Customer Reviews
very interesting but you need to know real history first! - By: M. Notman, 09 Apr 2007 
as a total novice to anglo-american history i was slightly at a loss as to what really happened & the short precis at the end didnt really help. Ive later read other books on what actually happened- & this book makes a lot more sense since. There are a lot of what ifs & if onlys, but personally i'd prefer to dwell on reality. Good read though, very entertaining.
Ten provocative alternative histories where the South wins - By: Lawrance M. Bernabo, 10 Jun 2004 
"Dixie Victorious: An Alternative History of the Civil War" is a collection of ten essays imagining how the South could have won the Civil War edited by Peter G. Tsouras, author of several alternative histories including "Gettysburg: An Alternative History." The title, of course, spoils the outcome off all of the essays, but then the appeal here is more argumentative than narrative & the question is whether each author can make a compelling case that tips the delicate balance between military success & failure the other way:
Andrew Uffindell, "'Hell on Earth': Anglo-French Interventionin the Civil War," has the "Trent" incident resultingin Great Britain declaring war against the Union & France following suit. Uffindell comes up with additional reasons for the two nations to fight the war that neither wantedin 1861 to force the North into fighting a war on all fronts.
Wade G. Dudley, "Ships of Iron & Wills of Steel: The Confederate Navy Triumphant," has Confederate Secretary of the Navy Stephen R. Mallory creating an ironclad navy. Consequently, when the "Monitor" shows up at Hampton Roads it faces not one Confederate ironclad but three & the historical stalemate becomes a decisive Rebel victory.
David M. Keithly, "'What Will the Country Say?': Maryland Destiny," turns Special Order No. 191, which fell into McClellan's hands before the Battle of Antietam, into a "ruse de guerre" as Lee baits a trap to destroy the Army of the Potomac. This one is an interesting twist on history & yet another opportunity to show Lee as being clever & McClellan incompetent, which is almost always fun.
Michael R. Hathaway, "When the Bottom Fell Out: The Crisis of 1862," revisits Lee's first invasion of the North & has the Confederate general avoiding hurting himself when he was thrown by his horse the day after the second battle of Manassas. Overall I tend to like the essays where the key change is rather simple, which is what Hathaway does by having Lee free from pain & clear headed during his first invasion of the North.
James R. Arnold, "'We Will Water our Horsesin the Mississippi': A.S. Johnston vs. U.S. Grant," has Albert Sidney Johnston's life being saved by a tourniquet at the Battle of Shiloh. The South still loses on the second day, but Jefferson Davis is able to put Johnston backin command of Confederate forcesin the West during the siege of Vicksburg. Clearly the idea here is insert Johnston back into the warin the western theater at the point where Davis most felt his loss, which explains why Shiloh remains a Confederate defeat.
Edward G. Longacre, "'Absolutely Essential to Victory': Stuart's Calvaryin the Gettysburg-Pipe Creek Campaigns," has the Confederate cavalry keepingin contact with Lee during the second invasion of the North. The Battle of Pipe Creek replaces that of the historical Battle of Gettysburg. Those who have read the alternative history "Gettysburg" by Newt Gingrich & William R. Fortschen will find this essay of more than passing interest since it shares the belief that there was a Confederate victory to be hadin Lee's second invasion of the North, but not at Gettysburg itself.
John D. Burtt, "Moves to Great Advantage: Longstreet vs. Grantin the West," finds Braxton Bragg being wounded & James Longstreet taking command of the Army of Tennessee & fighting Grant. Longstreet had agreed to go west so that he could have an independent command, & Burtt's essay argues out a best case scenario for what he could have accomplished, although his aggressiveness might strike many as being beyond his nature.
Peter G. Tsouras, "Confederate Black & Gray: A Revolutionin the Minds of Men," has Jefferson Davis seizing the opportunity afforded by Major General Pat Cleburne's Manifesto to give the South's slaves an opportunity to earn their freedom by fighting for the Confederacy. This one has the advantage of taking actions the Confederacy was eventually compelled to do, & moving them forward to a time when it might have actually helped the Southern cause.
Cyril M. Lagvanec, "Decisionin the West: Turning Pointin the Trans-Mississippi Confederacy," has Kirby Smith taking back Arkansas & Missouriin 1864, as David Dixon Porter's Mississippi Squadron falls victim to its commander's greed for captured cotton. I had the most problems with this scenario because I am not inclined to think that the Union would have reduced its overwhelming number advantagesin Virginia & Tennessee-Georgia to make up for setbacksin Louisiana, thereby setting up a domino of effects.
Kevin F. Kiley, "Terrible as an Army with Banners: Jubal Earlyin the Shenandoah Valley," basically has Phil Sheridan's ride failing to reverse the Union's fortunes after Early's attackin the Valley. Kiley also finds an opportunity to remove a major obstacle to a Southern victory with a single bullet, which I have to admit was a card I thought would be played more oftenin these essays.
In most of these essays the Confederacy does not win the war militarily, but rather a pivotal military victory (or combination of victories) tips the delicate balance & gives the South a political victory (e.g., McClellan defeats Lincolnin the 1864 election). All of these essays are presented as the work of military historiansin an alternative reality. Each has footnotes documenting sources, with those from fictional sources noted with an * (Lagvanec is the farthest over the rainbow with all of his notes for his Trans-Mississippi essay having asterisks).
Readers will know exactly what they are getting with "Dixie Victorious," so those who are offended by "What If" storiesin general & thosein which the South wins the Civil Warin particular can stay far away. The idea here is to be provocative & to come up with diverse scenarios for this to happen, &in that regard this collection is successful. Students of the Civil War will find a lot to argue aboutin these pages.
