The Ordeal of the Union [3 sets complete in 8 volumes] The Ordeal of the Union, the Emergence of Lincoln, and the War for the Union by Allan Nevins - 1971

Ordeal of the Union by Allan Nevins complete in 8 volumes

Ordeal of the Union: Fruits of Manifiest Destiny 1847-1852

Ordeal of the Union: A House Dividing 1852-1857

The Emergence of Lincoln: Douglas, Buchanan, and Party Chaos 1857-1859

The Emergence of Lincoln: Prologue to Civil War 1859-1861

The Emergence of Lincoln: War Becomes Revolution 1862-1863

The War for the Union: The Improvised War 1861-1862

The War for the Union: The Organized War 1863-1864

The War for the Union: The Organized War to Victory 1864-1865

Eight Hardcover Cloth volumes. Condition Very Good Mylar-protected Dust Jackets Very Good. Scribner Reprint edition 1971. Elegant purple boards with purple buckram 1/8 spine and gilt embossing shows off this Clean, tight, square set with no marks, highlights or bookplates. Books Well kept and carefully stored in unread condition. Slight shelf wear. Unclipped dust jackets protected by mylar covers are smooth, clean and brilliant with slight shelf wear. Not an ex-library, book club or remainder copy. Heavier than standard book; S&H will be adjusted.

Originally published in 1947, this is an excellent example of popular narrative history.

1. "Fruits of Manifest Destiny" (1847–1852): This volume covers the events leading up to the Civil War, examining issues such as westward expansion, the Mexican-American War, and the Compromise of 1850.

2. "A House Dividing" (1852–1857): Nevins delves into the increasing sectional tensions between the North and the South, exploring the impact of events like the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Dred Scott decision.

3. "Douglas, Buchanan, and Party Chaos" (1857–1859): This volume focuses on the political chaos leading up to the 1860 election, exploring the roles of key figures such as Stephen A. Douglas and James Buchanan.

4. "Prologue to Civil War" (1859–1861): The next volume in the series covers the immediate events leading to the outbreak of the Civil War, including John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry and the secession of Southern states.

5. "War Becomes Revolution": Continues Nevins account of the Civil War, covering the time from January, 1862 to just prior to the Battle of Gettysburg in June, 1863. Covers the military campaigns (McClellan's Peninsula Campaign, Second Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville in the East, and the Shiloh Campaign and the Vicksburg Campaign in the West), as well as the diplomatic aspects of the war and the vast mobilization of the war effort.
6. 'The Improvised War': Covers the time from Lincoln's Inauguration through New Year's Day, 1862. Shows the challenges associated with going from a peacetime to a wartime economy, as well as the struggle to find effective civilian and military leaders for the war effort.
7. 'The Organized War': Covers the military, political, and international aspects of the Civil War in 1863. While it covers the devastating reverses at Gettysburg in the East and Chattanooga in the West, the book also shows how Lincoln deftly maneuvered through the political landscape with a coalition of Republicans and War Democrats. The book also covers diplomatic success in maintaining British and French neutrality.
8. 'The Organized War to Victory': This volume delves into the key events and turning points of the war during this timeframe, including major battles, political developments, and the strategic maneuvers that ultimately led to the Union's victory.

Intended to go ten volumes, Nevins died before he could publish the two volumes on Reconstruction.

These volumes offer a comprehensive and detailed examination of the Civil War era, covering political events, military strategies, and the social impact of the conflict. Nevins was known for his meticulous research and narrative style, making "Ordeal of the Union" a respected and influential work in the field of American history. It is considered one of the most comprehensive accounts of the Civil War and its aftermath.

Allan Nevins was an American historian and journalist, renowned for his extensive work on the history of the Civil War and his biographies of such figures as President Grover Cleveland, Hamilton Fish, Henry Ford, and John D. Rockefeller.