Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #969858 in Books
• Published on: 1994-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 312 pages

From Library Journal
Understand the intricacies of the fierce, bloody siege of Fort Sumter and Charleston, South Carolina, by Union forces in 1863, and the fundamentals of the Civil War become clear. A historian, teacher and author (Lifeline of the Confederacy: Blockade Running During the Civil War, LJ 1/89), Wise paints a dramatic picture of gruesome, dreary trench warfare; ironclad ships; petty squabbles between commanders; and the heroism of many. Clara Barton nursed here; the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, an African American regiment under Capt. Robert G. Shaw, fought shoulder to shoulder with white troops, finding acceptance, death, and glory on the ramparts. The Confederacy ultimately held fast; both sides created new weapons and tactical innovations to be used in future battles. Wise captures it all, from the taste of battle to the pounds of shot fired per skirmish. Highly recommended as an in-depth resource for larger history collections.
Nancy L. Whitfield, Meriden P.L., Ct.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
The Charleston campaign of 1863 is currently best known for the role in it of the 54th Massachusetts in vindicating the effectiveness of African American soldiers, as was delineated in the movie Glory. There was, however, much hard fighting before the 54th's assault on Battery Wagner, and there was even more afterward, with heavy losses on both sides and eventual Union failure, due as much to Union interservice rivalries as to Confederate tenacity. Among other features of the siege were the largest naval operations of the war, technologically advanced use of artillery, and trench warfare anticipating World War I. It is a compelling story that Wise handles with high competence, clarity, and scholarly thoroughness. Roland Green

Customer Reviews

A Look at the Campaign for Charleston, SC...1863
Gate of Hell is a decent study of the Union's Campaign for Charleston, SC in 1863. Stephen R. Wise's history adequately describes the many attacks the Union attempted that summer to capture the cradle of the Confederacy. It is a broad overview of the campaign, focusing on the relationships between the army and the navy of the United States as they try to cooperate in reducing one of the most important ports of the Confederacy. Wise does a good job describing the attacks on Morris Island, with special emphasis on the 54th Massachusetts assault on the works of Battery Wagner. However, he seems to spend too much time telling us what type of artillery was used on both sides in all of these assaults, instead of focusing on the soldiers who attacked and who defended. While this book is a good outline for what happened on the sun drenched beaches of South Carolina in the summer of 1863...for the Civil War student, as I am, you are left wanting more. I'm still waiting for a definitive study on the attack led by the 54th, and although Wise's book attempts to describe the action, unfortunately he falls short. Overall a good book if you are only interested in an overview of the campaign.

Must have book
If you are a student of history, or a Civil War buff or have an interest in Charleston, then this is the book you have been waiting for.
Very precise and detailed, Dr. Wise writes with a style that makes one believe they are reading a novel rather than a historical account. He brings life to the participants and explains the struggles from both sides.
Too often writers of CW histories either interject their own predjuces or romantasize the events all out of porportion. In this book the author does neither.
The ability to clearly explain the often chaotic events in an easy to understand manner is worth the price of the book alone. I would rate this with the best of works on the CW.

Exceptional Book & Awesome Maps, Details
I love this book. As I big civil war history buff, especially with special interest in the Civil War battles around or in Charleston, I love this book and recommended to anyone who wants more information (or I should say who wants specific information). This is a must!