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Reviews
Days of Glory
The Army of the Cumberland, 1861–1865
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By Larry J. Daniel
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| (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2004. Pp. xviii, 490. $44.95.) |
| Larry J. Daniel's study of the Army of the Cumberland traces the organization's history from its inception in 1861 through the end of the Civil War. Daniel explains his book as "an analysis that focuses primarily on the command level—the personalities of the generals and the dynamics between them" (p. xiii). He points out that this is neither a detailed military history of engagements nor a social history of enlisted men, though he does provide readers with glimpses into the perspectives and experiences of common soldiers. Days of Glory is an important contribution to the expanding literature on the Civil War's western theater. |
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Daniel presents vivid portraits of the men chosen to lead the Army of the Cumberland, also known early in the war as the Army of the Ohio. He demonstrates the physical and mental debacles experienced by early army commanders Robert Anderson, hero of Fort Sumter, and the well-known Union general William Tecumseh Sherman. Daniel likewise analyzes the leadership of Don Carlos Buell and William S. Rosecrans. Both commanded the army for substantial periods of time and experienced considerable success, though ultimately each was removed due to poor leadership. Long-serving George H. Thomas did not officially become the commander of the army until relatively late in the war, but Daniel shows Thomas's influence on the army throughout its history. |
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Daniel astutely reveals how personal relationships between commanders and their subordinate officers affected the successes and failures of the Army of the Cumberland. He provides numerous examples of times when personal antagonisms among the army's top officers hindered its performance. He also takes readers into the middle of arguments between army commanders and the Lincoln administration—especially on the objective of driving the Confederates from Unionist East Tennessee—and places the Army of the Cumberland into the context of the wider Union war effort. |
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In a time of great uncertainty, the army's commanders led thousands of enlisted men and officers who often had very different views on the politics and goals of the Union cause. Daniel chronicles the heavy influence of politically conservative officers from Kentucky upon the army in its early years. As the war progressed, however, this group gradually lost influence, and the army was assailed by competing political forces from within and without. In this way, Daniel demonstrates the influence of national and state politics on the army's performance. |
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Daniel accomplishes the goals he established for this study. His book reflects diligent and extensive research, and he addresses substantial issues in Civil War scholarship with a clear prose and engaging style that make this a very enjoyable book to read. Daniel has crafted a fine study that will be of interest to general readers and to academic and public history professionals alike. |
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Days of Glory has particular relevance for individuals interested in learning more about the roles of Indiana soldiers during the Civil War. Numerous regiments from the state fought with the Army of the Cumberland in battles in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia. Daniel's work offers an overview of the time they spent in camp, on the march, and in battles, and provides great insight into the leaders under whom they served. |
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Miranda L. Fraley is the director of Curatorial Interpretive Planning at the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville. In addition to curating exhibits and writing interpretive literature, her work has appeared in publications such as the Tennessee Historical Quarterly and the Indiana Magazine of History. Current research projects include a community study of Lexington, Tennessee.
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