A compelling re-creation of the eight crucial weeks preceding the Civil War
In early March 1861, civil war loomed. By late April, Americans had begun to kill their fellow citizens. Cry Havoc! recounts in riveting detail the events that divided the states and reveals how quirks of timing, character, and place all conspired to transform the nation into a battlefield. Nelson Lankford, author of Richmond Burning, chronicles the eight critical weeks that began with Lincoln’s inauguration through the explosion at Fort Sumter and the president’s fateful response to it. Before Fort Sumter, the balance could have tipped in favor of a peaceful resolution. This book addresses the many mighthave-beens, both familiar and lesser known. What if Lincoln had delayed the proclamation calling for troops? Could wavering Unionists in the upper South have held the line? A must read for all who wish to understand the birth of the modern United States of America, Cry Havoc! probes the fateful series of events and analyzes each of the failed possibilities that hindsight affords.
Cry Havoc!
Prologue: Harpers Ferry, October 1859
1. Faithfully Execute
Washington, D.C., March 4, 1861
2. Wait And See
Early March
3. Toujours La Politesse
Washington, D.C., Early to Mid-March
4. Contrivances Of Delay
Richmond, Mid-March
5. Collision Course
Late March to Early April
6. Flash Point
Charleston, April 12
7. Tidings Of War
April 12 to 15
8. Cheated And Deceived
April 15 to 17
9. Give The Old Lady Time
Richmond, April 15 to 17
10. John Brown In Gray
Harpers Ferry, April 17 to 18
11. Burning Bridges
Baltimore, April 17 to 19
12. Alone
Washington, D.C., April 18 to 21
13. Broad Stripes And Bright Stars
April 18 to 21
14. Sunday Rest
Gosport Navy Yard, April 21
15. Wild Excitement
Baltimore, April 20 to 21
16. Countless Rumors
April 21 to 25
17. Dismembering The Nation
Late April to Early May
Epilogue: Spring 1865
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Maps appear on pages 14, 52, 140 , and 160
“Disturbs the time-honored march of history with a series of provocative what-ifs.”
—The New York Times Book Review*
“Captures the drama and complexity of this volatile period [and] reminds readers that . . . events could have taken a different path. Anyone interested in the background of our greatest national crisis will find Cry Havoc! hugely rewarding.”
—Gary W. Gallagher, author of The Confederate War
