An Environmental History of the Civil War

“For scholars of the Civil War, this book adds a fresh perspective, illustrating how ecology, nature, and weather had a striking and unpredictable effect upon military preparedness and the waging of war.”—Library Journal

“Just when you think the history of the Civil War has been done to death, some enterprising writer turns over a new line of inquiry into this singular American tragedy. In this case, it was Judkin Browning and Timothy Silver, Appalachian State University professors of military and environmental history, respectively, who joined forces to break new ground...Despite their keen eye on the science, the authors don’t skimp on narrative, telling insightful, intriguing stories about how the environment’s most basic elements could prove vexing for war planners.”—WNC Magazine

“It is hard for this book review to do this book justice. Readers will not study or look at the battles of any war [again] without wanting to know more about the environmental impacts. The book is exceptionally well written.”—Military Review

“Browning and Silver have produced a long-needed study. . . . They strike a nice balance between synthesis and originality, weaving together the scholarship of others with their own research. . . . It is an added bonus that the book is so well written, with a deft feel for storytelling and a unified voice that belies its dual authorship. It will almost certainly find wide adoption in college courses on the Civil War and environmental history.”—Louisiana History

“Browning and Silver have authored a book that will find its way into countless classrooms and should influence research papers, doctoral dissertations, and other books for at least the coming generation. . . . One of the most original and anticipated [books] of the past decade. . . . Readers will finish it with a newfound appreciation toward an old subject.”—Georgia Historical Quarterly

“In a briskly written text of fewer than 200 pages, [Browning and Silver] highlight the themes Civil War environmental historians have the unique ability to explore and make more relevant to our broader understanding of the conflict. . . . What they do accomplish is to enrich our understanding of the agency of microbes, animals, and landscape on the military history of the war.”—The Annals of Iowa

“A compact, smartly illustrated narrative.”—Americas Civil War

“A most excellent study of aspects of the war ignored in many accounts of the conflict.”—Michigan War Studies Review

“Browning and Silver provide a comprehensive interpretation of the Civil War as they present the conflict as a watershed event in environmental history. . . . It is a well-argued book that succeeds in providing 'a more holistic way of thinking about the Civil War' . . . The book’s length, readability, and fresh perspective would make it a great addition to any Civil War or environmental history course.”—Journal of Southern History

“Sweeping in breadth yet remarkably accessible, An Environmental History of the Civil War offers new insight into the intricate relationship between Civil War soldiers and their environment.”—Journal of the Civil War Era