author
Richard M. McMurry
A longtime Civil War historian, he wrote with a clear eye for strategy, leadership, and the often-overlooked Western Theater. His books helped bring fresh attention to figures like John Bell Hood and Joseph E. Johnston, as well as the Atlanta campaign.
1 Audiobook
The Road Past Kennesaw: The Atlanta Campaign of 1864
by Richard M. McMurry
About the author
Born in 1939, Richard M. McMurry is an American historian and writer known for his work on the Civil War, especially campaigns and commanders in the western part of the conflict. Sources describe him as a historian based in Roanoke, Virginia, with a longtime focus on military history and Civil War studies.
McMurry earned his Ph.D. at Emory University, where he studied under noted Civil War scholar Bell Wiley. He taught history at Emory University and Valdosta State College, and later served as an adjunct professor of history at North Carolina State University before continuing his career as a writer and independent scholar.
His best-known books include John Bell Hood and the War for Southern Independence, Two Great Rebel Armies: An Essay in Confederate Military History, Atlanta 1864: Last Chance for the Confederacy, and The Civil Wars of General Joseph E. Johnston. Friendly to general readers but grounded in serious research, his work is especially valued for explaining how Confederate command decisions shaped the war in the West.