TheSmokeatDawnANoveloftheCivilWar

NEWYORKTIMESBESTSELLERJeffShaarareturnstotheCivilWarterrainheknowssowell，withthelatestnovelintheseriesthatstartedwithABlazeofGloryandAChainofThunder.InTheSmokeatDawn，thelastgreatpushoftheArmyoftheCumberlandsetsthestageforadecisiveconfrontationatChattanoogathatcoulddeterminetheoutcomeofthewar.Summer，1863.TheFederaltriumphatVicksburghassecuredcompletecontroloftheMississippiRiverfromtheConfederacy，cementingthereputationofUlyssesS.Grant.Farthereast，theFederalarmyunderthecommandofWilliamRosecranscapturesthecrucialrailhubatChattanooga.ButRosecransiscareless，andwhilepursuingtheConfederates，theFederalforcesareroutedinnorthGeorgiaatChickamaugaCreek.RetreatinginapanicbacktoChattanooga，RosecransispursuedbytheConfederateforcesunderGeneralBraxtonBragg.Pennedup，withtheirsupplylinessevered，theFederalarmyseemsdoomedtothesamekindofdefeatthatplaguedtheConfederatesatVicksburg.ButadisgustedAbrahamLincolnhasseenenoughofGeneralRosecrans.UlyssesGrantiselevatedtocommandoftheentiretheaterofthewar，andimmediatelyreplacesRosecranswithGeneralGeorgeThomas.Grantgathersanenormousforce，includingarmiescommandedbyJosephHookerandGrant’sfriend，WilliamT.Sherman.Grant’smissionisclear：BreaktheConfederatesiegeanddestroyBragg’sarmy.Meanwhile，BraggwageswarasmuchwithhisownsubordinatesashedoeswiththeFederals，creatingdissensionanddisharmonyintheSouthernranks，erasingtheConfederatearmy’ssuperiorityatexactlythewrongtime.Blendingevocativehistoricaldetailwithsearingdepictionsofbattle，JeffShaaraimmersesreadersintheworldofcommandersandcommonsoldiers，civiliansandstatesmen.FromtheUnionsidecomethevoicesofGeneralsGrant，WilliamTecumsehSherman，andGeorgeThomas—thevaunted“RockofChickamauga”—aswellastheyoungprivateFritz“Dutchie”Bauer.FromtheRebelrankscomeGeneralsBragg，PatrickCleburne，andJamesLongstreet，aswellasthelegendarycavalrycommander，NathanBedfordForrest.AtaleofhistoryplayedoutonahumanscaleinthegrandShaaratradition，TheSmokeatDawnvividlyrecreatestheclimacticmonthsofthewarintheWest，whenthefateofadividednationtrulyhangsinthebalance.PraiseforTheSmokeatDawn“TheSmokeatDawnisabeautifullywrittennovelaboutabattleusuallyignored.Thehistoricaldetailsandthepersonalexaminationsfuseperfectly—withtherawpowerofthebattlemeshedhand-in-handwiththeinnerstruggleofthemenwhodeterminethefatesofothersandofnations.Shaaraonceagainelevateshistoryfrommererotefacttoexplosiveandengagingdrama.”—Bookreporter“Shaara’smasteryofmilitarytactics，hisintimategraspofhistory，andhisabilitytointerweaveseveralsupportingnarrativesintoacohesiveanddigestiblewholeasherevisitsacatastrophicperiodinU.S.historywillappealtoabroadrangeofhistorical-andmilitary-fictionfans.”—Booklist“Blendinghistoricaldetailwithvividdepictionsofbattle，JeffShaaraimmersesreadersintheworldofcommandersandcommonsoldiers，civiliansandstatesmen....TheSmokeatDawnvividlyrecreatestheclimacticmonthsofthewarintheWest，whenthefateofadividednationtrulyhangsinthebalance.”—HuntingtonNews