The Civil War in America from 1861 to 1965 was, from the outset, a gamble - firstly political, then psychological, later diplomatic and, finally, militarily. Once hostilities began, the conflict was littered with cavalier actions, by individual commanders and units of men, which held little guarantee of success. In a masterly account of thirteen dramatic 'throws of the dice', Philip Katcher shows how at all levels of command the desperate chance was often taken. He sums up the considerations of the parties involved, the risks they were taking and the results which might have been expected by success and failure, before actually charting the action, the actual outcome and the effect it had.