too few maps; and the maps that are present are poorly coordinated with the text ( )

Excellent. The only jarring note was the use of written numbers for regiments rather than numerals as, after a few hundred pages, reading about the One Hundred First Indiana and Fifth-eighth Alabama was tiring! ( )

“The thunder of battle has ceased...but oh, a worse, more heartrending sound breaks the night air. The groans from thousands of wounded in our front crying in anguish and pain, some for death to relieve them, others for water. Oh, if only I could drown this terrible sound, and yet I may also lie thus ere tomorrow’s sun crosses the heavens. Who can tell? I must sleep in spite of it all.” Journal of Alva Griest, Company B, 72nd Indiana.

The titles of the books in Cozzens’ trilogy on the battles in Tennessee are all taken from contemporary writings--journals, letters, memoirs--of soldiers from both armies. It’s instructive that while No Better Place to Die was supposedly uttered by Union Major General George Thomas before the battle of Stone’s River, and The Shipwreck of Their Hopes from a Confederate letter during the retreat from Lookout Mountain, the title of this book, which covers the September 19-20, 1863 battle at Chickamauga Creek, refers to what never crosses anyone’s mind when the bands are playing and the flags are flying and the home folks are cheering and the soldiers themselves are whooping it up--the terrible cost. Antietam was far worse, as was Gettysburg and the Wilderness, but Chickamauga was bloody enough.

Griest was reacting to the night before the second--and worse--day’s battle. Conditions were frightful--almost as bad as would occur in the Wilderness, since much of the fighting was done in forest and underbrush, with a few cleared areas around farms. Although nowhere near so bad as in the Wilderness, brush fires started by sparks from cannon wadding and cartridge papers burned wounded men alive.

Cozzens does an outstanding job of describing the fighting, which was ferocious. He is also quite unbiased in his description of the incompetence on both sides that cost so many lives. When reading Chapter 20, Gentlemen, I Hold The Fatal Order Of The Day, Woods’ words when he received Rosecrans order to pull out of line and thus create a lethal gap--which Woods knew would happen--in the Union line as the Confederates, who were about to deliver a massive blow by Longstreet’s corps, were approaching, is enough to make you want to abolish the military by law. Woods was piqued--Rosecrans hurt his feelings, poor boy--and so out of this pique, to get back at Rosecrans, Woods lost the battle of Chickamauga for the Union, causing countless casualties. But he followed orders, despite the pleas of the staff officers around him, he did do that. Male wounded ego at its finest.

I was also quite pleased to read the description of Sheridan’s poor showing and retreat on the second day, instead of coming to Thomas’ aid as he should have. I’ve always believed Sheridan was overrated and it’s always nice to have one’s prejudices confirmed.

Cozzens pays a good deal of attention to Thomas’ famous stand at Horseshoe Ridge, which justifiably earned him the nickname, The Rock of Chickamauga. The description of the fighting and the role played by the rather weird revolving carbines used by the 21st Ohio is fascinating. Only in this book have I read of what was common during the Napolionic Wars; muskets would get fouled by powder residue, and English troops used to urinate into the barrels during the fighting to clear them out. Cozzens claims that the soldiers of the 21st Ohio, given the faster rate at which they fired their carbines, suffered the same problem--and solved it the same way. Male anatomy is peculiarly well suited for this task.

Perhaps having learned from his first book, the maps for This Terrible Sound are excellent--up until Chapter 19, which is the afternoon of the first day’s fighting and are utterly inadequate until Thomas’ heroic afternoon stand on September 20. Same cartographer, but much better maps when they occur! Also, Cozzens’ description of troop movements has improved to the point where it’s really not necessary to refer to the Order of Battle (OOB) to figure out which brigade belonged to what division.

Overall, a much better book than the first in the trilogy, and well worth reading even if you do have to use the maps in the early chapters to try to figure out where the fighting on the afternoon of the 19th took place. ( )

Peter Cozzens walks the complete battle through and provides a day by day positioning of the two forces. The detail is exact however doesn't delve into the personalities of the main characters. Reread in preparation to trip to Chickamauga Battlefield. Using book to visit the different action area. Reread 9/2009 ( )

We are introduced to William Rosecrans, and his command of the Army of Tennessee. The focus of the book, however, is the nasty Battle of Chickamauga. Fought over terrible terrain, every clearing became a killing ground. The battle was a Yankee defeat, and nearly a disaster for the Union cause in Tennessee.

This is the second book in Cozzens' trilogy. He continues with his fine narrative style. The book is accompanied by great maps. ( )