Shaara Trilogy

I really enjoyed these. I found myself on wikipedia almost as much as I was reading the books.

For instance, I knew that Lincoln's assassination came before the end of the Civil War, but it came almost immediately after Lee surrendered (Lee's army was basically the only chance the Confederacy had)--so Lincoln basically knew the war was over.

Also, the Army of the Potomac (Union Army's main force, in Virginia) lost or merely brought to a draw almost every major battle (notable exception: Gettysburg) and Lincoln basically kept going through commanders until they found someone who was willing to wage a bloody and costly war of attrition, knowing full well that the South didn't have the money and manpower to keep up.

Andersonville Prison (Confed.) was basically a death camp. One in four prisoners didn't survive because of disease, starvation, etc. Not only that, but the prisoners stole from each other and even established their own justice system.

The Confederate army had it even worse. Toward the end of the war, Lee's soldiers were practically starving to death while 100 meters away US Army soldiers were eating steak. Still, the casualty numbers for the North exceed those of the South in every area.

The American Civil War was at the cusp of a massive expansion of military technology. The brand-new minié rifle (the last muzzle-loader) which was the first rifle useful on the battlefield, was roughly ten times more accurate than its smooth-bore predecessors. Spencer and Henry repeater rifles held multiple shots, and were used only by the North. Canister type artillery (shrapnel) could blow a huge hole in an advancing enemy force. As a result, "Napoleonic" tactics of marching in formation ("hold the line!") were suicidal. Thus the birth of trench warfare and use of the skirmish line as the main line of battle.

To us, getting in a huge mass and just marching toward the enemy seems like a less-than-sensical method of assault, but in an age where the muskets were accurate to 60 meters and took 20 seconds to reload...do the math and (if your enemy is familiar with "jogging") you can only get one good shot off before it's melee time.

In the Civil War, all of the sudden muskets are accurate to 600 meters. That means one line of soldiers can get off about 10 good shots at a quickly advancing army in an open field. Add artillery and you have the massive failure of Pickett's Charge (but a sense of why they thought it might work).

Both Shaaras do an excellent job of portraying armies slowly coming to grips with these new paradigms.

I could go on all day. Thanks to Karen and John, who both suggested these books!