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Book Review: Apprentice Killers
The War of Lincoln and Davis
I may have never stumbled across this book on my own. I give thanks to the author, James M. Ridgway, Jr., who sent me a copy. Perhaps sensing my views of some of the historical figures might not align with his own. I apologize to James for having taken over a year to read the book in its entirety. It wasn’t that I didn’t find it interesting. On the contrary, I knew early on it was well-researched and that I would learn a lot about the Civil War. It was a matter of finding the time to digest the material while setting aside my preconceived notions.
“Apprentice Killers” follows six integral figures, three on each side, that shaped the outcome of the Civil War and thus our nation. They were the two Presidents; Abraham Lincoln of the hardly United States and Jefferson Davis of the Confederacy. Union Generals George B. McClellan and Ulysses S. Grant, and Joseph E Johnston, and Robert E. Lee for the South. I had firm convictions about two of them; Lincoln and Davis. I came away with a greater appreciation for Lincoln, and I’ll respectfully disagree with the author about Jefferson Davis.
It is impossible to underestimate my appreciation for the research undertaken by Mr. Ridgway. “Apprentice Killers” isn’t a summary of the Civil War but takes us through the details and individual decisions and…
