The Civil War: A Narrative, Volume 1 | Shelby Foote | From Cover to Cover | The Players' Aid

Alexander reviews the first volume of Shelby Foote's epic American Civil War Narrative, and discusses some wargames in and out of The Players' Aid collection that cover battles and campaigns described in the book.
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[@sonsofliberty75]

My ears melt listening to Foote’s southern drawl talking about the American Civil War.

[@varovaro1967]

Battle Cry is maybe the best one volume

[@craigforrest]

Hey Alexander, I'm glad you are reading this trilogy. Great for understanding the overall course of the war.

[@thomaskaplan4898]

I'm listening to the same book. My wargame buddy and I are working our way into the Civil War. We wanted more background . I find it to be an easy read, but your point about finding visual aids is well taken. Often wargaming fills in the gap. You really understand the challenges the participants face when you game it. I dont mind the bias, Shelby Foote is upfront about his heritage. All historians are biased, it can't be helped. But a historian who is upfront about their bias, is refreshing.

[@michaelcampbell4318]

Great video review, Alexander. As for ACW games: I have my eye on GMT’S Rebel Fury by Mark Herman. This is a division level game that comes with six battles - all supposedly playable in an evening. It looks really good. Rebel Fury is Volume I in the series. Volume II is titled: Army of the Potomac: Campaigns of 1862 and 1864.

[@RealHenryKnox]

Shelby's set is so good I read it twice! Great stuff, thanks Alexander.

[@briansmolinski5154]

I love reading books about the wargames I'm currently playing. I read Battle Cry of Freedom while I learned GCACW - highly recommend that one!

[@peterschief9778]

It’s a very well recorded war because of popular literacy. That makes it great for replaying games with books open.

[@seansullivan4082]

Foote deliberately wrote the volumes in the Homeric style, using catchphrase descriptions such as tatterdemalion legions to convey a heroic and personal sense of identity running throughout the narrative. He is a novelist by background and wanted to present the conflict from the personal perspective of multiple characters rather engage in an historical analysis.

[@MichaelCorryFilms]

The west point map guides are a fairly good and cheap option. They will show you theater maps and campaign movements.

[@douglewis1273]

Battle cry of freedom great. Reading Shelby Foote in the time Life treatment. Great video series and reading a book while playing a game is always awesome.

[@ZharelAnger]

The war on the American Plains is often overlooked in Civil War sagas. "Dark Undercurrents" covers this gap through the eyes of the Miniconjou Lakota and a Welsh immigrant, George Edmund Nighy, who became the first Justice of the Peace in Wyoming, a state that was named after Sunset (Wiiyaya), a Lakota Buffalo Road Woman (Warchief). All in under 476 pages.

[@michaelscherer6416]

This trilogy is epic! I could listen to Foote being interviewed forever! If you prefer audiobooks, Grover Gardner the Great does the narration for this trilogy, I highly recommend

[@stephenjantscher4116]

Great video. I agree with everyone else that the better read is Battle Cry of Freedom. A better history. Might I also recommend a more recent military history of the Civil War called "A Savage War" by Murray and Hsieh. This was published in 2016 by Princeton University Press. I came across this book at a Half Price book store, and picked it up on a whim. Boy was I lucky, it is right up there with McPherson's in detail but with thirty years more research to build upon. Wargamers especially will appreciate this book most of all. About Shelby Foote, I have and read his trilogy many years ago, before Ken Burn's Civil War made him a familiar face. Recently I came across a clip of him discussing the cause of the rebellion, and was appalled at his casual "lost cause-ism" excuse for the war. I had forgotten about that. Too bad that his southern roots blinded him to the ugly roots of southern rebellion. His words are now printed forever, and do not do him credit.

[@penchant4]

Mr. Foote wrote the trilogy by hand, using a dip pen...one million plus words...between 1958 and 1974. Random House had commissioned a single volume history of the American Civil War. The obvious question is whether you have seen Ken Burn's series The Civil War? Your videos are always interesting and engaging.

[@lakingsgeek]

I've made a habit of reading books on the topics covered by the games I want to get to the table. Since getting into war gaming a few years ago I've read so many more books than I would have if I had never gotten interested in the hobby. I've become such a cliche of a middle aged dude. ;-)

[@r.l.jeffries1091]

Haha, I'm waiting for the Time Life 14 vol. set of Foote's Civil War to arrive in the mail where they added a ton of maps and photographs. I was searching KZbin to see if anyone posted videos of them and of course I come across my favorite board game channel talking about the books in the context of historical board gaming!

[@ThePlayersAid]

Just looked that up and didn't know it existed, would love to see some sample pics when they arrive!

[@r.l.jeffries1091]

@@ThePlayersAid You bet.

[@ZharelAnger]

I feel you on that read of The Civil War. I read Blumenthal's three-part series on Lincoln. It was thick, heavy, but satisfying. 54 hours of reading at about 2 hours per day - quite a marathon at a total of ~1200 pages.

[@johnsakelaris7]

I really enjoyed your video. I think it is good to read both the Shelby Foote Trilogy and the McPherson book. I have enjoyed them both. Foote seems to be more CSA friendly to some, but note that at the end of Vol 1 he covered Emancipation, telling of how "the Lincoln music sounded in what would someday be known as its full glory." Further, in his biographical note at the end of Vol 2 (published in 1963) Shelby Foote was very critical of the Southern governors who were then resisting the Civil Rights movement As for the McPherson book, one notable difference is that he spends about a third of his book covering the years leading up to the Civil War. It is good to also get that background.

[@caomhan84]

If I remember correctly (and I might not, because it's been many years since I read these), Foote also makes no bones about slavery being a root cause of the war, as well as going into detail about Lincoln's many strengths. So I think modern critics are a bit harsh when they say he was a proponent of the Lost Cause. He was a Southerner and didn't simply portray Southerners as "bad guys," and I think that rubs some modern readers the wrong way.

[@johnsakelaris7]

Correction: I meant to type bibliographical, not biographical.

[@princedetenebres]

@@caomhan84 It rubs those of us in the reality-based community the wrong way when one has to disingenuously present their cause as anything but deplorable. Men who would tear the Republic in two and provoke a war -- the deadliest in American history I feel obliged to add, for the purpose of retaining a class of people in bondage are not 'good' -- (why the war occurred) “because we failed to do the thing we really have a genius for, which is compromise.” “The Confederacy stood for a great many things other than slavery… It was other things, many other things.” Now, given that the Confederate constitution had exactly two substantive changes -- ironclad protection for slavery and the 6-year Presidential term... well, the latter is sure doing a helluva lot of heavy lifting. I suppose they did also directly mention the christian deity which the US constitution does not, so there you go, I guess... Here's one more: "What's more, I would fight for the Confederacy today if the circumstances were similar. There's a great deal of misunderstanding about the Confederacy, the Confederate flag, slavery, the whole thing. The political correctness of today is no way to look at the middle of the 19th century. The Confederates fought for some substantially good things. States' rights is not just a theoretical excuse for oppressing people. You have to understand that the raggedy Confederate soldier who owned no slaves and probably couldn't even read the Constitution, let alone understand it, when he was captured by Union soldiers and asked, 'What are you fighting for?' replied, 'I'm fighting because you're down here.' So I certainly would have fought to keep people from invading my native state." Fuck him and those who propagate the vile lie of the lost cause of Southern apologists.

[@jasonstapley1265]

You mentioned it, but Worthington's Civil War Brigade Series is my recommendation. I like it because it's not too complex, just a nice simple game I can get on the table and play. Gettysburg was delivered a couple of months ago and they've already finished the Kickstarter for the next battle in the series, Franklin 1864.

[@ThePlayersAid]

We have both of those and will play at least one of them this year!

[@jamesbrazeal3847]

I live pretty close to Pea Ridge. Been wanting to get a game with it.

[@GrumpyOldMan63]

Good video. I've read Foote's Civil War books decades? ago. Great read. I do have In Magnificent Style, which is a quick push-your-luck game on Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg (day 3). Also have Battles and Leaders of the Civil War books, which was written by the participants, which I have read portions of. I do have Cruel Necessity on the English Civil War.

[@johnsakelaris7]

For games covering the American Civil War, I lean to strategic studies that cover the entire struggle from the Chesapeake all the way to the Trans-Mississippi Theater. For many years my preference was for A House Divided. More recently, however, I have been won over to The US Civil War, with its beautiful mounted maps. Best wishes to you as you play it, but be warned that it does have a great many rules. My playing of The US Civil War has been focused on the 1863 scenario. Based on what you stated in the video, I think that will be your preference as well. It opens with Lee and Jackson at their peak of strength in Virginia, a stalemate in central Tennessee, General Grant in position to challenge Vicksburg, cavalry units of each side that can go on raids, and a potentially active struggle in northwest Arkansas.

[@Pericalypsis]

GCACW is instabuy for me. You will like Here Come the Rebels (Maryland campaign) when you finally get your hands on it. Probably my favourite gaming experience to date. I haven't had quite the same luck with tactical US Civil War games. Blind Swords is decent, and good fun overall. Line of Battle and GBACW are both quite complex, but I haven't given them enough investment of time to fairly judge them. From a non-US perspective, I loved Shelby Foote's narrative trilogy. Beautifully written, fascinating detail, and of course, a decidedly Southern perspective (so what?). Battle Cry of Freedom was a bore, comparatively speaking. It felt like I was back in my grad student days reading a literature review. I prefer reading campaign studies, e.g. Joe Harsh's books on Lee's rise (Peninsula) and rebuff (Maryland) during 1862.

[@clipsolo]

Just listened to Jeff Shaara’s “Gods and Generals” and his fathers original work, “Killer Angels”. For a lighter and novel style about the personas and their struggles in the war I highly recommend the books. Killer Angels is about the battle of Gettysburg and is even more about the personalities rather than the narrative of the war but man, they do give a great perspective on the war.

[@DipGamer-lk4vv]

Agree that Battle Cry is a great read - very comprehensive (yet compact) coverage of all the factors contributing to the war. FWIW don't delay on playing The U.S. Civil War. It's a great game. I've observed that plenty of people outside the U.S. seem to like it, which says something.

[@Squamer08]

Have you and Grant played Herman’s Rebel Fury yet? I saw that on the left side of the screen. I really enjoy playing that game. I love the turn mechanic system of that game. Any game system that breaks that traditional I move, I attack, now your turn will always grab my interest.

[@jeffreyevans495]

The Civil War is the American tragedy. Foote improves as a narrative writer in Vol 2 & 3. I always had the opinion that Foote liked CSA generals like Joe Johnston, James Longstreet, and Patrick Cleburne, was ambivalent concerning Robert E Lee, and excoriated John Bell Hood, Bragg, and Beauregard. There's also the contrast between Lincoln and Davis. Lincoln outperformed and Davis was a continual disaster.

[@f12mnb]

Interesting observations - now you know how people outside of the UK might feel when reading about the campaigns of Alfred the Great, The English Civil War, The Jacobite Rebellion, :)

[@robertmoffitt1336]

I audio booked that trilogy. Each book was 50+ hours. I tried reading them when I was younger but bounced off of them hard. Audiobook was waay better for me. Good luck powering through them! Worthington's series says brigade level.

[@malcolmthompson9848]

If you are a premium member of Audible you can download the set for free

[@jeroenkoopman3368]

Hi Alexander. Shelby Footes books are awesome! Don't worry about playing For the People. Play US Civil War. Far better but it takes 3 times as long to play compared to FTP. I have all the GCACW and its my favorite game system, period. They're all great. Its worthwhile to buy them all.

[@RonaldOlszewski]

Is there an episode of TPA where Alexander tells the story of how it came to be that he became a transplant from the UK? I'd love to hear about it.

[@ThePlayersAid]

Probably, but it's not more complicated than my spouse, Kelly, is from Indiana, and her older sister is Paisley, Grant's spouse!

[@RonaldOlszewski]

@@ThePlayersAid I guess you're right, it's not that complicated :). Thanks for taking the time to reply!

[@ThePlayersAid]

@@RonaldOlszewski [= If you want more you can watch the topic part of: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZPdmqFordF_aKs

[@RonaldOlszewski]

@@ThePlayersAid Awesome, shall do!

[@timmeyspankey]

GBACW has a simplified rule set being developed. I dont know when it will be finished, but I've used a playtest version.

[@ThePlayersAid]

In the same vein as Simple GBOH? IF they can do that I would buy up the whole series, probably.

[@hqbwk]

Best book I ever read

[@davidhall9407]

I read both volumes and many others. Battle Cry of Freedom is far and away the BEST one volume. Not dry at all. It is in my top 10 best history books.

[@CptRoboto]

Great video. Fun read.

[@ZharelAnger]

Do not regret, Alexander; your shelves are bursting with little space for new games.

[@strelnikoff1632]

Vol 2 and 3 are much better. I think Foote was still feeling his way stylistically in vol 1

[@tommloye4626]

I know you’re dedicated to reading this series, but Battle Cry of Freedom is the one you want to invest time into.

[@chrissteadman4614]

And 'How the North Won'.

[@jameshenderson4876]

Better still, read both.

[@jays.8621]

Shelby Foote is such a great read though, deffo read both.

[@Jubilo1]

No.

[@Jubilo1]

Foote writes literature not academic tomes.

[@skiprydell1]

Foote is one of the best historians of the War. His value is confirmed by the politics of his critics.

[@StackingLimit]

Foote himself admitted he was not an historian.

[@jumpmaster82nd.]

Better story teller than a historian (as admitted) but an extraordinary story teller.

[@Jubilo1]

Superb prose unlike most history books. Sui generis. Also try Donald S. Frazier books.

[@mackdamerc8885]

You may have already heard this a thousand times, but I recommended reading "The Killer Angels" by Michael Shaara. Its light reading (roughly 300-360 pages depending on the publisher) which covers the battle of Gettysburg.

[@rossw9764]

You might like a little known video series called, The Civil War.

[@lazzurroClaudio]

Foote is a classic, but a highly problematic one. He propels many Lost Cause myths in his narrative. He is a gifted writer no doubt, but indeed not a historian. Battle Cry of Freedom is the way superior book.

[@user-if1fm9nn1l]

GBoH давай! Ерунды на надо. В России любят GBoH Simple!

[@joeykonyha2414]

I’ll be the 10th Dentist and say that the Foote trilogy is an awful introduction to the US Civil War. Shelby is a better novelist than historian and his wholesale adoption of the Lost Cause narrative is tiresome and outdated. Read Battle Cry of Freedom. Foote has also been a Klan apologist and has a homo-erotic fascination with Nathan Forrest.

[@lazzurroClaudio]

This.

[@pokefrosch617]

What, you are English? I never knew!