Book Review: A World on Fire

 

A World on Fire: Britain's Crucial Role in the American Civil War

Amanda Foreman

There are plenty of history books on the Civil War, but few books that convey another country’s perspective. Amanda Foreman has done history buffs a service by providing a British perspective of our great conflict. Foreman also provides fascinating details about spy operations in Canada and some information about French, Irish, and German participation as diplomats, soldiers, and observers. Not quite a world on fire, but it’s eye opening to learn how much our civil war affected other nations.

The greatest contribution of A World on Fire is additional insight into the issue of British and French recognition of the Confederate States of America. This was the biggest political battle of the war and Abraham Lincoln beat Jefferson Davis on what many believed should have been an easy Confederate victory. If recognition had come, the South probably would have achieved independence.

A World on Fire is a dazzling research effort with most of the narrative driven from personal letters, diaries, and official documents. Unfortunately, too much of this research made it into the book. The large tome sometimes takes a deep dive into a British person’s experience for no apparent reason other than that individual kept a good diary. The perspective of a common soldier or low level officer can be valuable and interesting, but it felt out of place in a book purportedly about foreign perspectives of the war because a soldier’s experience was similar independent of their nationality. The books also jumps around in a manner that seems unnatural, with characters resurfacing after a long absence without any reminders of who they were.

In all, A World on Fire is a rare glimpse of the American Civil War from a different perspective. Considering the number of books on the subject, that is an amazing accomplishment in and of itself.

War on the Waters, James M. McPherson

 

With the exception of the Monitor vs. Merrimack (CSS Virginia), naval battles get short shrift in Civil War books. McPherson certainly fills that gap with War on the Waters, The Union and Confederate Navies, 1861-1865. Land battles were certainly decisive, but the Union may have lost the war without Gideon Welles and the Navy Department. McPherson even makes a strong argument that Rear Admiral David Glasgow Farragut deserves to be ranked with generals Grant and Sherman when giving credit for the Union victory.

Inventions and innovations by both the Confederate States and the United States revolutionized naval warfare. Steam-powered ships, screw propeller driven ships, ironclads, submarines, weaponry, and naval tactics all made major advancement during those four years. By Appomattox, the United States owned the largest navy in the world, and arguably the most technologically advanced.

War on the Waters does an admirable job of describing blue water and brown water (river) battles and in explaining the significance of each clash. I found the battles that required cooperation between the Army and Navy of particular interest. As an added bonus, International law on blockades is more fully described than in other history books.

McPherson’s no nonsense writing style can sometimes verge on dull, but he always pulls the reader back to the narrative in the nick of time.

I recommend this book to all those who have an interest in the Civil War, naval battles, technology advancement, or military politics. War on the Waters is informative and a good read.

(This is a research book for Maelstrom, a sequel to Tempest at Dawn.)