The Northern Railroads in the Civil War, 1861-1865

Time has been very good to Thomas Weber’s Northern Railroads in the CivilWar, 1861-1865. First published by Columbia University Press in 1952, it has beenout of print since the 1970s, but never out of demand. It has emerged as the premieraccount of the impact of the railroads on the American Civil War and vice versa. Notonly did the railroads materially help the north to victory through movement oftroops and materiel, but the war materially changed the way railroads were built, run, financed, and organized in the crucial years following thewar.We are still waiting (9/1/98) for the reviews to come fromthe author’s files. Thomas Weber’s study of northern railroadsduring the Civil War remains the obvious treatment of an important topic. Hisanalysis rests on solid research and leaves no doubt that the North’s excellent useof railroads contributed significantly to Union victory. – Gary W.Gallagher(shortened) Thomas Weber’s… analysis restson solid research and leaves no doubt that the North’s excellent use of railroadscontributed significantly to Union victory. – Gary W.Gallagher