The Civil War has shaped the culture and national identity more than any other event in the history of the United States. It polarised the country pitting brother against brother family against family and state against state. It continues to exert a profound influence on the lives and society nearly a century and a half after it ended. CIVIL WAR UP CLOSE is a thoroughly researched book that features numerous essays on fascinating aspects of the war that have been pretty much overlooked by modern historians. It re-examines accepted theories with a fresh new outlook and brings hard hitting analysis to several age-old questions such as: · Who were the best generals to emerge from the war? · Who were the worst? · Which battles and campaigns were the most influential? · What were the most important military and political decisions made by President Abraham Lincoln? Exploring aspects of the war where generally only the surface has been scratched you'll discover: · How close the Confederacy come to European recognition · Meet the unlucky men of the Civil War hall of shame · Which wartime governors actually hindered the war effort ·