.
The first step will be to read a number of the standard accounts of the CW and its historical context. [I have started a long-term reading and writing project to try to understand the American Civil War (CW), especially in terms of its moral legacy (here’s an introduction to this project).
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