<p>Union and Confederate forces fought over and occupied Winchester, Virginia during the entire Civil War. The town's location at the north end of Virginia's Shenandoah Valley plus its road and rail network meant that civilians and their property would not be spared the sword. This book, written by history professor and Shenandoah Valley expert Brandon Beck, is a concise driving tour and history of three battles fought around the town: the First Battle of Winchester in March 1862; the Second Battle of Winchester in June 1863; and the Third Battle of Winchester in September 1864. Civil War buffs and those interested in tracing their Union and Confederate veteran relatives' path will want to make this book a companion as they travel the roads and battlefields around Virginia's most war-torn town. </p>

Winchester's Three Battles: A Civil War Driving Tour Through Virginia's Most War-Torn Town

History

Beck, Brandon H.

Americas

Angle Valley Press

In the spring of 1863, Union colonel Abel D. Streight sought to raid and destroy parts of the vital span of the Western and Atlantic Railroad in north Georgia with his mule-riding infantry brigade. Determined to thwart the potentially deadly attack, Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest fervently pursued Streights forces. With the help of unlikely ally fifteen-year-old Emma Sansom of Gadson, Alabama, Forrest falsely convinced Streight he was vastly outnumbered, foiled the raid and forced Streights surrender. Brandon H. Beck details Streights dubious plan and the exciting story of a running battle between hunter and quarry that colors history from the hills of northeast Mississippi to the heart of Georgia.

Streight's Foiled Raid on the Western & Atlantic Railroad: Emma Sansom's Courage and Nathan Bedford Forrest's Pursuit

History Press Library Editions

<p>In February 1864, General William Sooy Smith led a force of over seven thousand cavalry on a raid into the Mississippi Prairie, bringing fire and destruction to one of the very few breadbaskets remaining in the Confederacy. Smith's raid was part of General William T. Sherman's campaign to march across Mississippi from Vicksburg to destroy the railroad junction at Meridian. Both Smith and Sherman intended to burn everything in their path that could aid in the Southern war effort. It was a harbinger of things to come in Georgia, South Carolina and the Shenandoah Valley. But neither reckoned with General Nathan Bedford Forrest. Forrest's small Confederate cavalry force defeated Smith in a running battle that stretched from West Point to Okolona and beyond. Forrest's victory prevented Smith from joining Sherman and saved the Prairie from total destruction. Join Civil War historian Brandon Beck as he narrates this exciting story, with all the realities and color of cavalry warfare in the Deep South. Also included is a brief guided tour of the extant sites, preserved for future generations by the Friends of the Battle of Okolona, Inc.</p>

The Battle of Okolona: Defending the Mississippi Prairie

Midway between Memphis and New Orleans along the Mississippi River, Vicksburg was essential to both Confederate and Union campaigns. With both sides bent on claiming the city, Vicksburg, and the fate of the nation, lay in the balance. General Ulysses S. Grant began his campaign on the city in November 1862, but he was forced to abandon the operation in December when the fiery General Earl Van Dorn made a daring raid on Grant's main supply depot at Holly Springs, Mississippi. With the help of the CSS Arkansas, Van Dorn's single day raid on Grant's supply base saved Vicksburg from Grant's forces for an entire year. Historian Brandon H. Beck recounts the tactics, leaders, and legends involved in this exciting, if overlooked, chapter of Civil War history.

Holly Springs: Van Dorn, the CSS Arkansas and the Raid That Saved Vicksburg

In February 1864, General William Sooy Smith led a force of over seven thousand cavalry on a raid into the Mississippi Prairie, bringing fire and destruction to one of the very few breadbaskets remaining in the Confederacy. Smith’s raid was part of General William T. Sherman’s campaign to march across Mississippi from Vicksburg to destroy the railroad junction at Meridian. Both Smith and Sherman intended to burn everything in their path that could aid in the Southern war effort. It was a harbinger of things to come in Georgia, South Carolina and the Shenandoah Valley. But neither reckoned with General Nathan Bedford Forrest. Forrest’s small Confederate cavalry force defeated Smith in a running battle that stretched from West Point to Okolona and beyond. Forrest’s victory prevented Smith from joining Sherman and saved the Prairie from total destruction. Join Civil War historian Brandon Beck as he narrates this exciting story, with all the realities and color of cavalry warfare in the Deep South. Also included is a brief guided tour of the extant sites, preserved for future generations by the Friends of the Battle of Okolona, Inc.

The Battle of Okolona: Defending the Mississippi Prairie (Civil War Series)

The History Press

Holly Springs:: Van Dorn, the CSS Arkansas and the Raid That Saved Vicksburg (Civil War Series)

In the spring of 1863, Union colonel Abel D. Streight sought to raid and destroy parts of the vital span of the Western and Atlantic Railroad in north Georgia with his mule-riding infantry brigade. Determined to thwart the potentially deadly attack, Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest fervently pursued Streight's forces. With the help of unlikely ally fifteen-year-old Emma Sansom of Gadson, Alabama, Forrest falsely convinced Streight he was vastly outnumbered, foiled the raid and forced Streight's surrender. Brandon H. Beck details Streight's dubious plan and the exciting story of a running battle between hunter and quarry that colors history from the hills of northeast Mississippi to the heart of Georgia.

Streight's Foiled Raid on the Western & Atlantic Railroad: Emma Sansom’s Courage and Nathan Bedford Forrest’s Pursuit (Civil War Series)

Arts & Photography

Photography & Video

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Beck, Brandon H.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Beck, Brandon H.