No Better Place to Die: The Battle of Stones River

by Peter Cozzens

Book Overview

A mere handful of battlefields have come to epitomize the anguish and pain of America's Civil War: Gettysburg, Shiloh, Chancellorsville, Chickamauga. Yet another name belongs on that infamous list: Stones River, the setting for Peter Cozzens's No Better Place to Die. It was here that both the Union and Confederate armies lost over one-quarter of their forces in battle casualties. The Confederacy's defeat at Stones River unleashed a wave of dissension that crippled the army's high command and ultimately closed Tennessee to the South for two years. The loss deterred the British and French from coming to the aid of the South in the Civil War, with tragic effects for the Southern cause. In the 126 years since the guns fell silent at Stones River, few books have examined the bloody clash and its impact on the war's subsequent outcome. No Better Place to Die recounts the events and strategies that brought the two armies to the banks of this central Tennessee river on December 31, 1862. Cozzens re-creates the battle itself, following the movements and performance of individual regiments. A series of maps clarifies the combat activity. Cozzens frequently lets the men who fought the battle speak for themselves, through letters, diaries, memoirs, and battlefield communications. Here we learn about such critical moments as General Philip Sheridan's gallant defense along the Wilkinson Pike, one of the war's most tenacious stands against overwhelming odds, and the bravery in battle exemplified by Brekenridge's attack on the Union left, a doomed assault with the poignancy of Pickett's charge. Over twenty thousand Union and Confederate soldiers were killed, wounded, or captured in the bloody New Year's battle of Stone's River. The impact of their struggle extended far beyond the thousands of shattered human lives, ultimately imperiling the fortunes of the Confederacy. No Better Place to Die pays tribute to the heroes, the scoundrels, the mistakes, the bravery, and the grief at Stone's River.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0252062299
• ISBN13: 9780252062292
• Release Date: July 1991
• Publisher: University of Illinois Press
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Cozzens takes on the complicated battle of Stones River, 1862-1863

Peter Cozzens was just getting started with 'No Better Place to Die'. It is not quite as good as his books on Chickamauga, Chattanooga, and the Corinth campaigns but it is a very good start. Stones River was a very bloody but has been a very underwritten battle of the Civil War and Cozzens finally gives it some due. Cozzens does a good job in depicting the buildup to the battle. The usual tough times for a Western Confederate army is sketched. The aftermath of Perryville had soured many people on Braxton Bragg but not yet Jefferson Davis. The very irascible Confederate general is depicted with many interesting anecdotes as are his subordinate officers like William Hardee and Leonidas Polk. The Union Army of the Cumberland was brought back to fighting trim by the human dynamo William Rosecrans. Cozzens does a good job of describing how Rosecrans brought back his forces back and how his subordinate George Thomas was such a key component of the army. There were also in the Union army the much less competent Alexander McCook and Thomas Crittenden as corps commanders. I really like Cozzens dissection of the two armies high commands and their attitudes plus the anecdotes of the men in the ranks. The battle scenes ,as usual, for Cozzens are portrayed through many interesting anecdotes. This was a confusing battle. Not quite as confusing as Chickamauga but still pretty bad. I think Cozzens does the best he can and the bloody nature of the battle comes through. The attacks and counterattacks come through in Cozzens account. I think he does a good job of showing how close the Army of the Cumberland came to losing the battle. As usual, the Army of Tennessee fought with great tenacity but it wasn't quite enough. The attack of the Orphan Brigade makes a stirring finale and one will be reminded a bit of Pickett's Charge which would take place six months later. These two armies would meet again in the North Georgia woods and the result would be truly horrific. But to understand the roads that led to the Battle of Chickamauga you have to read Cozzens work here on Stones River. Highly recommended!

A well written account.

If you prefer fast food over meal which requires youto sit down and relax, then you probably won't care forthis book. If you love detail, then this is the book foryou. The book is about a significant civil war battle that never got the attention it deserved. By the way, I just came from Stones River Battlefield, and if you should ever find yourself in Nashville, TN, I highly recommend visitiing this historic battlefield. It's managed by the U.S. Park Service, and they do a superb job with the visitors. It's located about 45 minutes south of Nashville by car. A visit there will give you a very goodfeel for this key battle of the U.S. Civil War.

Finally, Stones River

The first battle to resemble Verdun. Peter's grasp of his material consistently amazes me.

Well Worth the Effort

Cozzens wrote three superb, and related, books on the decisive Battles in the West. Of these three, the most important is "No Better Place to Die".. not because it is the best of the three, for it is not, but rather because it is a very detailed analysis of an otherwise ignored battle. Cozzens does not write in the most accessible style, but considering the complexity of the battle and the serious nature of the work, it is appropriate, and after a few pages, clear and understandable. One wishes that better and more detailed maps had been provided, along with some photographs of key players, but those "deficiences" are more than made up by the quality of the research.

Stones River Remembered

Cozzens's chronicle of the Battle of Stones River is a superb, engaging work. His careful work and skillful writing does justice to the memories of the 24,988 men who were injured or killed those cold days in Tennessee.