The book, “Battle Cry of Freedom,” authored by James McPherson, narrates the social, political and military events that took place in between the start of the Mexican War and the end of the civil war in the United States of America. The McPherson main argument is that the outcome of the civil war was not easily determinable because there were several turning points when fortune would have tilted to either way. The purpose of writing the book was to give a relatively evenhanded contention of the two sides of the Civil War: the Union and the Confederate. With this unique stance and narration style, McPherson an exciting account of American history for his fellow historical professional, educated popular audiences, as well as fledglings in the purview of American history.
McPherson, in supporting his argument, does not endorse the arguments put across as the reason behind the victory of the Union. Rather than suggesting that the Union has specific advantages over the Confederates, McPherson focuses his argument on the concept of contingency. He posits that the overall outcome of the civil war was dependent on the outcome of other trivial battles that had the potential of going either way; “numerous critical points during the war things might have gone altogether differently” (McPherson 858). For instance, McPherson argues that had not been for the successful countering of George Meade by Robert Lee at Gettysburg, then the Confederates would have had an easy time in invading either Baltimore or Philadelphia (p. 892). In this regard, he gives a balanced argument without favoring either side.
Furthermore, McPherson intensifies his support for his central argument by giving a possible outcome of Abraham Lincoln’s presidency. He argues that the re-election of Lincoln desperately relied on the William Tecumseh Sherman’s conquest at Atlanta in 1864. Otherwise, Lincoln would have lost his bid for re-election, and perhaps the Confederates would have taken office. By giving the real turn of events and the possibility, McPherson can further emphasis on his argument on contingency (p. 902).
McPherson goes against the grain in making his argument. Several authors have weighed in on the issue and have often supported the notion that the Union was relatively advantageous in terms of resources. For instance, Caroline Jenney argues that the enhanced industrial capacity of the Union made it possible for military supplies, such as uniforms and guns, to be availed to the soldiers whereas the Confederates struggled to supply their soldiers with food and shoes (Jenney 51). Moreover, David et al. posits that the Union had a large population and hence used utilized this advantage to win over the Confederates (p. 167). However, McPherson’s argument is sound. McPherson argues that the numbers and resources of the Union were not any way determinative because the Confederates fought a defensive war on its territory. Further, McPherson contends that both sides had superior leadership and also lacked morale at some point, albeit equally, in the course of the war and, therefore, these cannot be used as determinative factors for the victory of the war. In so doing, McPherson fortifies his argument of contingency and, therefore, achieves the purpose of the book: contingency.
McPherson writes the book with an exciting style that enhances understanding. Rather than using jargon in the book, McPherson uses simple-to-understand language. However, he uses military terminologies throughout the book but provides footnotes to give the reader a clue to the meaning of the terminologies. Even so, the book is bulky and unless the reader has ample time to finish the book, he or she will read a few of the first chapters; meaning that then he or she will only have read the background of the actual narration.
In conclusion, the McPherson’s book is superb and beautifully written despite the bulky pages of the book. In fact, through providing the background of the Civil War, a reader can derive a great deal of insights on the American history. Besides, challenging the common belief that the numbers and resources of the Union led to its victory in the war helps the readers to intensify his or her thinking besides offering him or her additional knowledge of this remarkable historical event. As such, McPherson’s qualification to write about American history is unmistakable.
Works Cited
Donald, David H, Jean H. Baker, and Michael F. Holt. The Civil War and Reconstruction. New
York, NY: Norton, 2001. Print.
Janney, Caroline E. Remembering the Civil War: Reunion and the Limits of Reconciliation.
Chapel Hill : The University of North Carolina Press 2013. Print.
McPherson, James M. Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. New York: Oxford University
Press, 2011. Internet resource.
