Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era

In 1988, Princeton history professor James McPherson published Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era (Oxford University Press, 2003 or 1988 edition), a volume in the Oxford History of the United States series. Winner of the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for history, McPherson’s work has subsequently been recognized as one of the masterpieces of American historical writing. Gracefully written and filled with judicious analysis, the volume covers the period from 1848 to 1865, telling both the story of the war’s coming and how it was fought. We will discuss the clear and compelling accounts of the war’s military history and the political events that divided the nation and shaped the war’s outcome. This fall, we will read and discuss the book’s first half. A Spring 2024 study group will consider the second half. For those who have never read a book about the Civil War, this account will be an excellent introduction. Whether this is your first read or you have already had the pleasure of reading this book, join us for this remarkable discussion of the Civil War.