A great coffee table book about the Second Bull Run battle and campaign. Lavishly illustrated with artifact photography, maps and period classics from Waud, Forbes etc., the book's strength lies in collecting numerous participants to tell the campaign's story in their own voices.

Sometimes, I wish the editors had had a bit more knowledge about the civil war. Many obvious connections are not made and pertinent facts about a story not included. Robert Gould Shaw is not flagged as the future commander of the 54th MA infantry of "Glory" fame. The whole Porter controversy is also never mentioned. Perhaps one cannot expect more from a coffee table book. I will be on the look-out for picking up further volumes of the series (at an affordable price). ( )