Fields of Glory: A History and Tour Guide of the War in the West, the Atlanta Campaign, 1864 (Miles, Jim. Civil War Explorer Series.)

Rating:
Summary: An excellent way to follow Sherman's campaign to Atlanta
Review: Finding Civil War related sites in North Georgia is no mean feat, but Miles' book really helps. I was able to see the majority of the most important sites in the Atlanta Campaign on a two day whirlwind car tour by following the route laid out by Fields of Glory. (Although a faithful and through tour following the book would have taken several days at least.) The interpretive background provided about each stop is extremely valuable, and I'm sure many of the sites I visited are not the sort of thing the casual Civil War tourist would ever find unaided. Also, the chapters describing the campaign history are very well written and provide just the right amount of detail. I did find that the (modern) maps in the book were somewhat less than adequate and, in many cases, there are no maps provided for some hard-to-find locations. I spent several hours before my trip printing off online street maps of each of the destinations. Without this prepration I probably would have gotten lost and would have seen a lot less. But, on balance, the book was exactly what I was looking for. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to tour the sites related to the Atlanta Campaign.

Rating:
Summary: The meticulously detailed text traces the path of the war
Review: Now in its second edition and part of the outstanding Cumberland House "Civil War Explorer" series, Fields Of Glory by American Civil War expert Jim Miles is an informed and informative study and tour guide of the American Civil War in the west, culminating with the Atlanta campaign of 1864. The meticulously detailed text traces the path of the war, chronicles its skirmishes and battles, and provides detailed directions for a self-guided driving tour that follows the path of history. Black and white photographs illustrate this superbly presented and highly recommended travel resource for an unforgettable journey that recounts the life-and-death saga of nearly a hundred and fifty years ago.