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Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam (Pivotal Moments in American History) |  | Author: James M. McPherson
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Category: Book
List Price: $15.95
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Rating:  71 reviews
Sales Rank: 285779
Media: Paperback
Pages: 224
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.8
ISBN: 0195173309
Dewey Decimal Number: 973
EAN: 9780195173307
ASIN: 0195173309
Publication Date: March 5, 2002
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Amazon.com Review
The bloodiest day in United States history was September 17, 1862, when, during the Civil War battle at Antietam, close to 6,500 soldiers were killed or mortally wounded and another 15,000 were seriously wounded. Moreover, James M. McPherson states in his concise chronicle of the event Crossroads of Freedom, it may well have been the pivotal moment of the war and possibly of the young republic itself. The South, after a series of setbacks in the spring of 1862, had reversed the war's momentum during the summer, and was on not only on the "brink of military victory" but about to achieve diplomatic recognition by European nations, most notably England and France. Though the bulk of his book concerns itself with the details--and incredible carnage--of the battle itself, McPherson raises it above typical military histories by placing it in its socio-political context: The victory prodded Abraham Lincoln to announce his "preliminary" Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves. England and France deferred their economic alliance with the battered secessionists. Most importantly, it kept Lincoln's party, the Republicans, in control of Congress. McPherson's account is accessible, elegant, and economical. --H. O'Billovich
Product Description
The Battle of Antietam, fought on September 17, 1862, was the bloodiest single day in American history, with more than 6,000 soldiers killed--four times the number lost on D-Day, and twice the number killed in the September 11th terrorist attacks. In Crossroads of Freedom, America's most eminent Civil War historian, James M. McPherson, paints a masterful account of this pivotal battle, the events that led up to it, and its aftermath. As McPherson shows, by September 1862 the survival of the United States was in doubt. The Union had suffered a string of defeats, and Robert E. Lee's army was in Maryland, poised to threaten Washington. The British government was openly talking of recognizing the Confederacy and brokering a peace between North and South. Northern armies and voters were demoralized. And Lincoln had shelved his proposed edict of emancipation months before, waiting for a victory that had not come--that some thought would never come. Both Confederate and Union troops knew the war was at a crossroads, that they were marching toward a decisive battle. It came along the ridges and in the woods and cornfields between Antietam Creek and the Potomac River. Valor, misjudgment, and astonishing coincidence all played a role in the outcome. McPherson vividly describes a day of savage fighting in locales that became forever famous--The Cornfield, the Dunkard Church, the West Woods, and Bloody Lane. Lee's battered army escaped to fight another day, but Antietam was a critical victory for the Union. It restored morale in the North and kept Lincoln's party in control of Congress. It crushed Confederate hopes of British intervention. And it freed Lincoln to deliver the Emancipation Proclamation, which instantly changed the character of the war. McPherson brilliantly weaves these strands of diplomatic, political, and military history into a compact, swift-moving narrative that shows why America's bloodiest day is, indeed, a turning point in our history.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 71
 mcpherson gets it wrong, again. July 9, 2010
edgewater
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
the extensively documented 'freedom' by william safire, though decades old, makes very clear that lincoln, love him as we all do, did not emancipate the blacks out of principle. he did it as a war strategy. the evidence is clear: had he wanted to emancipate the slaves as a moral principle, he would have done it for all blacks, but he limited the proclamation to the dixie states. those slaves still in the union were still slaves until after the war. and his strategy, though shrewd, was cynical. he hoped, by freeing the slaves in the rebel south, to induce those newly freed men to be a source of sabotage against dixie assets. even more cynical, he thought that rebel soldiers would fear that their women back home would be raped by the newly freed blacks and therefore desert their units.
 good background book December 28, 2008
Jeffrey T. Elder (chehalis, wa United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I was disapointed by this book because I was looking for more details on the battle of Antietam. The book is short, 158 pagesof actual reading, you dont get to the battle until around 120. But love the way the book is written and it gives a good overview of what happend before this battle. The book is not boring by any means and is worth your money. Would be great for a student working on a civil war project.
 Does a brilliant job of looking at the "meaning" of the battle of Antietam (a review of the audiobook) September 27, 2008
DWD (Indianapolis, IN)
McPherson does an extraordinary job of tying in many of the political and military threads of this war to demonstrate that Antietam was the day that determined the outcome of the war, and not the more popular belief that it was July 4, 1863 with the dual losses for the Confederacy at Vicksburg and Gettysburg.
I have nearly 70 books that cover the Civil War on my bookshelf. Most books that cover the Civil War compartmentalize the battles into little chapters with titles like "Chancellorsville", "Antietam" and "Shiloh". The battles are thoroughly covered but the feel for the larger flow of the war is sacrificed.
McPherson dramatically sweeps the reader along and I was left with a renewed sense of amazement and respect for the fact that Lee's Army of Northern Virginia was able to fight, let alone go on the offensive against two seperate armies and fight multiple, large battles from June through September of 1862.
McPherson provides multiple quotations from those involved in the political and military events of the time. In fact, at times the story is told mostly through choice quotes from generals, ambassadors and prominent private citizens such as Frederick Douglass and Horace Greeley.
The audiobook was well read by Nelson Runger. The audiobook last about 5 hours and 45 minutes and was a joy to listen to.
Antietam in its context June 19, 2008
David W. Nicholas (Montrose, CA USA)
The Civil War has had many books written about it over the years. I've got a small portion of them (several hundred at least I would guess) and they have varying points of view and different attitudes. In the current book, Pulitzer Prize-winner James McPherson convincingly recounts the events surrounding the Battle of Antietam, and places it in the context of those surrounding events. He demonstrates that the battle, because of the circumstances at the time, was the most crucial battle of the war, more important than Gettysburg or any other, because of the international implications that it had, and the effect it had on the civilian populations North and South. The actual battle is only briefly dealt with.
This is one of those books which is hard to categorize. It's not really a full-fledged historical work. It's only 150+ pages, just over 200 with the index, bibliography, and notes, and it really has only one serious theme (that of the battle's importance). As such, it's really more along the lines of an extended essay than an actual full historical account of the battle. This isn't bad, but the reader should know this before they buy the book. I would suggest, if a reader is looking to educate themselves about the battle, that this is a good introduction: Sears or Murfin would provide much more detail and analysis if those were needed.
Concise and informative June 12, 2007
Solomon (Colorado)
This book is in the Pivotal Moments in American History series and the thrust of the book is to show why the battle of Antietam deserves to be considered a pivotal moment. This book focuses on the failings of General McClellan and on the political (both domestic and foreign) importance of this battle. Even a partial Confederate victory would likely have led to Britain and France forcing a negotiated settlement of the war, or at least it would have led to the recognition of the Confederacy as an independent state, which was a major Confederate aim. A complete Confederate victory could have led to their occupation of Washington and a complete collapse of the Union forces. As such, Professor McPherson makes a strong case for this being the most pivotal battle of the American Civil War. Other battles were very important, but it is likely that they would not have been fought had the Union not won the battle of Antietam, even if the victory was less than a complete one. The partial Union victory improved the Republican showing in the congressional elections of 1862, led to the dismissal of General McClellan, prevented the European recognition of the Confederacy, and allowed Lincoln to present the Emancipation Proclamation (which he had formulated weeks before) thereby permanently preventing any European recognition of the Confederacy.
This is a short book (only 156 pages of text). It briefly discusses military events of 1862 and how these led to a continual seesawing of the fortunes of the North and South. It then discusses the factors immediately leading up to the battle and the importance of the battle. However, the fighting of the battle is only covered in a brief 34-page chapter, so those looking for a detailed history of the battle itself may be disappointed.
Professor McPherson shows why he is currently a preeminent Civil War scholar. His writing is entertaining and the points he makes are made forcefully and clearly. This is a great book for those who what to know why Antietam was a pivotal moment in American history, as well as for those who not ready to tackle his 952-page complete history of the Civil War.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 71
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