The Civil War obliterated America's past, along with many of the founders' visions of what America should be. Replacing those visions was the America that we have today. Any true understanding of America, both past and present, must include a Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite I have always enjoyed history especially when it comes to the War Between the States. Walter Coffey states the facts but not in a dry or boring manner. He makes this book entertaining as well as educational. Walter Coffey dedicates one chapter to each month; in each chapter he supplies spurs and battles; he does this with precision. Civil War Months: A Month-by-Month Compendium of the War Between the States covers January 1861 through May 1865. This book should be in all high school and middle school libraries. THE CIVIL WAR MONTHS A Month-By-Month Compendium Of The War Between The States By Walter Coffey AuthorHouse Copyright © 2012 Walter Coffey All right reserved. ISBN: 978-1-4685-8022-8 Contents Introduction............................ixJanuary.................................1February................................5March...................................12April...................................17May.....................................25June....................................31July....................................35August..................................41September...............................46October.................................50November................................54December................................58January.................................64February................................70March...................................78April...................................83May.....................................90June....................................99July....................................106August..................................115September...............................123October.................................132November................................137December................................142January.................................151February................................160March...................................164April...................................171May.....................................177June....................................185July....................................193August..................................204September...............................208October.................................217November................................224December................................231January.................................238February................................243March...................................251April...................................257May.....................................264June....................................279July....................................296August..................................309September...............................318October.................................328November................................340December................................347January.................................355February................................363March...................................371April...................................381May.....................................401Afterword...............................409Recommended Reading.....................411Index...................................417 Chapter One January 1861 Anxiety was spreading throughout North and South. South Carolina had already seceded from the Union, and although President James Buchanan opposed the action, he declared that he had no right under the Constitution to stop it. In South Carolina's Charleston Harbor, the Federal garrison had been forced to abandon Fort Moultrie, withdrawing to the more secure Fort Sumter. Buchanan sent a naval convoy to resupply the Federals at Sumter. State militia began mobilizing in Charleston as more southern states seceded. Congress scrambled to devise yet another compromise to preserve the Union. New York City threatened to secede, while "Bleeding" Kansas finally gained statehood. Most northerners still believed that the southern states would eventually return to the Union without bloodshed. THE STAR OF THE WEST MISSION After weeks of deliberation, President Buchanan decided to dispatch the civilian merchant vessel Star of the West to reinforce and resupply Major Robert Anderson's Federal troops at Fort Sumter. By this time, Anderson's men were isolated in the harbor by South Carolina state militia. The Federals would eventually need supplies to remain in the fort, but the government of South Carolina had barred any assistance to them. Star of the West was an unarmed steamer whose mission was intended to be secret. However, her departure from New York City on January 5 was printed in city newspapers that were forwarded by southern sympathizers to South Carolina. The two hundred soldiers