Overview

Long relegated to a secondary position behind Gettysburg, Vicksburg has more recently earned consideration by historians as the truly decisive battle of the Civil War and is indeed fascinating on many levels. A focal point of both western armies, the Federal campaign of manoeuvre that finally isolated the Confederates in the city was masterful. The Navy's contribution to the Federal victory was significant. The human drama of Vicksburg's beleaguered civilian population is compelling, and the Confederate cavalry dashes that first denied the Union victory were thrilling. But perhaps more than any other factor, the key to the Federal victory at Vicksburg was simply better leadership. It is this aspect of the campaign that Leadership Lessons: The Campaigns for Vicksburg, 1862–1863 seeks to explore. The first section of this book familiarises the reader with the challenges, characteristics, and styles associated with leadership during the Civil War in general. It also outlines the Vicksburg Campaign by explaining the strategic significance of the Mississippi River and Vicksburg, detailing the opposing forces and the terrain, discussing the failed attempts to capture Vicksburg over the winter of 1862–63, and tracing the brilliant campaign of manoeuvre and logistics that allowed Grant to ultimately lay siege and win a Federal victory. The second section of the book contains 30 “leadership vignettes” that span the actions of the most senior leaders down to those of individual soldiers. Each vignette focuses the campaign overview to the specific situation in order to provide appropriate context, explains the action in terms of leadership lessons learned, and concludes with a short list of “take-aways” to crystallise the lessons for the reader. SELLING POINTS: The fascinating history of Vicksburg, the truly decisive battle of the Civil War 16 page picture section

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9781612000039

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Reviews

...a valuable book for any program or school involved in leadership training: military academies and staff schools, business programs that feature management training come to mind. In this sense, the book is quite practical and sufficient in meeting its aim at presenting the valuable and integral part leadership plays in military campaigns. Overall, The Campaigns for Vicksburg is an excellent casebook study of command, which makes it suitable for leadership classes and curriculum in service or business schools. * Journal of Intelligence and National Security *

Author Information

Kevin Dougherty is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel. Formerly a faculty member in the History Department at the University of Southern Mississippi, he is currently a Tactical Officer at Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina.

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