Product Description

The Battle of Champion Hill was the decisive land engagement of the Vicksburg Campaign. The May 16, 1863, fighting took place just 20 miles east of the river city, where the advance of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Federal army attacked Gen. John C. Pemberton's hastily gathered Confederates.

The bloody fighting seesawed back and forth until superior Union leadership broke apart the Southern line, sending Pemberton's army into headlong retreat. The victory on Mississippi's wooded hills sealed the fate of both Vicksburg and her large field army, propelled Grant into the national spotlight, and earned him the command of the entire U.S. armed forces.

Timothy Smith, who holds a Ph.D. from Mississippi State and works as a historian for the National Park Service, has written the definitive account of this long overlooked battle. His vivid prose is grounded upon years of primary research and is rich in analysis, strategic and tactical action, and character development.

Champion Hill will become a classic Civil War battle study.

---

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #160297 in Books
• Published on: 2006-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 520 pages

---

Customer Reviews

Sets the Standard for battle History
The reading Civil War battle histories can be very enjoyable or an exercise in frustration depending on the author's ability to explain the battle. Many times the reader's prior knowledge of the battle becomes critical to the enjoyment of the book. Noah Andre Trudeau once apologized for writing another book on Gettysburg. His point was with so many Gettysburg books on the market reading a book on Gettysburg is like visiting a childhood friend. Only a few words are necessary to recall shared experiences from a long acquaintance. Other battles are strangers we may have heard about but lack knowledge of. This lack of shared experiences and the common ground of an old friend can make an introduction awkward and difficult. Becoming "lost" on the battlefield is a common problem as the action moves past but leaves us clueless to the importance or location of the event. The "little picture" takes full control leaving the reader with only the vaguest idea of how we arrived on the field, why we are fighting the battle or where we will go afterwards. The less prior knowledge you have of the battle, the more likely you are to encounter problem understanding the battle. This book will often end up on eBay or sitting in the bookcase with a scrap of paper marking where you gave up. We all have bought this book and each time we wonder, "What is it that makes a good battle history?" What do we need when being introduced to a battle to make a pleasant and informative beginning? What will keep our interest and make us want to finish reading the book? "Champion Hill Decisive Battle for Vicksburg" by Timothy B. Smith from Savas Beatie LLC is a battle book that can answer these questions.

Civil War buffs are familiar with Grant's Vicksburg Campaign; some of us can even name most of the battles. We know that the battle of Champion Hill located between Jackson and Vicksburg is the critical battle of the campaign. Grant's defeat of Pemberton caused the latter be trapped in Vicksburg and forced to surrender on July 4, 1863. Good start, now how much do we really know about this battle? Champion Hill, as most western battles, suffers from a lack of available books making a new book something of an event. Sam Elliott, the actor and Civil War author, has characterized Tim Smith as "a fine young Civil War scholar". This book shows why he can say that. The writing is sure, swift moving and compelling. The opening chapter outlines the frustration of the Vicksburg Campaign while introducing the main characters. This gives us an understanding of how few options Grant had and why he chose what many considered the most dangerous one.

This is a battle history. The promise is a battle and a battle is what they deliver! In the package is a clear concise, descriptive account of the campaign that ends in the siege of Vicksburg. Not one battle, but Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hill and Big Black occur during the nineteen days of May between crossing the Mississippi River and arriving at Vicksburg. Thirty-eight maps ensure we don't get lost or have to go searching for a map. The map you need is always on the page or only a couple of pages away. I never had to bookmark a map or try to figure where the action is with a map that did not fit. Theodore P. Savas did the maps. As the editor, he makes sure the maps are informative, timely, detailed and easy to read. Photographs of the people involved, while never required add a nice touch. They help the reader see the characters as flesh and blood people, giving them a face in a way that words alone will not do. The book gives us seventy-eight photographs of the characters and puts them where we encounter this person. I find this nicer than a section of photographs in the middle of the text. Something else I like is the 16 page "Modern Photographic Gallery" of the battlefield with a map showing the location and angle of view of the photographs. No matter where I was in the book, I always had access to a map, pictures of the participants and in the back a view of the terrain. This made for a very smooth and enjoyable introduction to the battle of Champion Hill. The chapter on the aftermath details how the loss at Champion Hill drives Pemberton into Vicksburg, the impact on his men and the sever loss of materials is very well done. Equally informative is how victory lifted the spirits of Grant's men, built confidence in them selves and in their leaders. This explains the collapse of Pemberton's army and the hasty retreat into the Vicksburg fortifications. "Thereafter" gives us a short what happened to of many of the people involved, who survived the war, what they did and where the others died. Notes, index and Order of Battle complete the book.

Of more than passing interest, Tim Smith takes the side of General John A. McClernand, something very few historians do. More than one Net ACW group has had an extended debate on this. I expect the subject that will only heat up as more people read the book. His treatment of McClernand is very evenhanded, reporting when he did well at Port Gibson and badly at Champion Hill. However, it is clear that Mr. Smith does not share the standard historical view of the man. This is an interesting development and it remains to be seen where it will go. Are we seeing the start of another rethinking of ACW history or this is an idea that will go nowhere? Using the author's support of McClernand to dismiss the book is a very bad idea and those this do will be the poorer for it.

What we have is an exceptionally good battle history, complete with maps and photographs. This may not be the best battle history ever written but it is one that should be in your library and sets a standard that other's should try to reach.

Groundbreaking Study, Long Overdue
I am an avid reader and active freelance reviewer of military history (especially World War II, Civil War, and the late Roman Republic and early Imperial age) and 20th century American politics. I obtained an early copy from advancebookreivews.com and read it in four days. This is the first book on this lesser-known battle, though it was without doubt the most important of the entire Vicksburg Campaign (late 1862-July 4, 1863). I suspect Amazon is going to sell a lot of these books.

Thankfully, Dr. Smith's study was not written in a vacuum. Early chapters are dedicated to the background and development of the war in the Western theater and the Vicksburg Campaign in particular. These chapters include solid accounts of Grant's planning, the structure of the armies, the river crossing below Vicksburg, and the fighting at Port Gibson, Raymond, and Jackson. Smith carves some new ground here with his good use of common soldier observations. His evaluation of the battles follows traditional interpretation: Grant's plan was bold, Pemberton wasted opportunities to strike Grant early and hard, and Joe Johnston jumped to the rear and evacuated Jackson even before he could have known Grant was turning to strike him. James McPherson is chastised for his loss of control at Raymond.

The meat of the book begins with Chapter 5 and sets the stage of the pending clash the following morning at Champion Hill. Smith has a wonderful grasp of the terrain (it was as wild as the Wilderness and as haphazard Gettysburg, all rolled into one) and he describes it well. That is fortunate, because if you do not understand it, you cannot understand this confusing (if only moderate sized) battle.

MAPS: If you like them, you will love this book because there are dozens of them, and each is outstanding. The maps are worth the price of the book. There are dozens of photos, spread through the text, and a nice selection of modern photos keyed to a battlefield map. All of this really helps readers understand and visualize what is being described. The publisher designed an outstanding product.

The battle erupts early in the morning, and it is obvious Pemberton is not ready and has no plan to counter it. Indeed, he is in the act of withdrawing. The key is a crossroads that Grant is desperate to grab. If Pemberton loses it, his army will be trapped. Grant's three way offensive holds Pemberton in place and turns and crushes his left flank. One of the most amazing firsthand accounts is what must be a very lengthy letter from a Confederate officer named William Drennan to his wife, written just days after the battle ended. Smith uses it to advantage throughout the book. Drennan was on General Featherston's brigade staff (Loring's division), and mixed freely with the army's high ranking officers. What he heard and saw gives credence to post-battle accusations that Loring (and others) not only hated Pemberton but deliberately (on several occasions) disobeyed him. They laughed at him and spoke so ill of their commander that Drennan worried it would bring about a disaster. Drennan offers some kind words for Pemberton, but the ultimate responsibility for the defeat is his, though these men played a role in it.

Smith's coverage of the battle is balanced and objective. The coverage slides from macro strategic issues to company-level tactical action. The writing is fast-paced and full of action and analysis. He does not follow an exact chronological account, so there is some overlap that I found confusing at times, but overall it works very well. The firsthand accounts from soldiers in the ranks are vivid and detailed. Smith provides useful biographical portraits of nearly every prominent (and some not so prominent) officer, and does not shy away from giving his opinion of a decision. Make sure and read the explanatory end notes, which are lengthy and very informative. You will only get half the story if you skip these.

"Champion Hill" is based on primary materials and Smith does not always accept them as gospel as so many writers do. His interpretation of the battle differs from other historians and is much richer and fuller. McClernand messed up by not being as aggressive as he could have been, but I understand why for the first time (there are reasonable mitigating circumstances). McPherson seems to have been a cipher during the battle. Grant stayed by his side and was active; McPherson was a spectator. Carter Stevenson (a Confederate division leader) was way over his head and Stephen Lee, a brigade commander, effectively led the division once the fighting began. Pemberton was busy without reward. One thing that fascinated me was where, how, and what was accomplished by the 12th Louisiana and 35th Alabama regiments of Buford's brigade. They arrived near the crossroads late in the battle and literally saved Pemberton's army (at least according to Smith). The lengthy notes on their actions make it clear he gave a lot of thought to their involvement. He also pieced together opposing firsthand accounts that led him to conclude how and who killed a Missouri regimental commander. The angst-filled story about the Confederate French artillery officer was poignant.

The author follows the retreating Confederates to Vicksburg, offers a brief history of the siege and surrender, and an epilogue of what happened to the main characters after the battle.

Every author believes their subject is very important, but Smith argues Champion Hill was one of the war's decisive battles. He might be right. After months of failure, a sharp defeat at Champion Hill may well have ended Grant's career. His victory led to the fall of Vicksburg, and Grant went on to higher command and ended the war by defeating Robert E. Lee-which earned him a ticket to the white house.

I highly recommend this book. If you like battle histories, buy one today. You will not be disappointed.

Maps and more Maps
I am what is commonly referred to as a Civil War buff, what ever that means, and I feel compelled to write you about the work of Timothy B. Smith.

My biggest frustration about a lot of books on the civil is the lack of good quality maps that allows the reader to get a sense of who was where and what was happening on the battlefield. How one could write an account of a battle with out good maps is beyond me.

The maps in Champion Hill are fantastic. Not only for their clarity but the sheer number of them is truly amazing. Needless to say I loved them.

The style of his writing actually left me with the desire to pick it up again to see how things were going on the Middle Road and the Jackson Rd., just like a good mystery book.

I give it an A+.

Keep'em coming but don't forget the maps !!