War in Ky Book Review
Book Review
McDonough, James L. War in Kentucky From Shiloh to Perryville. Knoxville: The University of Tennessee Press
19 November 2012
History 108
By:
Courtney Creech
James McDonough 's War in Kentucky: From Shiloh to Perryville uses exerts from diaries, letters, and
participant recollection to explore the strategic importance of Kentucky for both sides in the Civil War.
War and Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Record of the Union and Confederate Armies was
also used as a reference. McDonough focuses on the under-examined facets of the Civil War in
Western Theater to recount the Confederates attempt to gain control of Kentucky. McDonough
identifies collective leadership deficiencies on both sides and argues that 1862 should be the decisive
year of the war.
June 20, 1862, Jefferson Davis, commander of the 11 states that made of the Confederate States
of America, removed General P.G. T. Beauregard from the command of the army of the Mississippi.
Braxton Bragg was appointed his successor at a time the Confederacy 's circumstances were low.
McDonough does not claim the south would have won under Beauregard 's command, however,
McDonough criticizes the Confederate tactics for lack of a clearly defined military objective and
suggests Beauregard may have offered stronger leadership.
McDonough sets the stage for his account of the Kentucky battles by outlining the
Confederacy 's precarious state in the winter and spring of 1862. During this time, the Union
successfully launched a joint army-navy offensive in capturing Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. These
victories were described as great triumphs that presented the Union with many opportunities to weaken
and pose great threat to the Confederacy. The Confederates made a futile attempt to impede the
Federal advance. They failed,
McDonough, James L. War in Kentucky From Shiloh to Perryville. Knoxville: The University of Tennessee Press
19 November 2012
History 108
By:
Courtney Creech
James McDonough 's War in Kentucky: From Shiloh to Perryville uses exerts from diaries, letters, and
participant recollection to explore the strategic importance of Kentucky for both sides in the Civil War.
War and Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Record of the Union and Confederate Armies was
also used as a reference. McDonough focuses on the under-examined facets of the Civil War in
Western Theater to recount the Confederates attempt to gain control of Kentucky. McDonough
identifies collective leadership deficiencies on both sides and argues that 1862 should be the decisive
year of the war.
June 20, 1862, Jefferson Davis, commander of the 11 states that made of the Confederate States
of America, removed General P.G. T. Beauregard from the command of the army of the Mississippi.
Braxton Bragg was appointed his successor at a time the Confederacy 's circumstances were low.
McDonough does not claim the south would have won under Beauregard 's command, however,
McDonough criticizes the Confederate tactics for lack of a clearly defined military objective and
suggests Beauregard may have offered stronger leadership.
McDonough sets the stage for his account of the Kentucky battles by outlining the
Confederacy 's precarious state in the winter and spring of 1862. During this time, the Union
successfully launched a joint army-navy offensive in capturing Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. These
victories were described as great triumphs that presented the Union with many opportunities to weaken
and pose great threat to the Confederacy. The Confederates made a futile attempt to impede the
Federal advance. They failed,
Cited: McDonough, James L. War in Kentucky From Shiloh to Perryville. Knoxville: The University of Tennessee Press, 1994. ----------------------- [i]