TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog

Category: Strategy & Tactics

  • Civil War “sniper” training

    I received a request for comment on Civil War “sniper” training as compared to WWI: We’re trying to piece together a longitudinal picture of civil war sniper training and contrast that with U.S. sniper training during WW I.   Our focus is on what is learned; then lost over given periods of time. The short answer […]

  • Review: Southern Storm: Sherman’s March to the Sea

    Trudeau, Noah Andre. Southern Storm: Sherman’s March to the Sea. Harper (August 5, 2008). 688 pages, maps, illustrations, index. ISBN: 978-0060598679 $35.00 (Hardcover). What event in Civil War history excites more emotions and is the subject of more misconceptions than any other?  The answer is probably Sherman’s famous (or infamous depending on your home’s direction […]

  • Thoughts on Struggle for the Shenandoah as The Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864 Goes to Paperback

    Drew Wagenhoffer’s review of the paperback version of The Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864 yesterday led me to go back and read my own multi part summary of the *other* Gary Gallagher produced 1864 Shenandoah Valley Campaign book Struggle for the Shenandoah , including a review and a bibliography of the campaign.  Before Gallagher was […]

  • Bryce A. Suderow on the Petersburg Campaign

    Longtime student of the Petersburg Campaign and author of an unpublished manuscript on First and Second Deep Bottom Bryce A. Suderow was kind enough to offer up his opinions on the campaign in a recent comment here at TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog.  Bryce is not a fan of Ulysses S. Grant, as you […]

  • Bull of the West Wood

    Thanks to Brett for his pointer to Jim Buchanan’s Walking in the West Woods. And thanks to Jim for the pointer to Gen. Sumner’s papers at the Archives and for publishing his post-battle letter. Sumner’s letter would seem to support those of us who criticize his performance in the West Wood by showing pretty conclusively […]

  • Review: Shenandoah 1862: Stonewall Jackson’s Valley Campaign

    Update: Welcome to TOCWOC for those of you who have found this page through a Google Search!  If you enjoy what you’re about to read below, feel free to Subscribe to TOCWOC’s RSS feed.  Be sure to check out the Civil War Book Reviews which have been posted here and browse through TOCWOC founder Brett […]

  • Dominating the Skirmish Line

    I see that Brett is offering a free copy of Earl Hess’s book on the rifle musket, so it might be a good time to revisit a controversy raised therein, namely did the ANV’s sharpshooter battalions punch above their weight in Virginia? I would say they did, and base this as much as anything on […]