Ordinary Heroes: Bruce Catton’s Civil War Masterpiece

One of the most popular works ever written about the Civil War, Bruce Catton’s Army of the Potomac Trilogy is a masterpiece of historical storytelling and a groundbreaking work of scholarship. Join distinguished historians Gary W. Gallagher, editor of LOA’s new one-volume edition, and Harold Holzer for a conversation about how Catton’s democratic focus on the experiences of soldiers-in the heat of battle and in the quieter moments of everyday army life-transformed Civil War history and still enthralls.
Thanks to our promotional partners: Association of Literary Scholars, Critics, and Writers (ALSCW), American Historical Association (AHA), National Council for History Education (NCHE), and University of Virginia.
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[@tomservo5347]

I love one of Catton's many little stories he'd heard firsthand from veterans and letters. A New England private was scared that he'd run in his first fight and so asked his captain to check on him. Soon in their first fight the captain went to check on the private and found him calmly loading his musket. The private saw the captain and with a mouthful of powder smiled and said "Powda goes in fust, right?" It was these many little stories and Catton's own experience as a young boy growing up surrounded by older Civil War veterans. He distinctly remembered every spring a veteran peddling cherries with the bail of the bucket over the stump of his arm that he'd lost fighting in the Wilderness. This tangible link made Catton IMHO the one author that captured the essence and spirit of these men. To paraphrase Catton 'these old, dignified men gave the sense of being quiet pillars of the community.' 'A Stillness At Appomattox' is for me the pinnacle of Catton's gifted writing. His writing goes nearly mystic when speaking of Lincoln's vision for the country 'of the far distant shore which only he seemed able to catch glimpses of great and terrible things covered by shrouds of darkness.' I've read that many scholars dismiss Catton; they can keep their pretentiousness because I've struggled through some books that are as stimulating as watching paint dry. Catton gave accounts very much in the style of Sam Watkins' 'Company Aytch or a Side Show of the Big Show' that engages the reader.

[@syang1116]

When Bruce Catton was 10, those Civil War veterans around him were about mid 60s. That was a perfect age to bring back those unforgetable journeys back to live and put them onto some talented storytellers' mind to forge legendary books so, as a foreigner, I can touch the scenes and heritages which I (an ordinary people) could not possibly say anything but admire.

[@jessebarajas7972]

Brilliant!

[@andrewsilverstein6186]

What a great pleasure...beautiful conversation

[@davidtrindle6473]

I read Catton in the early sixties as a teenager. Absolutely beautiful!

[@jonnie106]

I too was captivated by Catton's "Picture History" book. It was my favorite book to pull from the library shelf. The illustrations fascinated me; the birds eye view of regiments of blue and grey in lines of battle marching and firing on each other. The battlefields displayed in scale the famous areas of the sub-stories of the major battles including the casualties. The Sunken Road, Marye's Heights, Devils Den and the Mule Shoe. The editing also had the famous photography work done on the battlefields. What fascinated me most was that these battles were Americans fighting against each other. As I got older I understood a tremendous issue of great concern had to be driving members of the same country to make the level of war on each other, that Catton's book illustrated.

[@UrbaNSpiel]

1:04:17

[@UrbaNSpiel]

Hope you don’t dissapoint but this is a recycled book or 3 books put together. Lol. Gallagher’s lectures on the great courses are great especially Lee’s high command. 🎉