{"product_id":"decisions-of-the-red-river-campaign-the-fifteen-critical-decisions-that-defined-the-operation-9781621909163","title":"Decisions of the Red River Campaign: The Fifteen Critical Decisions That Defined the Operation","description":"By the time of the Red River Campaign, which occurred between March 10 and May 22, 1864, Federal victory in the American Civil War was nearly assured. This final Union offensive in the trans-Mississippi theater was launched to capture Shreveport, a strategic river port and Confederate military complex. The fall of Shreveport would split Confederate forces, allowing the Federals to encircle and destroy the Confederate Army in western Louisiana and southern Arkansas as well as open a gateway to an invasion of Texas. But the dense piney woods and swamps of Louisiana made for difficult maneuvering, and both sides made severe tactical mistakes, leading General William Tecumseh Sherman to declare the Red River Campaign \"one damn blunder from beginning to end.\" \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eDecisions of the Red River Campaign\u003c\/i\u003e explores the critical decisions made by Confederate and Federal commanders during the campaign and how these decisions shaped its outcome. Rather than offering a history of the operation, Michael S. Lang hones in on a sequence of decisions made by commanders on both sides of the contest to provide a blueprint of the campaign at its tactical core. Identifying and exploring the critical decisions in this way allows students of Civil War battles and campaigns to progress from a knowledge of what happened to a mature grasp of why events happened. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Complete with maps and a driving tour, \u003ci\u003eDecisions of the Red River Campaign\u003c\/i\u003e is an indispensable primer, and readers looking for a concise introduction to the campaign can tour this sacred ground--or read about it at their leisure--with key insights into the campaign and a deeper understanding of the Civil War itself. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eDecisions of the Red River Campaign\u003c\/i\u003e is the twenty-second in a series of books that explores the critical decisions of major campaigns and battles of the Civil War. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Michael S. Lang\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Univ Tennessee Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 02\/03\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSeries:\u003c\/b\u003e Command Decisions in America's Civil War\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 288\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781621909163","brand":"Univ Tennessee Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43311319187593,"sku":"9781621909163","price":24.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0636\/9240\/6921\/files\/img_99051a19-d4e8-4de5-9668-883e9355fbd6.jpg?v=1738052016","url":"https:\/\/sonsanddaughtersbooks.com\/products\/decisions-of-the-red-river-campaign-the-fifteen-critical-decisions-that-defined-the-operation-9781621909163","provider":"Sons and Daughters Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}