Early Struggles for Vicksburg - (Modern War Studies) by Timothy B Smith (Hardcover)

About the Book

"In Early Struggles for Vicksburg, Tim Smith covers the first phase of the Vicksburg Campaign (October 1862-July, 1863), involving perhaps the most wide-ranging and complex series of efforts. The operations that took place from late October to the end of December 1862 covered six states, consisted of four intertwined mini-campaigns, and saw the involvement of everything from cavalry raids to naval operations in addition to pitched land battles. This fall/winter campaign that marked the first of the major efforts to reach Vicksburg was the epitome of the by-the-book concepts of military theory of the day. This first major phase saw Grant, in a newly promoted position as Major-General of Volunteers, working off what he had learned at West Point and from his superior Henry W. Halleck, then the Commanding General of the US Army. Yet he soon realized that the quintessential components of by-the-book warfare ultimately did not work, at least not here in Mississippi. That was because Grant's counterpart John C. Pemberton also clearly utilized the by-the-book defensive tactics to parry Grant's various threats. It was war done the way academics would want it done, but Grant figured out quickly that the books did not always have the answers, and he adapted his approach thereafter"--

Book Synopsis

Finalist: American Battlefield Trust Prize for History

In Early Struggles for Vicksburg, Timothy Smith covers the first phase of the Vicksburg campaign (October 1862-July 1863), involving perhaps the most wide-ranging and complex series of efforts seen in the entire campaign. The operations that took place from late October to the end of December 1862 covered six states, consisted of four intertwined mini-campaigns, and saw the involvement of everything from cavalry raids to naval operations in addition to pitched land battles in Ulysses S. Grant's first attempts to reach Vicksburg.

This fall/winter campaign that marked the first of the major efforts to reach Vicksburg was the epitome of the by-the-book concepts of military theory of the day. But the first major Union attempts to capture Vicksburg late in 1862 were also disjointed, unorganized, and spread out across a wide spectrum. The Confederates were thus able to parry each threat, although Grant, in his newly assumed position as commander of the Department of the Tennessee, learned from his mistakes and revised his methods in later operations, leading eventually to the fall of Vicksburg. It was war done the way academics would want it done, but Grant figured out quickly that the books did not always have the answers, and he adapted his approach thereafter.

Smith comprehensively weaves the Mississippi Central, Chickasaw Bayou, Van Dorn Raid, and Forrest Raid operations into a chronological narrative while illustrating the combination of various branches and services such as army movements, naval operations, and cavalry raids. Early Struggles for Vicksburg is accordingly the first comprehensive academic book ever to examine the Mississippi Central/Chickasaw Bayou campaign and is built upon hundreds of soldier-level sources. Massive in research and scope, this book covers everything from the top politicians and generals down to the individual soldiers, as well as civilians and slaves making their way to freedom, while providing analysis of contemporary military theory to explain why the operations took the form they did.

Review Quotes

"Early Struggles for Vicksburg is, at its core, a comprehensive, entertainingly written campaign study that, in the tradition of the best New Military History, lets the manuscript sources guide its narrative. Consequently, it should become the standard text on the subject."--Journal of Southern History

"Early Struggles for Vicksburg is a detailed, fast-paced, and easy read, combining compelling storytelling and insightful analysis, both good popular military history and excellent scholarly military history, and is highly recommended."--New York Military Affairs Symposium

"Early Struggles for Vicksburg unquestionably provides us with the best researched and most closely detailed account yet published of a complex series of events that proved to be on of the bleaker moments of Grant's early-war career."--Civil War Books and Authors

"Timothy Smith continues his epic study of the Vicksburg campaign with release of Early Struggles for Vicksburg: The Mississippi Central Campaign and Chickasaw Bayou, October 25-December 31, 1862. In his previous volumes on the Battle of Champion Hill, the Union assaults on May 19 and 22, 1863, and the siege itself, Smith has risen to the pinnacle of Vicksburg historians. When coupled with his other works on Forts Henry and Donelson and Shiloh, the author demonstrates his mastery of the complex land and naval operations for control of the Mississippi River--which the modern Army has termed 'the most brilliant campaign ever waged on American soil.' This volume is classic Smith--clear, concise, and smoothly written. Based on exhaustive research, he weaves the words of the men in blue and gray into a narrative that the novice and serious student alike will find a delight to read. Very well done!"--Terrence J. Winschel, historian (ret.), Vicksburg National Military Park and author of Triumph & Defeat: The Vicksburg Campaign, Vols. 1-2