The Battle of Stone River

"The Battle of Stone River" by Henry Myron Kendall is a historical exploration of a major clash in the American Civil War, presenting a close look at the Battle of Stone River. The story shows the detailed war plans, how the soldiers moved, and the relationships between the Union and Confederate armies. It stresses how hard it was to make decisions as a leader and the difficulties of moving supplies during this important time in the war. The book follows the steps before the battle, especially the army movements of Union General William S. Rosecrans and Confederate General Braxton Bragg. It describes the fighting methods used by each side, the problems faced by the Union army because of communication issues and not having enough cavalry, and the bad results of McCook's failure to protect his spot on the right side. Even though they lost many soldiers, the Union won when Bragg retreated after the battle, which was a turning point in the fight for control of Tennessee. The book ends by pointing out that both armies stayed still for a while after, setting up what would happen next, especially the Battle of Chickamauga.