Tracts To triumph - From Fort Sumter to the 1st Battle of Bull Run

     In his follow-up book to "Tracks To Triumph - The Strategic Role of the Railroad in the Civil War," Hughes looks at how the railroad was used in each battle. The railroad served as a vital component for Civil War military campaign planning, logistics movement, and victory. It gave both sides the ability to move troops and material, as well as the advantage of much-needed intelligence.

     IMMEDIATELY AFTER ABRAHAM LINCOLN HAD BEEN ELECTED PRESIDENT, secession talks began. South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union just days after the election. Major Anderson and his troops dug in at Fort Sumter, awaiting the first cannon blast.
     The Civil War was about to begin. Both sides expected the war to be over quickly. Facing early defeats, the Union realized it would be a long road to victory. With this in mind, Northern military leaders determined that whoever controlled the railroads inevitably controlled the war. Whether by operating them or destroying them, tracks held the key to triumph.