The rich Civil War historiography of the western theater has needed a much-updated and comprehensive examination. . . . Recommended. All academic levels/libraries.Choice
A well-researched and intelligent narrative that is essential to understanding America's bloodiest conflict.The Annals of Iowa
A notable book that stands out in the crowded field of Civil War scholarship. Scholars and general readers alike will find it useful and accessible. Hess is to be commended especially for his ability to weave together the military narrative and the administrative difficulties faced by Federal commanders in occupied territory.Journal of Southern History
Recommended to both the casual reader and the serious historian . . . essential for understanding the war in the West.Army History
Concisely and judiciously examines the military campaigns and battles and weaves them into a seamless narrative accessible to both novice and expert. . . . Thought-provoking, well-argued, engagingly written, and thoroughly enjoyable. . . . By far one of the best general accounts of the war in the West.Indiana Magazine of History
This excellent and suitably broad summary work should serve as a valuable introduction to the western war for a wide reading audience. With The Civil War in the West, it's safe to say we have in our hands the subject's new standard single volume history.Civil War Books and Authors blog
Hess's book should be lauded for its crisply effective prose, sweeping but well-paced narrative, command of both primary sources and the relevant historiography, and well-reasoned arguments." Louisiana History
In one volume, Earl Hess has given readers as complete a study as can be found of this theater of battle.New York Journal of Books
This is another outstanding book by Hess. This book is a great addition to the libraries of enthusiasts of the Western Theater, and those interested in the Eastern Theater will find it an intriguing contrast to the war in that region.Blue & Gray Magazine
Hess has done it again. He has delivered a wonderfully researched and elegantly written volume that reveals his mastery of military history west of the Appalachians. Students and scholars are sure to profit from his insightful analysis and bold assertions, making for a better understanding of this complicated conflict.Journal of American History
A sure-handed and detailed overview of military operations in the western theatre.Kansas History: A Journal of the Central Plains
Everyone interested in learning about the war beyond the Appalachians should start with Hess's work. It is an outstanding overview of the Civil War in the West.The Charleston Post and Courier
A comprehensive and thought-provoking history of the Civil War in the western theater. . . . A valuable asset to anyone hoping to make sense out of a complex subject and place it within the larger story in a meaningful way.Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society
This book will define the study of the Civil War's western theater for the foreseeable future and is highly recommended.The Historian
Earl Hess has produced another fine study, this one long needed and much anticipated.Civil War Book Review
Asserts a primacy to the war's western theater, establishes operations as a vital aspect of warfare, and defines mastery of logistics as a critical component of Union victory.West Virginia History