Rating: 
Summary: So much carnage, so eloquently described...
Review: Simply a classic...Stephen Sears belongs in a class with Bruce Catton for Civil War writing elegance while not compromising comprehensiveness. In "Landscape Turned Red", Sears follows the Army of the Potomac from the retreat to Washington following 2nd Bull Run and carries it through the Confederate retreat back across the Potomac following the "defeat" at Sharpsburg. The regrouping of the Union army (now again under command of McClellan following the disasterous reign of John Pope) is covered in military and political context that shows where the state of both governments stood in the late summer of 1862. The Confederate administration was actively pursuing European intervention and Sears shows that the victory at 2nd Bull Run came very close to achieving that lofty goal...in fact, there were planned Parlimentary sessions to discuss this when the battle at Antietam occured. The Union state of affairs reflected the demoralizing state of the army and Lincoln's desperation for victory...he already had a draft copy of the Emancipation Proclamation ready to review with his Cabinet and Congress and just needed the proper showcase to administer it. Sears descibes the Confederate invasion of the North following the battle at Chantilly and the less than enthusiastic greeting of the people in Maryland...he really should have seen at this point that the invasion was in trouble. McClellan's chase of Lee takes on a whole new meaning when the "Order 191" of the Confederate invasion plan was found by a seargent at Frederick and the subsequent fighting at South Mountain and Harpers Ferry show Lee confused at McClellan's sudden agressiveness...Sears describes all this with his customary insight while also relying on 1st person accounts from the many diary/journal entries available from the soldiers and citizens of Maryland at this time. The preparations for the ultimate Confederate stand at Sharpsburg and Lee's unique skills at organizing his defense are offset by the plodding of McClellan and his underlying ineptness. Sears shows in graphic detail how opportunity after opportunity for Union victory are lost by McClellan and it's hard for the reader not to feel the frustration at this, especially with the knowledge of the coming carnage. The battle itself is covered wonderfully...Sears again (as in his book "To the Gates of Richmond") gives the reader just enough battle details to be comprehensive, but stops short at the overkill stage. He has a unique ability to take complex battle tactics and detail these in an organized, but at the same time readable, story. The personal side is again not ignored as numerous diary entries are shared from both sides of the conflict...the final result gives the reader a true feeling of what it was like on the field at Sharpsburg. This is really evident at his coverage of the first part of the battle on the Confederate left...charge and counter-charge followed by attack and counter-attack along the Hagerstown Pike and in the Cornfield and East and West Woods shows how the slaughter escalated throughout the morning. The shifting of the battle to the Sunken Road and to Burnside's Bridge carry on the unbelievable carnage, ending only at sunset with the armies essentially at their original starting point. Sears talks about McClellan's lack of nerve to continue the battle the next day, while showing Lee's bravery at staying the course...only after assesing the situation with his generals that day does he realize that, even with McClellan in command, it would only be a matter of time before another attack and Confederate disaster occured. Following the Confederate retreat across the Potomac, we see the slumbering McClellan refuse to chase him...even after direct orders from Lincoln to destroy Lee's army are given. The book then closes with McClellan's dismissal and Lincoln's frustration at another opportunity lost. Sears' ability to combine all this into a novel-like story while maintaining comprehensivness tells me that he truly deserves his title as one of the pre-eminent Civil War historians today and I really look forward to reading more of his work. I give this book my highest recommendation!
Rating:
Summary: Best book on the battle
Review: Stephen W. Sears, as always, has done a great job in presenting the battle of Antietam creek and the generals who participated in it. There is just the right balance between details and big-picture views, between little stories and big stories. Sears helps the reader to relive the battle from both sides. He gives a fair-sided approach to both armies and generals.This book showed me the importance of the battle. The battle was very important in the history of the war. For the South it was a failure. Only a couple hundred recruits were mustered in Maryland for the Army of Northern Virginia. The South would have to try another invasion sometime later. At the Battle of Antietam, George McClellan, a slow but brilliant general, almost captured Lee's whole army. Had it not been for A. P. Hill's timely arrival, Lee might have been forced to surrender. On the Northern side, there was great providence at work for them. A copy of Lee's general order showing the detailed orders for each division of the army fell into the hands of McClellan. McClellan acted quickly (at least for him) and soon had Lee in a desperate situation. Lee had the Potomac river behind him. Well, if you want to know the rest of the story and all the interesting details, get the book. In my opinion, Sears is the best writer on Civil War battles. If he write a book on the Civil War, get it, by all means (well, not *all*). Sears shows the brilliance of both McClellan and Lee (of course, Longstreet, Jackson, the Hills, etc. also). You NEED this book, if you are a Civil War buff.
Rating:
Summary: Taut, precise, graceful history of this monumental battle
Review: This outstanding book describes in detailed but very smooth prose the Civil War battle of Antietam in September, 1862. Sears describes the prelude to the battle superbly, introducing and characterizing the generals involved and their strengths and foibles, the landscapes involved, and the strategies followed (or not followed!). The text is an excellent interfolding of the traits of decision-making military leaders and how their strategic decisions manifest battle results. This outstanding and informative read is one of the best civil war histories I've read. Even readers who are not civil war buffs will enjoy the tense pace and clear descriptions, while experts on the battle are sure to learn from Sears thorough scholarship and learned viewpoints. Heartily recommended.
Rating:
Summary: A reluctant civil war reader
Review: With this book, Sears joined the company of McPherson, Foote and Catton; that is to say, he is one of the finest writers on the Civil War. Highly recommended.
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