Never Call Retreat (there be SPOILERS here)

[Dave Howery]

so, the alternate ACW by Gingrich and Forstchen is now ended. I must say, I was a bit surprised by the way it ended. The first two books seemed to be a glorification of Southern arms, and I had half thought the series would end in a Confederate victory. But, no, the south is still beaten (after a much more close struggle than in OTL) and is still given the generous terms they were in OTL. So, what was the point of the whole series? Well, the war ends a lot earlier (basically, in Sept. of '63), so there is a LOT less loss of life and destruction than in OTL... the south is not nearly as devestated... no Sherman's march to the sea, etc. Lee's victories in MD are turned against him when Grant cuts off all retreat routes across the Potomac. Even the Army of the Potomac (beaten so badly in the 2nd book) comes roaring back, although vastly reduced in numbers. Basically, the Union and Lincoln simply don't give up... in spite of the losses at Gettysburg and Baltimore, the Union keeps going for the win. The one part of the book I'm skeptical of is that the Confederate govt. gives in fairly easily.... true, they had just lost their only field army between them and Grant, but I doubt they would give in so easily. They were a stubborn lot in OTL, and didn't surrender until the south was wrecked from end to end. It's possible, I suppose, but unlikely....

 

[edvader]

Pretty good, Dave.But one question Lee seems to be praying a lot.Why?Ask for God's help to preserve a nation with slaves? Other wise everything is fine, here.There is one BIG surprise at the end.No-I wont' tell.Dave may guess what I mean!

 

[csa945]

I mentioned in an earlier thread about this series (before the 3rd installment came out) that I didn't expect the South to win, as I once read an essay written by Forstchen in Alternate Gettysburgs whose thesis was that even if the South had won at Gettysburg, they probably would have lost the war anyway, as the north could easily have made up for the losses in manpower and that the South would have been even more demoralized because they would be no better off after a major victory on northern soil than they were beforehand.