“Elmore has thoroughly scoured the archives regarding these decisive few months of the Civil War . . . . [Carnival of Destruction is] comprehensive and densely detailed.”
Kirkus
Bronze Readers Favorite Award
From hairpins, bummers and she-bangs to the Union army’s engineering, thievery, subterfuges and firestorm across the Palmetto state, this book offers the most complete story of Sherman’s march ever told. Union Maj. Gen. William B. Hazen called Sherman’s devastation “a carnival of destruction,” the scars of which can still be seen today.
Historian Tom Elmore spent more than fifteen years researching and gathering hundreds of accounts to write this comprehensive and compelling history, including an examination of Sherman’s military plans, the role of the railroads in the invasion, and the controversy over who was responsible for the burning of Columbia. Learn how the inaction of the Confederate government aided Union troops and how glaring examples of greed, pettiness and depravity were offset by demonstrations of ingenuity, determination and kindness.
Historian Tom Elmore grew up in Columbia, S.C. where he heard numerous tales and legends about life in the city during the Civil War. Elmore holds a B.A. in History and Political Science from the University of South Carolina. He is the author of numerous articles in regional and national publications and has lectured all across the Mid-Atlantic States. In addition, Elmore is a book reviewer for Blue & Gray Magazine and writes the Columbia Gems local history series for Blue Fish Magazine. He lives in Columbia with his wife Krys and their two Chihuahuas Speedy and Sassy.