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Non-Fiction ReviewsChattanooga - Death Grip on the Confederacy |
| James Lee McDonough University of Tennessee Press 1984 |
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As you know if you've explored our site here very much at all, family history is very important to me. My great-great-grandfather, James Lee Summitt, fought at Chattanooga. I've recently become more and more interested in his experiences during the War between the States and reading this book is one manifestation of that interest.
McDonough briefly discusses Chickamauga in his first chapter leaving a more extensive discussion of this bloody Union defeat and the alleged Confederate atrocities to a more detailed book length discussion by others. I found this to be an excellent idea as the two campaigns, while seen in a larger strategic standpoint, are part of one whole, from a tactical and historic view are completely separate from the tragic Georgia events. As James Lee's unit was part of those sent to help the beleagured and surrounded Union outpost in the south of Tennessee, my interests lay more with the events after Chickamauga anyway.
The author relies quite extensively on original sources in his discussion of the battle during those November and December days of 1863. He uses these sources to assist him in his explanations in answer to certain questions many have asked about the battle. Unfortunately, at times the reading is rather dry but that is stereotypically to be expected as McDonough is an academician and the book is published by an Academic Press. I only point this out because my observations during my experience in academia pointed out that many times academicians write more for other academicians than for the edification of the lowly masses. The result of this has been that many people look at most history and other subject textbooks as being boring. It's sad that the most educated of our nation feel it below their standing to write for anyone other than other academicians. But then, they don't have anything resembling a Hippocratic oath so what does it matter. Come to think of it, the oath hasn't done much to help the medical profession has it?
Anyway, pardon my departure from the topic at hand. While the book has its dry moments, overall McDonough does an excellent job of telling the story and maintaining your interest. I've learned a great deal about the battle and intend to quote McDonough when I write about James Lee Summitt and his activities around Chattanooga during that fall and winter of 1863.
My recommendation is to buy or borrow a copy of this book and read it if you're in the slightest bit interested in the battle of Chattanooga. The magnitude of the events themselves can over whelm the dryness of some of McDonough's pages. You'll be the better for it.