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Books > History > American history > 1800 to 1900
The Union Army's green riflemen at war
The important role of sharpshooters on the battlefield had been
recognised by armies since the time when firearms were developed
with a greater degree of accuracy. This key factor combined with a
soldier of higher intelligence, capable of independent thought and
action and skilful in the use of his weapons, made for a highly
effective light infantryman, skirmisher and scout. Green was often
their uniform colour irrespective of the nation they served, for it
referenced the 'hunter' from whose origin their service developed
in spirit and action. In the British Army the 60th and 95th
(Rifles) became famous during the Napoleonic Wars, though the
senior regiment, the 60th, had grown from the Royal Americans who
had proved their mettle on a battlefield where the skills of this
kind of infantryman were entirely applicable-the French and Indian
War. Warfare in the great North Eastern forests of America brought
forth many green clad riflemen and those raised in the cause of the
Union by the state of Vermont were among its most notable. With
their distinctive uniforms, high leather leggings and hair covered
knapsacks they were the very epitome of their forebears, the
Jaegers. This immediate account takes the reader on campaign
throughout the Civil War on the Peninsular Campaign, at Second Bull
Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the
Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor and Petersburg. Available in
softcover and hardback with dustjacket.
In this anthology of Civil War memoirs, we get a clearer impression
of some of the chaplains who served during that Great Conflict.
Chaplains were among the most omnipresent observers on the
battlefield, and some wrote extensively about their experiences.
Eighty-seven of the 3,695 chaplains who served in both armies wrote
regimental histories or published personal memoirs, not counting a
multitude of letters and more than 300 official reports. Yet, there
has never been an extensive collection of memoirs from chaplains of
both the Confederate and Union armies presented together. In this
groundbreaking work, many of the Confederate chaplains write that
they opposed secession and submitted to it only when war was
inevitable. Moreover, some of the ministers who became chaplains
were active in ministry to black slaves. They spoke out against the
neglect and abuse of those held in bondage both before and during
the war. For example, Reverend John L. Girardeau formed a large
mission church for slaves in Charleston, South Carolina, before the
war; Reverend Isaac Tichenor criticized the abuses of the slave
system before the Alabama Legislature in 1863; and Chaplain Charles
Oliver preached to black laborers in the Army of Northern Virginia
in 1864 with the thought that more needed to be done for them.
While these efforts may appear trivial in the face of the enormity
of the entire slave system, they do reflect that a social
conscience was not completely lacking among the Southern chaplains.
From the battlefield to the pulpit, Confederate chaplains were
surprising and complex individuals. For the first time, explore
this aspect of the great struggle in each chaplain's own words.
In time for the 150th anniversary of the Civil War Battle of
Antietam (September 17, 1862), author Laurence H. Freiheit has
written the definitive study of cavalry actions, Union and
Confederate, before, during, and after the battle. This massive
study, the product of years of research and topographical analysis,
will surely be the authoritative scholarly resource on this aspect
of the Civil War for years to come. Boots and Saddles: Cavalry
During the Maryland Campaign of September 1862 is a 594-page, 8 1/2
x 11" hardcover, with over 200 maps, photographs, and
illustrations. Included is a driving tour written by Craig Swain,
with modern maps and GPS coordinates. The second edition corrects
some typographical errors and supplies updates based on new source
This is the first scholarly analysis of The London American, the
pro-Union propaganda journal published in London during the
American Civil War, and the motives and troubles of its proprietor,
John Adams Knight, a Northern American based in the British
capital. The newspaper s successes and failures in attempts to
manipulate British public opinion during the war are compared with
that of The Index, its rival Confederate propaganda weekly
headquartered two doors down London s Fleet Street. Persuading John
Bull provides scholars and general readers alike a far greater
understanding of the largely unknown Northern newspaper s
motivations and campaigns during the war, as well as an in-depth
analysis of The Index which builds greatly on present
historiographical discussions of the Southern journal. It also
offers new insights into Britain s roles in the conflict,
Anglo-American relations, and Mid-Victorian British political and
social history. The book is not restricted to discussing the two
propaganda machines as its focus they are used to approach a
greater analysis of British public opinion during the American
Civil War both journals were strongly associated with numerous key
figures, societies (British and American), and events occurring on
both sides of the Atlantic pertaining to the conflict. Although
propaganda is only one source from which to tap, the effectiveness
of the two lobbyist journals either directly or indirectly impacted
other factors influencing Britain s ultimate decision to remain
neutral. This book reveals a fresh new cast of Union supporters in
London, in addition to more Confederate sympathizers throughout
Britain not previously discussed by scholars. The roles of these
new figures, how and why they endorsed the Northern or Southern war
effort, is analyzed in detail throughout the chapters, adding
greatly to existing historiography."
The 29th Mississippi Infantry Regiment 29th Infantry Regiment was
organized at Corinth, Mississippi, in April, 1862 with men from
Grenada, Lafayette, Panola, Yalobusha, Washington, and De Soto
counties. The unit served in Mississippi, then moved to Kentucky
where it saw action in Munfordville. Later it joined the Army of
Tennessee and was placed in General Walthall's and Brantly's
Brigade where it participated in many battles from Murfreesboro to
Bentonville. The 29th lost 5 killed and 36 wounded at Munfordville,
had 34 killed and 202 wounded at Murfreesboro, and suffered
fifty-three percent disabled of the 364 engaged at Chickamauga. It
reported 191 casualties at Chattanooga and in December, 1863 was
consolidated with the 30th and 34th Regiment and totalled 554 men
and 339 arms. This unit reported 5 killed and 22 wounded at Resaca,
and in the fight at Ezra Church the 29th/30th lost 8 killed and 20
wounded. Very few surrendered in North Carolina in April, 1865.
This groundbreaking analysis of Confederate demobilization examines
the state of mind of Confederate soldiers in the immediate
aftermath of war. Having survived severe psychological as well as
physical trauma, they now faced the unknown as they headed back
home in defeat. Lost Causes analyzes the interlude between soldier
and veteran, suggesting that defeat and demobilization actually
reinforced Confederate identity as well as public memory of the war
and southern resistance to African American civil rights. Intense
material shortages and images of the war's devastation confronted
the defeated soldiers-turned-veterans as they returned home to a
revolutionized society. Their thoughts upon homecoming turned to
immediate economic survival, a radically altered relationship with
freed people, and life under Yankee rule-all against the backdrop
of fearful uncertainty. Bradley R. Clampitt argues that the
experiences of returning soldiers helped establish the ideological
underpinnings of the Lost Cause and create an identity based upon
shared suffering and sacrifice, a pervasive commitment to white
supremacy, and an aversion to Federal rule and all things northern.
As Lost Causes reveals, most Confederate veterans remained diehard
Rebels despite demobilization and the demise of the Confederate
States of America.
An artillery man's experience of the war between the states
Carlton McCarthy, the author of this book, was a serving soldier in
the Army of the Confederacy during the great American Civil War. As
a humble private soldier of the second company of the Richmond
Howitzers, Cutshaw's Battalion of Artillery, he had an intimate
experience of life on campaign and upon the battlefield from within
the Second Corps of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.
McCarthy has painted a fascinating portrait of his experience of
war and army life taking the reader to the very heart of the
everyday business of soldiering for the Southern states. Much
detail will be found in these pages concerning the minutiae of camp
and campaign in all its aspects. McCarthy gives a vivid account of
the closing stages of the war, the collapse of the Confederacy and
his return homeward immediately after the surrender and the
difficulties of subsisting in its aftermath.
A compelling narrative of one of the Civil War's most pivotal
campaigns in which Federal armies drove Robert E. Lee's army to the
brink of defeat in April 1865. The Richmond-Petersburg Campaign
lasted for ten months, the longest in any theater of the war, and
dwarfed all of the war's other campaigns for length of sustained
combat, distances covered by the opposing forces, number of troops
deployed, and number of battles and engagements. Yet this military
operation has traditionally received little attention from
scholars, considering its importance in bringing the war to an end.
This concise reference analyzes the grueling 1864-65 campaign,
particularly its strategic, operational, and tactical decisions,
which shaped the course and outcome of the war. The
Richmond-Petersburg Campaign affected every segment of American
society, bringing the impact of the war home to soldiers and
civilians alike. General Ulysses S. Grant's armies employed more
African Americans than in any other Civil War campaign, and their
contributions were critical to Union victory. In an indication of
the decisive importance of the campaign, the Confederacy took the
unimaginable step of attempting to arm slaves for military service.
A historian and lifelong resident of Virginia, Charles R. Bowery
Jr. combines a vivid narrative, in-depth character study, and
technical aspects of warfare to describe the human drama of one of
the Civil War's most complex, decisive, and fascinating conflicts.
This riveting account reveals how, in spite of the exceptional
commands of leaders Grant and Lee, both sides suffered from
personal rivalries, questions of honor, ineffective organization,
and poor communication. The book concludes with an assessment of
the mixed performances of both armies, the factors that influenced
the outcome, and the campaign's role in ending the Civil War.
Addresses the concerns of the New Military History, including the
impact of the battles on common soldiers, civilians of all races,
and the environment Provides driving directions to various campaign
sites, along with suggested itineraries to encourage historical
tourism Includes maps of the various engagements to encourage
further research into significant events
The sesquicentennial of the American Civil War presents a unique
opportunity to consider the motivation behind General Robert E. Lee
s efforts to defend the Confederacy against his once beloved United
States. What will be learned from this book is that General Lee was
following in the footsteps of his idol General George Washington.
General Lee was not fighting to perpetuate and expand slavery,
self-aggrandizement, or military glory. He was fighting for the
1776 principles of government based upon the consent of the
governed, the 1789 principles of the rule of law, and for a
Judeo-Christian based civilization. While Lee s military genius and
commitment to duty are widely acknowledged, his political acumen
is, for the most part, underrated. Master of the art of politics as
much as war, which is politics by other means, Lee considered both
normative arts concerned with the happiness and noble actions of
the citizens. In fact, Lee s successes and failures on the
battlefield were due in large measure to his worldview that if the
Confederacy were to survive its citizenry must act nobly. According
to Lee, it is in noble actions that human happiness is to be
achieved. For Lee, the soldier and citizen performing their
respective duties were on the paths to individual happiness and,
ultimately, a free and independent CSA. In The Enduring Relevance
of Robert E. Lee Marshall L. DeRosa uses the American Civil War and
the figure of Robert E. Lee to consider the role of political
leadership under extremely difficult circumstances and the proper
response to those circumstances. DeRosa examines Lee as a
politician rather than just a military leader and finds that many
of Lee s assertions are still relevant today. DeRosa reveals Lee s
insights and his awareness that the victory of the Union over the
Confederacy placed America on the path towards the demise of
government based upon the consent of the governed, the rule of law,
and the Judeo-Christian American civilization."
There have been thousands of books put out about the Civil War, but
none by a Civil War Buff, so I wrote one. This book was a produce
of five years' work and puts the war in a way that casual fans of
the war will be surprised at what took place.This book is in three
parts: Civil War Timeline: the events, battles, politics, and
personal observations of those who were a part of the war.Things
that any good soldier of the Civil War should know: the weapons,
uniforms, food, duties, marching, fighting, medical advice, and
slang (with a little tribute to the Navy and Marines).Amazing
Facts: starting with the issues, this part displays many facts that
usually do not make it into the history books.
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