Studying History: How and Why Book

In reading William Davis's "Battle at Bull Run," I was shocked at times at how unfamiliar so many of the names were to me. I have been immersing myself in the history of the Civil War, yet I had never heard of some of the key characters in the opening drama. The Battle of Bull Run was the largest fight on the American continent up to that point, yet it would soon be dwarfed by battles like Shiloh, Antietam, and Gettysburg. It was highly instructive to go back to the very first big battle to see how the opposing armies and officers learned the awful business of fighting that would consume the nation for the next four years. William Davis is a fine writer who elucidates all aspects of the battle, with good coverage of each side's preparations after the fall of Fort Sumter and the reasons why Manassas Junction was considered so crucial. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding the first act of the Civil War.