Synopses & Reviews
Instead of offering another look at the most significant military and political events, Curiosities of the Civil War focuses on relatively unknown and obscure aspects of the war.
It is estimated that 623,000 soldiers died during the Civil War. If the June 1865 surrender of Kirby-Smith's forces is taken as the last hurrah of the Confederacy, then the war lasted almost fifty months. Fighting took place on each of the war's approximately 1,396 days from 1861 to 1865; as tabulated by Frederick H. Dyer, 10,455 military events took place during the war. Millions of men and thousands of encounters produced a multitude of extraordinary things.
Numerous chapters in Curiosities of the Civil War focus upon events or emphases that have been neglected-maybe because they're hard to locate. It is all but impossible to find more than an occasional reference to banishment or deportation, and major multi-volume works seldom include an index entry dealing with hostages. Subjects such as atrocities and appraisals by contemporaries, to say nothing of Lincoln's appearance, are not found in standard Civil War encyclopedias and dictionaries.
Even seasoned readers are likely to discover much that is new and fresh here. Whether you're a lifelong enthusiast or just beginning to get acquainted with the Civil War, you'll find a trove of conversation-starters here.
Synopsis
Civil War buffs, be warned: Webb Garrison's Curiosities of the Civil War may catch you off guard.
Packed with obscurities and bizarre anecdotes, it spills over with specifics you've likely never heard. Debated, reenacted, and analyzed, the Civil War has been the subject of countless books, films, and scholarly research--many of them quite repetitious. This nuanced perspective on the war provides a glimpse beyond the bloody battles, casualties, and political conflict. You'll discover:
- The first sitting president to be exposed to enemy fire
- What badgers, pigeons, and bear cubs had in common during the war
- Which of Stonewall Jackson's limbs received its own proper burial
- The turtle-shaped ship designed to douse its opponents with boiling water
- Which Confederate general was responsible for introducing camels to the Southwest
This cache of peculiar characters and stories will deepen your understanding of the war and the people who engaged in it.
Synopsis
Previously published as two separate works: Civil War curiosities in 1994, and More Civil War curiosities in 1995.