3 comments about The Railroads of the Confederacy.

1. This was a fascinating book as it put the Civil War into a slightly different context. It spotlighted the fact that many of the the major battles were fought over areas which were strategic rail centers - the best example being Atlanta.

   It also clearly pointed out that the South was severely hampered by three different track gauges limiting the ready ability to carry freight long distances. In addition, even though the track gauges of a connecting railroad might have been the same, many of them were state owned. And some states would not permit rolling stock to cross state lines. This meant offloading and reloading freight at the state border.

   And the Southern railroads never came under a unified control until very late in the War - in contrast to the North. And the South only had about a third of the track miles that the North had.

   I highly recommend this book to any serious student of Civil War history. You don't even have to be a rail fan to enjoy it.




2. After reading dozens of scholarly books, and writing published articles related to the Civil War myself, this book was a refreshing read. It is a reminder of the enormity of the task faced by the bureaucrats and businessmen behind the Confederate armies. Yes, the tide did turn at Gettysburg.

   But for those who like to play "What if?" and speculate on the fortunes of war, this book is a bleak testimony to the long odds the south confronted. The Confederate States were almost completely unequipped to fight a modern, industrial war.

   One shortcoming of this book, and it is a minor one, is that the story is told primarily through the eyes of railroad tycoons, and ignores to a great extent the perspective of well-known military personalities. This stems in part from the fact that Black relies heavily on the railroads themselves (their annual reports) for his source material. More research from military source material would round the picture out.

   On the whole, however, Mr. Black must be commended. As I said, "fascinating."




3. A MAJOR INOVATION IN THE CIVIL WAR WAS THE STRATEGIC USE OF RAILROADS ON BOTH SIDES. THE CONDITION OF THE SOUTHERN RAILROADS AFFECTED BOTH THE CONFEDERACY AND THE UNION IN THIS WAR. DIFFERENT GUAGES OF TRACKS, WHETHER THE TRACKS RAN NORTH AND SOUTH OR EAST AND WEST WAS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE. THE ABILITY TO REPRODUCE CAPTURES OR DESTROYED ROLLING STOCK AND RAILS WAS A MAJOR FACTOR. IN THIS WORK BLACK ENLIGHTENS US TO THE PROBLEMS AND PROGRESS OF THE CONDEDERACY'S RAILROADS AND GIVES US A CLEAR PICTURE OF THEIR OPERATION AND MILITARY VALUE. A BOOK WELL WORTH READING.

No comments about Rand McNally streets of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

No comments about Rand Mcnally Asheville, North Carolina (Rand McNally Streets Of...).

No comments about American Map North Carolina & South Carolina State Map.

1 comments about ADC Outer Banks NC Pocket Map.

1. I purchased this map in preparation for a vacation trip to the Outer Banks, and I found it to be a fine reference. The size is ideal, and it shows ample detail to help first-time visitors find points of interest. I recommend it, as compared to a larger road map and the smaller maps provided with visitors' guides.

1 comments about Streetwise Charleston Map - Laminated City Street Map of Charleston, South Carolina.

1. I was diappointed in this purchase. I thought it would be about inside info on great things to do and places to go. It is just a nice street map with only hotels listed. It was of no value. I found "The greatest Little Map Of Charleston" to be superior in usable information.

2 comments about American Map North Carolina State Road Atlas (American Map Regional Atlas: North Carolina State Road).

1. Without question, the best NC Road Atlas and County Guide.
   A terrific, low-cost investment for anyone planning to visit
   or relocate to NC -- take it from an "out-of-towner".
   The only room for improvement would be a spiral binding.



2. I was excited to get this comprehensive atlas of NC (as a gift) after moving here in the fall. Unfortunately, this book was disappointing because of its very non-intuitive organization. Confusing indexing/grid system/ etc. Very hard to find a county/town/park etc. even when you know what you are looking for. I'd recommend going with a NC Rand McNally map from a gas station. The one redeeming point is that if you can find the section you're looking for the book provides very detailed info..

5 comments about The Best Little Map of Charleston, S.C..

1. This is the best map I have ever used! Out of the dozen travel books that we brought on our trip, this turned out to be the most resourceful and accurate map of them all.



2. This is the type of amateurish map that is given away by visitor's bureaus or chambers of commerce in most cities. Someone's making money off this minimal effort. It's better than nothing, but we've pulled better maps out of the back of other Charleston guide books.



3. This map is helpful when it comes to weeding out the attractions, restaurants, hotels and stores. It makes good suggestions for dining, but there have been additions to some places (such as starbucks) that are not listed on the map. Looks like it should be updated. The map is NOT helpful when leaving downtown Charleston. We actually got lost using this map to find the plantations north of the city. The best approach is to use this map for downtown only, and make sure you visit the Charleston visitors center for more background information and pamphlets.



4. I just used this map and the "Fromer's Guide" for a trip to Charleston. The map shows everything in the downtown : hotels, restaurants, historic sites, attractions, government buildings, parks, churches, shopping and points of interest, and its compact. I could not ask for a better destination map.



5. This map appeared on my amazon homepage as a recommendation after I purchased a travel guide to Charleston, SC as a gift for my girlfriend before we took a vacation in Charleston. I bought this map to go along with the book and I have to say that she loved the map! It is very cute and extremely detailed and we found it very useful - we pulled it out, usually while walking down the street, just about every day that we were in Charleston. My girlfriend loves this hand-drawn map so much that she is going to frame it and hang it up in her bedroom! Thanks amazon.

5 comments about South Carolina Atlas & Gazetteer.

1. This series by DeLorme is great for finding a hunting, camping spot, or just finding your way. Each atlas covers the entire state at a scale of 1:150,000.



2. South Carolina Atlas and Gazetteer is a great resource for locating any lake, road, or state park in the state. For the outdoorsman, you can find information on hunting, fishing, hiking trails, golf courses, heritage preserves, and beaches all within these pages. Consequently, this atlas makes a fine resource for researching the land of South Carolina. With great attention to detail, Delorme has produced an exceptional atlas worthy of high praise.



3. This atlas shows every single back road in the state. It also has topographical features and a handy guide to campgrounds, recreational areas, fishing/hunting spots, and the like. Because many roads are unlabeled on the maps, it's not all that useful if you're lost in a downtown area. Instead, it's designed to help locate out-of-the-way spots for outdoor recreation. Te amount of detail on these maps is incredible. It complements, rather than replaces, a traditional road atlas.



4. Had I known the atlas was this large I would not have purchased it. It has already been added to my next Goodwill pickup.



5. A true Gazetteer list ALL the current and historical places in a state with information about each place. I refer you to the NORTH CAROLINA GAZATEER by Wm. S. Powell. This S. C. Atlas is a miss named map book!! I was VERY disappointed when I received it and sent it right back.

5 comments about North Carolina Atlas & Gazetteer (North Carolina Atlas and Gazetteer).

1. Delorme produces an excellent resource. If you need very specific detailed pages, you'll also need a Thomas Guide.



2. These are one stop maps. Just about anything you need to know to navigate an area on foot, motorcycle or car is on easy to read pages, provided you are not overwhelmed by details normally found on Topographic maps. If you are looking for a road atlas, buy one and leave these to those looking for a little more detail. Plenty of other useful info included such as park information, camping, fishing piers, boat ramps etc. The info varies by Gazetteer.



3. I bought this book to explore the national forest areas of North Carolina. I was very disappointed when I got the atlas to find that even the larger forest roads are not on the maps! The road map I picked up for free at the Welcome Center Rest Stop shows the roads as well as this atlas.



4. We've used this atlas for years, and we were happy to find an updated version. This is so handy for finding a way around accidents or construction on the highway, or for finding alternate directions to your destination. It includes road names and highway numbers.



5. We'll be using this atlas for an RV trip. Although we haven't yet done the trip, the maps look like what we need (detailed, topographic, forest/side roads). I will say that it's missing decent regional and statewide views. The Benchmark California Road & Recreation Atlas, Fifth Edition (Benchmark Road & Recreation Atlas) series does an excellent job of panning the state, and then drilling down. The Gazetteer series just has the drill-down. Makes it tough when you want to get a macro-view of your route.