The Impulse of Victory: Ulysses S. Grant at Chattanooga

Mr. Powell is well known for his expertise of the of the Chickamauga campaign and follows with Grant at Chattanooga. What I particularly enjoyed with this book is how Powell brings out well the relationships of the Union commanders. Grant having no use for Rosecrans which is well documented in a recent study but also his discomfort with Joe Hooker. And as noted, Thomas’s Army of the Cumberland was supposed to be a sideshow with Sherman the hammer and main thrust. What I have not appreciated prior to this book was how important Hooker’s role was not only at Lookout Mountain but his attack on Missionary Ridge’s southern end under appreciated and chided in Grant’s writings. Powell also casts an excellent assessment on who was responsible for the impulsive attack up Missionary Ridge with an interesting assessment of the cautious Thomas and the more aggressive Grant. Excellent maps that are very useful in following the movements providing a much broader display of the attacking forces on Missionsry Ridge snd defensive positions. . Although I have toured the ground with an excellent historian,I learned have a broader appreciate on how the other union forces succeeded in spite of Sherman’s stalemate. Lastly, Powell discussed how the confederate structured lines were amazingly inept considering how long they held the heights efforts as if they seemed to lack lack an engineering officer. Powell also explains the confederate leadership failings particularly sending Longstreet to East Tennessee. I particularly like that the book is approximately 200 pages, Powell effectively moves you through the campaign while giving you a full grasp of the battle.

"The Impulse of Victory at Chattanooga" captures the essentials of the campaign in a relatively short and highly readable book. Historian David Powell follows the action from the point of view of Union General U.S. Grant, but takes the time to explore other perspectives, especially when and where they may clash with Grant's. The author even dips briefly into a number of lingering controversies about the campaign, most notably the climactic Union assault on Missionary Ridge.The book includes a selection of period photographs and modern maps. The battle maps are particularly clear and user-friendly. Well recommended to the general reader and the student of the Civil War.

I couldn’t put it down. Powell gets better with each work and might know after Chickamauga better than before!

Any serious student of the Battles for Chattanooga needs to have this book.

Excellent monograph. It is short but packs a lot of information and well worth the time to read.