Justin Martin (1)

About ten years ago I read Witold Rybczynski's A Clearing in the Distance: Frederick Law Olmsted and America in the 19th Century, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Yet reading through Justin Martin's new bio on the larger-than-life figure made me realize that Rybczynski didn't have the last word on Olmsted. Both discuss his varied roles and his magisterial creations, but Martin delves deeper into the details, painting a lovely narrative that transports the reader to the ship Omsted sailed and toiled upon, his Staten Island farm, the Civil War battlefields, and the other places of his incredibly influential life.… (mere)

Justin Martin's "A Fierce Glory" is a brilliant recount of what many consider to be the most important battle of the entire American Civil War, The Battle of Antietam. Martin, here, has accomplished something that so many military historians never learn to do well: he put a human face on soldiers on both sides of the battle lines, the strategists responsible for them (Lee and McClellan), and even on those in the government responsible for the strategists (Abraham Lincoln, in particular).

What makes Martin's account of the battle so compelling is his focus on the "big picture." Rather than relying on a detailed recounting of troop movements from one part of the field to the other, the author explains what is simultaneously happening from several points of view, including that of Lincoln who was stuck some 55 miles away in Washington without any idea of how the battle was progressing. Much of "A Fierce Glory" focuses on the differences between Lee and McClellan, and how seriously the vain McClellan went out of his way to antagonize Lincoln by keeping him as uninformed as possible for as long as possible as he could. And because Martin had access to so much source material from both sides, he leaves the reader with great insight into the mindset of the common soldier - men who almost never had any idea why they were being asked to do what was required of them.

Antietam was a backbreaker to the hopes of the Confederacy, but as the author points out, it was also a squandered chance to end the war for once and all if only Lincoln's pleas had been headed by the overly cautious McClellan. Instead, McClellan chose to let Lee limp away with his battered army, and thousands more on both sides would die before the war finally ended.

Bottom Line: This one is for those who find too many Civil War histories to be too stiff and detailed for their taste. There is certainly a place for the more detailed histories, but I doubt that the average reader would come away with as much understanding of Antietam from one of those as he will from "A Fierce Glory."… (mere)

This book offers a well researched account of the battle of Antietam. It draws on a number of first hand accounts to put together a solid narrative of the different parts of the battle, including a little bit of flair and detail you don't traditionally get.

The additional details can sometimes seem out of place, however, and interrupt the flow from time to time.

For someone generally unfamiliar with the battle, this book would be a great resource.

I was looking to add to my significant knowledge of the battle for a project I am working on and to that aim the book fell somewhat short. The book doesn't give a comprehensive account of all the different units that fought, and it's battle account, while well-done and detailed, is far from all-encompassing.

The book does give some unique insight on the relationship between General McClellan and President Lincoln. While the frequent breaks to cover those 2 men adds a dimension to the book, it also interrupts the flow of the Antietam story.

The real value for me was the post-battle activities on the battlefield that he covers. There was a lot that I didn't know regarding that, and as I said, was pretty well versed on the battle before reading this book.

There is also some value in his source list. Many are available free online, and there are some riveting first hand accounts among his sources.

All in all, A Fierce Glory is a good book for someone wanting to acquaint themselves with one of the most important battles of the Civil War. It will also serve those well who know the basics, but want a bit of humanity added into the usual battlefield narratives.

For someone trying to get more in the weeds details about the battle, this book is short on the nuts and bolts details of the fighting. And the book isn't the smoothest read because of the tangents and clumsy way of segueing between the action and the colorful details.

Not a bad book, but not a critical piece of a Civil War Enthusiasts library. Perhaps more critical to a Lincoln Enthusiasts library, since it covers him in great detail throughout.… (mere)