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richardwells's review against another edition
4.0
This is a highly readable, informative, and entertaining (in the best sense) history of the last year of the Civil War (1864.) I've read that it leaves out some important battles, but it covers others well enough to give you an idea of strategy, tactics, generals and their staffs and personalities, and the horror of hand to hand slaughter. It also leaves out one important political event, the passage of the 13th Amendment. I know that's book length material, but so is a lot of the other stuff that does get covered. I was looking forward to a precis on all that skull-duggery, but having just watched Speilberg's Lincoln for the 4th time I didn't really need it.
1864 was an ugly year, the Union was winning a war of attrition that resulted in so many casualties the figures are still being estimated upward; Grant unleashed Sherman to lay the Confederate states to waste leaving civilians in dire straights; and politicians in and out of uniform were wreaking havoc wherever they opened their mouths. The road to Appomattox was long and filled with blood, but Grant and Lee did sign the surrender of the Army of Virginia, and the South's chips just kept falling. Finally, Lincoln's victory speech began a process of healing that unfortunately didn't last, and the American Civil War is being re-fought up to this day.
This history moves right along, and provides a lot of background to current events. If you're not already a "Civil War buff," this book could get you started.
1864 was an ugly year, the Union was winning a war of attrition that resulted in so many casualties the figures are still being estimated upward; Grant unleashed Sherman to lay the Confederate states to waste leaving civilians in dire straights; and politicians in and out of uniform were wreaking havoc wherever they opened their mouths. The road to Appomattox was long and filled with blood, but Grant and Lee did sign the surrender of the Army of Virginia, and the South's chips just kept falling. Finally, Lincoln's victory speech began a process of healing that unfortunately didn't last, and the American Civil War is being re-fought up to this day.
This history moves right along, and provides a lot of background to current events. If you're not already a "Civil War buff," this book could get you started.
bob_dw's review against another edition
4.0
A thorough survey of the last year of the war. Gwynne writes well and pulls no punches on the various mistakes and idiocies that occurred. More of a survey than a deep analysis.
komet2020's review against another edition
5.0
Two weeks ago (November 8, 2019), I had the opportunity to hear the author, S.C. Gwynne, speak about this book at a local bookstore. While I have at best a layman's interest in the Civil War, I was impressed with Gwynne's presentation, so much so that I put in a request with my neighborhood library to check out a copy of the book.
"HYMNS OF THE REPUBLIC" provides an apt and well-written summation of the final year of the Civil War and how it impacted upon the nation (North and South) militarily, politically, economically, and on a psychological level. Gwynne also brings vividly to life the many personalities (military, civilian, and political) who played key and significant roles in a year - 1864 - that began with the appointment of Ulysses S. Grant (the hero of Vicksburg) as Lieutenant General in charge of the Army of the Potomac by President Lincoln, which initially gave the North much cause for optimism that the war could perhaps be won and thus, ensure Lincoln's re-election later in the year. But despite Grant's initial successes against the Army of Northern Virginia (commanded by Robert E. Lee), the war in the East ground into a virtual stalemate by the summer.
As a result of these setbacks on the battlefield (as evidenced by the Battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, and Cold Harbor), Lincoln's re-election prospects dimmed considerably. He felt certain that he was likely to be defeated in November by the Democratic candidate (George McClellan, the erstwhile commander of the Army of the Potomac til Lincoln relieved him of command late in 1862 because of McClellan's failure to mount an effective campaign against the Army of Northern Virginia throughout that year), leading to a likely truce between North and South resulting ultimately in the establishment of the Confederacy as an independent nation. But then the fortunes of war would tilt in the North's favor by the early autumn of 1864.
Gwynne has written a history that reads like a novel comparable in some ways to Thackeray's 'Vanity Fair' with its dramatic sweep. Thanks to him, I learned so much more about why the Civil War continues to resonate in the nation's psyche. After all, it was a conflict that changed us from seeing ourselves as 'the United States are' to 'the United States IS.' That is, as one singular nation of Americans.
"HYMNS OF THE REPUBLIC" provides an apt and well-written summation of the final year of the Civil War and how it impacted upon the nation (North and South) militarily, politically, economically, and on a psychological level. Gwynne also brings vividly to life the many personalities (military, civilian, and political) who played key and significant roles in a year - 1864 - that began with the appointment of Ulysses S. Grant (the hero of Vicksburg) as Lieutenant General in charge of the Army of the Potomac by President Lincoln, which initially gave the North much cause for optimism that the war could perhaps be won and thus, ensure Lincoln's re-election later in the year. But despite Grant's initial successes against the Army of Northern Virginia (commanded by Robert E. Lee), the war in the East ground into a virtual stalemate by the summer.
As a result of these setbacks on the battlefield (as evidenced by the Battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, and Cold Harbor), Lincoln's re-election prospects dimmed considerably. He felt certain that he was likely to be defeated in November by the Democratic candidate (George McClellan, the erstwhile commander of the Army of the Potomac til Lincoln relieved him of command late in 1862 because of McClellan's failure to mount an effective campaign against the Army of Northern Virginia throughout that year), leading to a likely truce between North and South resulting ultimately in the establishment of the Confederacy as an independent nation. But then the fortunes of war would tilt in the North's favor by the early autumn of 1864.
Gwynne has written a history that reads like a novel comparable in some ways to Thackeray's 'Vanity Fair' with its dramatic sweep. Thanks to him, I learned so much more about why the Civil War continues to resonate in the nation's psyche. After all, it was a conflict that changed us from seeing ourselves as 'the United States are' to 'the United States IS.' That is, as one singular nation of Americans.
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