Decisions of the Atlanta Campaign : the twenty-one critical decisions that defined the operation /

A century and a half after its conclusion, the Civil War continues to generate a great deal of literature. There is no shortage of biographies and battle accounts either. Yet despite this plethora of writings, there is still room for more. This is especially the case for Peterson's richly detailed account of the Atlanta Campaign of 1864. An independent scholar, Peterson looks closely at each decision the combatants made as the campaign unfolded, considering the options available to each fighting force at every stage of the Union journey to Atlanta across the Georgia countryside. This exceptionally detailed book is surprisingly accessible to both dedicated Civil War scholars and anyone curious about how the Atlanta Campaign was conducted. The Peterson book is part of Tennessee's "Command Decisions in America's Civil War" series, in which each book takes a similar detailed look at a specific Civil War battle. Skillfully written and organized, the book is well situated to occupy the shelves of most collections that support research on the Civil War. Summing Up: Recommended. Advanced undergraduates and above; general readers. --Edward A. Goedeken, Iowa State University