Now available from publisher Savas Beatie and other outlets, The Carnage was Fearful, a look at the Battle of Cedar Mountain by author Michael Block. Mike is the former vice president of Friends of Cedar Mountain and has spent countless hours developing interpretation of the battlefield and escorting visitors to the battlefield on in-depth tours.
According to the publisher, The Carnage was Fearful “presents the battle with the full boots-on-the-ground insight Block has earned while walking the ground and bringing its story to life.” Read more about the book on publisher Savas Beatie’s website.
Many reviews are available online. We share excerpts from two reviews below:
“…The author of “The Carnage was Fearful” Michael Block added to the histography in an extensive article with some excellent maps published in Blue & Gray Magazine. Thus, it was nice to see his work continued and enhanced in this book.
An excellent foreword by NPS Ranger Gregory Mertz provides the reader with some context of the battle and some major shifts going on as President Lincoln seeks to gain a victory in order to bring the Union back together – a goal of his throughout the war.
The prologue and subsequent 13 chapters describe the overall battle action and participant stories nicely. Additionally, many photos and maps by Hal Jespersen assist in the understanding and appreciation of the fighting undertaken by the participants. Lastly, there are four nice appendices, including one regarding Preservation at Cedar Mountain by Friends President Diane Logan.
If you’re going to head to Cedar Mountain to tour the field, this book will help you gain a grasp of the battle action and prepare for a tour of a field well worth preserving!”
“…Block has been deeply involved in the work to recover, restore, and interpret this battlefield, and his love for every square inch of the property shines through. He gives us good solid introductions to important characters in this battle — Jackson, AP Hill, “Commissary” Banks, Crawford, and others. And he gives a thorough accounting of the campaign — how the armies maneuvered into position, what orders Pope had given, and, in great detail, how the battle unfolded.
I walked the ground at Cedar Mountain once, 13 years ago, for perhaps an hour. They were beginning to interpret it and there were some trails. After reading this book, I want to go back. More than that, I feel like, with this book as a walking companion, I could come away with a thorough understanding of this important battle.”
