American Civil War Guerrillas: Changing the Rules of Warfare

by Daniel E. Sutherland

Overview

Focusing on a little-known yet critical aspect of the American Civil War, this must-read history illustrates how guerrilla warfare shaped the course of the war and, to a surprisingly large extent, determined its outcome.

The Civil War is generally regarded as a contest of pitched battles waged by large armies on battlefields such as Gettysburg. However, as American Civil War Guerrillas: Changing the Rules of Warfare makes clear, that is far from the whole story. Both the Union and Confederate armies waged extensive guerrilla campaigns—against each other and against civilian noncombatants.

Exposing an aspect of the War Between the States many readers will find unfamiliar, this book demonstrates how the unbridled and unexpectedly brutal nature of guerrilla fighting profoundly affected the tactics and strategies of the larger, conventional war. The reasons for the rise and popularity of guerrilla warfare, particularly in the South and lower Midwest, are examined, as is the way each side dealt with its consequences. Guerrilla warfare's impact on the outcome of the conflict is analyzed as well. Finally, the role of memory in shaping history is touched on in an epilogue that explores how veteran Civil War guerrillas recalled their role in the war.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313377662
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	08/12/2013
Series:	Reflections on the Civil War Era
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	285,772
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Daniel E. Sutherland is distinguished professor of history at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

Table of Contents

Series Foreword ix

Introduction xi

Chapter 1 Confederate Perceptions, 1861 1

Chapter 2 Guerrillas at War, 1861-1862 11

Chapter 3 Being a Guerrilla 23

Chapter 4 Union Reaction, 1861-1862 37

Chapter 5 Turning Point, 1863 49

Chapter 6 The Wheels of Justice 63

Chapter 7 Guerrillas Rampant, 1864-1865 73

Chapter 8 Final Reckoning, 1864-1865 87

Epilogue: Legacy of the Guerrilla War 99

Appendix A Letter from General Henry W. Halleck to Dr. Francis Lieber, August 6, 1862 111

Appendix B Guerrilla Parties Considered with Reference to the Laws and Usages of War Dr. Francis Lieber 113

Appendix C General Orders No. 100: "Lieber's Code" 125

Notes 129

Bibliographical Essay 149

Index 157

What People are Saying About This

James A. Ramage

"This path-breaking book is the first to describe the entire panorama of guerrilla warfare in the Civil War. With impressive research and lively writing, Dan Sutherland demonstrates that guerrilla activity was more widespread and deadly than believed and the devastating impact on communities on the border and throughout the South contributed decisively to Union victory."

William C. Davis

"Dan Sutherland makes a bold claim when he asserts that guerrilla warfare on the fringes of the Civil War had a decisive influence on that conflict's outcome. After reading American Civil War Guerrillas: Changing the Rules of Warfare, however, many will conclude that his claim is not a stretch too far. Sutherland has already established himself as the leading authority in the field of guerrilla studies, and here he presents the most comprehensive study and analysis yet. In the process he firmly establishes that the guerrilla conflict of the 1860s also had a decisive impact on how partisan warfare would be conducted and judged down to the conflicts of our own generation. This is a vital work for anyone interested in the terrifying war in the shadows."

Paul Christopher Anderson

"The Civil War is all different now. We think about it differently, talk about it differently, understand it differently. And that's because Daniel Sutherland has been a leader in the very small band of historians whose insurgency over the last generation has made the guerrilla war essential. This book isn't just the place to start to understand the decisive impact of guerrilla warfare on the Civil War. It's a place to begin understanding the War itself—the very nature of the thing—anew."

George C. Rable

"More than any other historian, Daniel Sutherland has made guerrilla warfare an important aspect of Civil War military, political, and social history. American Civil War Guerrillas shows in a concise and incisive way how these irregular warriors helped change the rules and nature of combat. Sutherland's book will lead readers to rethink their understanding of the war from start to finish. This is a thought-provoking work by one of our finest Civil War historians."

Editorial Reviews

This book effectively succeeds in serving the author's broader crusade of bringing irregular warfare into the consciousness of Civil War readers, in order to share equal value with the more traditional conventional battles and leaders of that conflict. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels/libraries.” —Choice

“This monograph is a primer unsurpassed both in scope and clarity of presentation.” —America's Civil War

From the Publisher