Vintage 1993 From Cedar Mountain to Antietam 2nd edition by Edward J Stackpole

In From Cedar Mountain to Antietam, Stackpole gives us the narrative of events from the end of the Seven Days, to Lee's retreat from Sharpsburg, two events delimited by McClellan's lack of resolve, hesitancy, treason or whatever theory you may believe. At Seven Days it's understandably disorienting to go from Joe Johnston's backpedaling to Lee's aggression north of the Chickahominy. But at Sharpsburg he knew Lee's plans, for goodness' sake, and then failed to press Lee until after the Army of Northern Virginia was reunited, for which Stackpole rightly takes Lil Mac to task. Stackpole covers a lot of ground in under 500 pages, with the actions at Cedar Mountain, Second Manassas and Sharpsburg. Good maps are here, showing major troop movements and dispositions. There is less analysis here than Stackpole gives in his book on Gettysburg, but then there are pitifully few things in this world which receive as much analysis as Gettysburg. This book is highly recommended for anyone wanting an introduction to the campaigns of Second Manassas or Sharpsburg before delving into more detailed works such as those of Hennessey on Second Manassas or Sears on Sharpsburg.