The Darkest Days of the War

“A tightly written, fast-paced, well-reasoned narrative that is solidly researched and will hopefully give the battles of Iuka and Corinth the attention they deserve.” — Journal of Southwest Georgia History

“[Cozzens] does an excellent job of placing this campaign in the context of the war. . . . The Darkest Days of the War easily qualifies as the definitive work on this campaign.” — Blue & Gray

“The Darkest Days of the War will surely be the definitive work on these sadly overlooked but interesting and significant campaigns.” — Earl J. Hess, Civil War History

“A perceptive, balanced survey of the battles at Iuka and Corinth in Mississippi.” — The State (Columbia, SC)

“The Darkest Days of the War: The Battles of Iuka and Corinth brings to startling life the vicious fights at these two important north Mississippi towns in September and October of 1862. . . . Cozzens' treatment is fast-paced and exciting as he tells with precision and flair of the personalities of the commanders and their subordinates, the small unit movements and the deadly nature of the fighting.” — The Orlando Sentinel

“An illuminating account of an 1862 Confederate campaign in northern Mississippi, whose importance may only be matched by the obscurity into which it has fallen and the grand mistakes made by its planners. . . . An excellent case study of how army politics, miscommunication, and missed chances could decisively influence a campaign.” — Kirkus Reviews

“An excellent case study.” — CHOICE

“Even seasoned Civil War scholars know little about two dramatic battles in north Mississippi in the fall of 1862 that set the stage for the Vicksburg campaign. With assiduous research and a skillful pen, Peter Cozzens provides a long-needed modern analysis of the crucial contests of Iuka and Corinth. Cozzens brings top commanders to life without neglecting the men who actually fought. The result is military history at its best.” — John Y. Simon, Ulysses S. Grant Association