Two New Books in the Emerging Civil War Series: Second Manassas and Knoxville

It’s been a great week for books around here at ECW. Our two latest releases from the Emerging Civil War Series dropped on authors’ doorsteps, which means they’ll also soon be on their way to bookstores. (We’ve even had a Second Manassas sighting at a Barnes & Noble already!) Of course, you can also order copies from Savas Beatie World Headquarters.

Never Such a Campaign: The Battle of Second Manassas, August 28–30, 1862 by Dan Welch and Kevin Pawlak traces the ill-starred career of Federal Maj. Gen. John Pope in the east as he comes to grief at the hands of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Lee’s “all-star” team of Longstreet, Jackson, and Stuart all perform at their collective best during the campaign. And John Pope? Well, Dan and Kevin love to trade shots with each other about Pope, and the result is as balanced a portrayal as you’re apt to find. (And if you want more John Pope, check out Mike Block’s book on the battle of Cedar Mountain, The Carnage was Fearful.)

And just as Never Such a Campaign details the story of a western general’s less-than-successful trip to the East, A Fine Opportunity Lost details the story of an eastern general’s less-than-successful trip to the West.

A Fine Opportunity Lost: James Longstreet’s East Tennessee Campaign, November 1863–April 1864 by Col. Ed Lowe (Ret.) traces James Longstreet’s troubled time in the Volunteer State following his smashing success at Chickamauga. Ed situates Longstreet’s mission within the larger context of Bragg’s head-scratching command, which essentially set up Longstreet for failure. Once frustrated at Knoxville, Lee’s Old Warhorse took on a decidedly pessimistic view of the entire Confederate war effort. Ed offers a fascinating character study.

A Fine Opportunity Lost is Ed’s first book, so this is a particularly exciting project to see through to completion for us!