“Melvin McClure’s book provides a thorough and well-organized presentation of the specific commanders involved in a small series of battles that occurred during the early portion of the Civil War. The movements and tactics of General Nathan Bedford Forrest described in these battles give the reader insight into his unique battle tactics from which he gained his reputation.†Lee M. Bolen; Professor Emeritus of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Mississippi; and great-grandson of Nathan Bedford Forrest
#2816910 in Books 2016-07-20Original language:English 9.00 x .12 x 6.00l; .19 #File Name: 153537087452 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Good OverviewBy Michael LapelosaThis book recounts the issues related to the Fugitive Slave Act; which was a key feature of the Compromise of 1850. This Act gave slaveholders increased powers to recapture slaves who had fled to free states. A slave found in a free state could be ordered captured by police or federal marshals and returned to the slaveholder without any trial or due process. Many people in the North were outraged and refused to comply with the law because they saw it as denying the rights of the individuals merely accused of being an escaped slave; without any proof. The very real possibility of southern slave owners extending grip over the law enforcement of Northern states was also objectionable. Some Northern states passed laws restricting the ability of federal marshals or bounty hunters to recapture escaped slaves. As a result; the Fugitive Slave Act ended up being one of the main issues that finally split the nation in two.The author does an excellent job of explaining the Act; and it's ramifications. The reader is provided with context and perspective by an impartial analysis of the law's genesis and long term effects.However; as sometimes happens with the Charles River series; the author feels compelled to include long quotes from contemporary sources; entire text of several Confederate State constitutions as well as the inclusion of the entire text of the Fugitive Slave Act. I fully recognize the relevance that contemporary. eye witness accounts can provide. However; I found both the length and frequency of these inclusions as boring and distracting. These are short books are designed to be concise and straightforward; and I think the reader could have been better served by less of these inclusions and more analysis.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great in depth read about not only the law but ...By ForeverAStudentGreat in depth read about not only the law but the politics of antebellum America. If you like the Civil War era; you'll love this book.
