Civil War Book Acquisitions: January 2012

Title: Virginia at War, 1865
Author: Davis, William C. (ed) & Robertson, James I., Jr. (ed)
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
ISBN-13: 978-0-8131-3468
Price: $40.00 (Hardcover); $31.50 (Kindle)
TOCWOC’s Take: As expected, this last book in the Virginia at War series spends a lot less time on the battlefield and a lot more time exploring the war’s effects on soldiers, civilians, and the South as a whole.  There are some intriguing essays in this volume and I’m sure anyone interested in the Eastern Theater will find more than enough here to justify a purchase.

Publisher Site Info:

Virginia at War, 1865 closely examines the end of the Civil War in the Old Dominion, delivering a striking depiction of a state ravaged by violence and destruction. In the final volume of the Virginia at War series, editors William C. Davis and James I. Robertson Jr. have once again assembled an impressive collection of essays covering topics that include land operations, women and families, wartime economy, music and entertainment, the demobilization of Lee’s army, and the war’s aftermath. The volume ends with the final installment of Judith Brockenbrough McGuire’s popular and important Diary of a Southern Refugee during the War. Like the previous four volumes in the series, Virginia at War, 1865 provides valuable insights into the devastating effects of the war on citizens across the state.

***

Title: No Freedom Shrieker: The Civil War Letters of Union Soldier Charles Freeman Biddlecom
Author: Aldridge, Katherine M. (ed) & Biddlecom, Charles
Publisher: Paramount Market Publishing
ISBN-13: 078-0-9830436-7-6
Price: $24.95 (Paperback); $9.99 (Kindle)
TOCWOC’s Take: Read the publisher information below and it will become obvious why I accepted this book for review.  Charles Biddlecom was heavily involved in the Siege of Petersburg, and in glancing through the book he doesn’t have any huge gaps in his letters.  For this reason, you have the rare occurrence of a soldier who lived through the killing fields of the Overland Campaign and the Siege of Petersburg whose letters or diary gives readers a look at the action as a whole.  Biddlecom’s letters are exactly the type of first person account I’m looking for regarding the battles around Petersburg.  I’m new to this publisher but I want to make sure to give this book a full review so it gets some of the publicity it deserves.  It will be interesting to see how or even if Biddlecom’s views of the war change in the crucible of combat.  Also notice the extremely reasonably priced Kindle version which is available for under $10.

Publisher Site Info:

Among the piles of obsolete farm and household implements, haystacks, dust, and debris abandoned in her historic barn, Katie Aldridge  discovered a box containing the Civil War letters of Charles Freeman Biddlecom. Painstakingly transcribing and lightly editing more than 100 letters written by the soldier to his wife during his service, Ms. Aldridge resurrected the voice of the Civil War combat soldier. The tone and character of “Charlie’s” detailed accounts of the war compelled Ms. Aldridge to find out more.

From letters written throughout Grant’s Overland Campaign and the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign, the reader gains an insider’s view of the war: fear, hunger, sickness, longing, and concern for those left behind as well as detailed insights about the political climate. Writing from the perspective shaped in an Upstate New York  community closely linked to the abolitionist cause, woman’s suffrage, and the Quaker philosophy, the reader will learn how Charlie’s background shaped his actions and view of the war.

***

Title: “Fear Was Not in Him”: The Civil War Letters of Major General Francis C. Barlow, U.S.A.
Author: Samito, Christian G. (ed) & Barlow, Francis C.
Publisher: Fordham University Press
ISBN-10: 0-8232-2324-8
Price: $22.00 (Paperback);
TOCWOC’s Take: Francis C. Barlow commanded the First Division, Second Corps, Army of the Potomac early in the Siege of Petersburg before taking a long leave of absence from July 1864 to April 1865. Resuming division command (in a different division), Barlow played a role at the Battle of Sayler’s Creek on April 6, 1865 during the Appomattox Campaign. I picked up this paperback version of his Civil War letters in the hopes of learning more about his experiences in the short amount of time he was at Petersburg.

Publisher Site Info:

N/A. This book was published in 2006.

***

Title: The Massachusetts Andrew Sharpshooters: A Civil War History and Roster
Author: Ellis, Alden C., Jr.
Publisher: McFarland & Company
ISBN-13: 978-0-7864-6489-0
Price: $40.00 (Paperback); $9.99 (Kindle)
TOCWOC’s Take: McFarland produces a lot of unit histories of widely varying quality.  A quick glance through this one seems to indicate a lot of research went into it, including full rosters of these two companies of sharpshooters.  Typically these sharpshooters were attached to Massachusetts regiments early in the Siege of Petersburg before mustering out in the fall of 1864.  Note the very reasonably priced Kindle edition which ultimately makes more sense unless you have an affinity for these units.

Publisher Site Info:

Named for Massachusetts governor John Albion Andrew–who prevented these two companies from joining the nationalized Berdan’s sharp-shooters so that their families could continue to receive state aid–the Andrew Sharpshooters often transferred from unit to unit as the need for their unique, long-range shooting skills changed.

This first chronicle of the Massachusetts Andrew Sharpshooters details their day-to-day activities and their courageous service at Seven Pines, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and numerous other Civil War battles. Thorough historical and genealogical information on every man who served in the unit completes this study of these significant but overlooked foot soldiers.

***

Title: “Bully for the Band!”: The Civil War Letters and Diary of Four Brothers in the 10th Vermont Infantry Band: Charles George, Herbert George, Jere George and Osman George
Author: Davis, James G. (ed)
Publisher: McFarland & Company
ISBN-13: 978-0-7864-6686-3
Price: $49.95 (Paperback); $39.96 (Kindle)
TOCWOC’s Take: This unsolicited review copy looks interesting at first glance.  Four brothers were all in the 10th Vermont’s band and at least a few of them survived to the Petersburg campaign.  The high price is going to prevent most people from picking this one up unless you are interested in the musical aspects of the war or the 10th Vermont.

Publisher Site Info:

About the Book
From the commanding call of the bugle at reveille to combat instructions (such as “fix bayonets”) to reassuring songs around the campfire at night, music was an integral part of the Civil War soldier’s experience. This volume presents the Civil War writings of Charles, Herbert, Jeremiah and Osman George, four brothers from the town of Newbury, Vermont, who played in the 10th Vermont Infantry regimental band. Their letters and a diary describe the life of an enlisted musician, including forming a band, rehearsals and repertory, performances for officers, troops, and civilians–and battlefield stretcher-bearer duties. Despite the hardships they suffered, including the loss of one brother, their writings (supported by detailed scene-setting narratives by editor Davis) reveal the Georges’ fraternal bond that sustained them emotionally and ensured they would continue to serve their comrades in battle.

About the Author
James A. Davis is a professor of musicology and chair of the Music History Area at the State University of New York, Fredonia. His articles have appeared in American Music, The Journal of Military History, North & South, and the Journal of Band Research.

Post from: TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog

Civil War Book Acquisitions: January 2012

Related posts:

1. January 2012 Civil War Book Notes
2. Civil War Book Acquisitions: December 2011
3. Civil War Book Acquisitions: September 2011

Not really, but this Prohibition-era whiskey-running submarine, preserved at the Grand Gulf battlefield, is still pretty cool. Other than the lack of a spar torpedo and of course considering that it was powered by an automobile engine (from a Model T) it is strikingly similar in appearance to the H. L. Hunley.

This isn’t really a submarine, tho, but is actually a semisubmersible like the present day “narcosubs”. Still, it would have been a great asset to besieged Vicksburg, where it was used later. As it was, the Confederates used swimmers to bring in small items like dispatches and musket caps, but their capacity was very limited.

Post from: TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog

C.S.S. Jack Daniels

Related posts:

1. Jack Coggins
2. H. L. Hunley Righted

John Swansburg takes a marathon Civil War tour from Vicksburg to Gettysburg and wonders if he can become an expert that way. The answer is “no” but it’s still a fun read. Gettysburg on Segways?

Over the course of this road trip, my companions and I have found ourselves drawn to certain figures, and we’ve grown particularly fond of Jackson. A devout, humorless man who was notoriously hard on his troops, Jackson nevertheless enjoyed their devotion and was forever pulling off victories that seemed next to impossible. He was also a delightfully odd duck. Notes historian James McPherson, “Jackson constantly sucked lemons to palliate his dyspepsia and refused to season his food with pepper because (he said) it made his left leg ache.”

Jackson’s military prowess and personal eccentricities make him a natural object of curiosity. Admiration, too, though here things get stickier. Out on the battlefield, listening to a talented guide like Struhelka describe one of Jackson’s brilliant tactical maneuvers, it’s easy to find yourself pulling for him and indeed for the Confederates, who fight valiantly, are often outnumbered, and thus have the appealing air of the underdog. More than once, I’ve had to stop and remind myself what, exactly, the Rebels were fighting for. Earlier in the trip, I’d become fascinated by cavalryman Nathan Bedford Forrest. A self-made man, Forrest enlisted in the Confederate Army as a private, worked his way up to lieutenant general, and despite having no prior military experience, routinely outclassed his Union opponents. Yet these facts are also true: Forrest made part of his fortune in the slave trade; oversaw a massacre of black soldiers at Fort Pillow, Tenn.; and was a founding member of the Ku Klux Klan.

In that other war, the Canadians are treading carefully on the subject of the War of 1812, in which the United Statesians got an almighty thrashing when trying to invade the frozen wastes of Canuckistan.

Ottawa’s messaging, though, is carefully crafted to steer Canadians away from chauvinistic jingoism or triumphalism at having repelled the Americans in the long-ago war.

“This is not meant to be antagonistic. This is not in any way meant to upset or put a sour taste in anybody’s mouth,” federal Heritage Minister James Moore said of 1812 commemorations.

“This is meant to remind Canadians of the importance of the War of 1812 in the development of Canada.”

While it will celebrate historical icons such as Isaac Brock and Laura Secord, the government is preparing to play up the relative lack of conflict with the United States since. In more than one news release on remembering the war, the Tories also mention “two centuries of peaceful co-existence with the United States” that followed.

Don’t worry, lads, we can handle it. We celebrate killing each other all the time down here, and everyone seems to love it.

One of the principals in the American (ahem) invasion of Our Northern Neighbor was Wade Hampton I, grandfather of the Wade Hampton we know from the Late Unpleasantness. Fortunately for the Canadians (then British), he was not the soldier his grandson would be.

During the War of 1812, Hampton led the American forces in the Battle of Chateauguay in 1813. On April 6, 1814, he resigned his commission and returned to South Carolina after leading thousands of U.S. soldiers to defeat at the hands of just a little over a thousand Canadian militia and 180 Indian warriors then getting his army lost in the woods.

UPDATE: Why did the Americans do so poorly in the War of 1812? Although there were bright spots like Winfield Scott at Lundy’s Lane, the defense of Baltimore, and of course Jackson at New Orleans, the overall performance of US land forces can be summed up in a single word—miserable. The big reason was the lack of any sort of military professionalism. After their experience with Britain the Founding Fathers were very suspicious of a standing army, and thought a militia system like Switzerland’s preferable. James Madison’s predecessor, Thomas Jefferson, was especially big on this idea (and besides it was cheap). While the militia system served fairly well on the frontier and for domestic disturbances like the Whiskey Rebellion, it became painfully clear that it would not work against a professional army like the British.

The result was an increased emphasis on the development of a professional officer class, something Winfield Scott was instrumental in creating. The improvement was evident in the Mexican War, in which the core of the army were military professionals, and later in the Civil War.

Post from: TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog

Civil War on the Web (and one other)

No related posts.

An AP article on women re-enactors:

With her breasts tightly bound, shoulder-length red hair tucked under a shaggy auburn wig and upper lip hidden by a drooping mustache, Henry impersonates Lt. Harry T. Buford, a real-life Confederate soldier.

The impression could hardly be more accurate since Buford, too, was a woman. He was invented by Loreta Janeta Velazquez, a Cuban-born woman from New Orleans who fought as a man in a series of Civil War battles including the First Battle of Bull Run, according to her autobiography.

Researchers have documented more than 200 such cases. And today, a small number of women follow suit by donning blue and gray uniforms as Civil War re-enactors.

And a look at regimental mascots in the war, including the most famous, Old Abe the eagle, named for the president, a bird who saw his share of combat.

…Old Abe was assigned to the color guard and received a new perch that consisted of a shield-shaped plate with a crossbar he could roost on. Decorated with stars and stripes, the plate connected to a five-foot long pole, which was carried by the men into battle.

….

Old Abe was almost killed twice. At the Battle of Corinth, in Mississippi, a minie ball cut the leather cord connecting him to his perch. As he flew down the Union lines of the battlefield, Confederates tried to shoot him. Confederate Gen. Sterling Price offered a bounty to his men, adding that he would rather get the eagle than a whole regiment. After someone in the regiment cropped Old Abe’s tail and wing feathers to prevent him from flying away again, his outraged bearer, David McLain, resigned his post. Old Abe’s other near miss occurred during the siege of Vicksburg in 1863 when a Confederate minie ball grazed his neck and chest, taking off the feathers in its path and damaging his left wing.

And a poignant letter from Mary Lincoln concerning the death of her son Tad, written from the White House.

All that human skill could do was done for our sainted boy, I fully believe the severe illness, he passed through, now, almost two years since, was but a warning to us that one so pure, was not to remain long here and at the same time, he was lent us a little longer – to try us & wean us from our world, whose chains were fastening around us & when the blow came if found us unprepared to meet it. Our home is very beautiful, the grounds around us are enchanting the world still smiles & pays homage, yet the charm is dispelled – everything appears a mockery, the idolized one is not with us, he has fulfilled his mission and we are left desolate.

The six page letter was recently auctioned for over $26,000.

Post from: TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog

Civil War on the Web

Related posts:

1. Civil War on the Web

A chat with Civil War author J. David Petruzzi and cartographer Steven Stanley about their new book project with Savas Beatie

Q: I’m familiar with Savas Beatie’s The New Civil War Handbook and The New American Revolution Handbook, but can you explain the books and their format for those of our readers who are not?

A: This is a very useful reference series and the books are great companions while reading other books on these subjects. For instance, The New Civil War Handbook by Mark Hughes presents a variety of topics such as quotes from participants during the war, which really put a human face on the conflict. The photo section, definitions, names for the war, list of books, websites, etc. all provide wonderful information that the reader can use to do further research. Same with the Revolution handbook, by Theodore Savas and J. David Dameron – the information found in there such as battles, generals, flags, etc., give a background that make reading scholarly works on the Revolutionary period much more enjoyable and easier to understand. One will want to have these books at hand while reading others. And, they stand alone – in and of themselves. Younger audiences will enjoy these handbooks because they provide a concise background on these seminal periods in our history that no other works provide.

Q: So what is the new project you are working on in this series?

A: It’s titled The New Gettysburg Campaign Handbook. Based on the format of the other handbooks in the series, this one presents a wide variety of material that covers the entire campaign from the Battle of Brandy Station (June 9, 1863) through the escape of the Confederate Army across the Potomac (July 14, 1863).

Q: How does this book differ from other Gettysburg Guides, including your own The Complete Gettysburg Guide?

A: First, this handbook is complimentary to The Complete Gettysburg Guide – it contains all of the material that we couldn’t fit into the Guide. For instance, this handbook contains, among many other topics, complete Orders of Battle for every single notable conflict during the campaign – large and small – that occurred from June 6 to July 14. That has never been done before. We think that that alone will make this guide a reference work that every reader will want to have handy in order to supplement every other book on the Gettysburg battle and/or campaign. Plus, we have striven to make our Orders of Battle the most complete and accurate – we find many, many errors in other Orders that are available in books and online, and we have corrected them in ours. In addition, we have capsule biographies of the major participants, and lots of useful and fun statistical compilations: for example, Dr. Michael Jacobs’ weather observations at Gettysburg during the battle; the ages of all the participating generals; the dates of their commissions; discussions of the major controversies of the campaign; and so much more!

Q: What new features will your Handbook have that we can look forward to seeing?

A: Those Orders of Battle (there are more than forty of them in the book) for one; the many statistical tables; the discussions of major controversies that arose during the campaign; and we think the Trivia/Interesting Facts section will be an enjoyable read for many!

Q: Are you working on any other projects that you can give us a sneak peek at?

A: Yes! At the suggestion of our publisher, Ted Savas, we are taking those campaign Orders of Battle and expanding that into another, likewise complimentary, project about which we’ll release details soon. Suffice it to say that we sincerely hope it will be another reference that everyone will want to have, and it will be a completely unique presentation of that topic. We are also working on a “Complete Guide” that will cover the Maryland Campaign of 1862 that, like all of these works, will feature the complete design and maps by Steve Stanley.

Subscribe to the Savas Beatie monthly newsletter Libri Novus at www.savasbeatie.com to receive up-to-date information on new and upcoming releases.

Post from: TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog

An Interview With The New Gettysburg Campaign Handbook Collaborators J.D. Petruzzi and Steven Stanley

Related posts:

1. Civil War Book Review: The New Gettysburg Campaign Handbook
2. Savas-Beatie Launches New Gettysburg Campaign Handbook Trailer
3. Review: The Complete Gettysburg Guide by J. David Petruzzi

I have been seriously catching up on my Civil War blog reading lately after spending the better part of July-November 2010 getting married.  Imagine my anger when I read the following comments about TOCWOC in the first comment following Andy Hall’s post taking Jim Durney to task for his Black Confederates blog entry awhile back.  They come from anonymous internet tough guy “The Raven”, whose ridiculously slanted political views I refuse to link to.  (I want to also take a brief moment to say I have nothing against Andy Hall or what he does at his blog.  I agree with Andy’s views on Black Confederates, for what little that is worth.)

Do these folks ever read the texts they’re so good at citing as proof of their case?

The pathology over at TOCWOC is detail fetishism. Half the contributors are miniature wargamers. Most are amateur “historians”, if alleged expertise in “black powder history” counts as a relevant body of knowledge. Half of TOCWOC’s 10-ten ACW blog list covers obscure, narrow aspects of the war, such as an entire blog devoted to Gettysburg monuments. Obsession with minutiae is the first sign of Lost Causeism.

The TOCWOC Black Confederate essay is an admirable example of misdirection. I normally dismiss people like Durney out of hand but his essay is, from the standpoint of inventive construction and obfuscation, nicely done. He makes plenty of seductive references to historic truths, authors and books that will resonate with educated people. Blacks in the military were ignored by history (check), the negro leagues were also ignored (check) Glaathaar wrote a great book on the USCT (check), etc. Durney uses plenty of numbers to build the illusion of a case. The seams show when broad leaps in logic are jammed inside all that detail.

Durney plies the credulity market. People who lack critical thinking skills can be duped while those that seek support for their personal prejudices will see what suits them. Durney is an example of someone who most certainly reads his cited sources, it’s just that he reads them in order to misstate what they say. In fact, cited sources are a key part of his charade. For Lost Causers, the mere existence of a citation is enough. For the rest of us, his density-of-detail strategy is designed to make refutation more difficult.

So, great post and thanks for the alert to another black hole in the Internet. Your blog and Levin’s, which I perused the other night, are big antidotes for credulity memes.

Wow.  Where to begin?  Well, I left the following comment on the blog entry, for starters:

I was busy getting married late last year and missed this blog entry by Andy mentioning TOCWOC, a blog I founded and participate in.  With that said, there are three main contributors: me, James Durney, and Fred Ray.  We are VERY different people with different thoughts, beliefs, etc.

My own personal belief is that while thousands of slaves probably accompanied Confederate armies, almost all did so against their will and did not actively participate in the fighting.  Fred Ray is a published author, an expert in “black powder history”, as The Raven (who I’ll get to in a moment) so sneeringly and condescendingly calls him.

Jim has done quite a few book reviews at TOCWOC, and I appreciate his enthusiasm if I don’t always agree with his beliefs.

I allow both men to post whatever they want as long as it pertains to the Civil War in some way.  Personally, I think it adds to the diversity of the blog voice and attracts more readers.

Therefore, I take GREAT exception to The Raven’s sneering, condescending dismissal of all who disagree with him/her.  The Black Confederate deal almost always involves a heavy tinge of modern day politics, a major reason I steer clear of it.  It’s nonsense anyway, and most people familiar with the primary source documents realize this.  Therefore, I’ll leave this to the rest of you with the parting though that Andy, like Kevin Levin, who is also mentioned, does a good job of discrediting this stuff.

Raven apparently can’t count either, since I’m the only (semi) wargamer of the group and I’m one of three.  “Detail fetishism” huh?  I am willing to bet a heck of a lot more people find that top-10 Civil War blogs list I did a better overall representation of the Civil War blogosphere I did at the time than the other one put out on the same day.  Believe it or not guys, a lot of people enjoy studying military history for the sake of military history.  I went back and forth with Kevin Levin on this for years before we just decided to ignore each other, leaving each of us free to pursue what we each enjoy studying and both being better off for it, IMHO.  The “Gettysburg Monument” blog is Draw the Sword by Jenny Goellnitz, who also runs a great web site on A.P. Hill.  I know Jenny through some brief correspondence only, but I can safely say she would greatly object to being called a “Lost Causer”.

I’ve written hundreds of blog posts on the Civil War at American Civil War Gaming and Reading and then TOCWOC, including many book reviews, Top-10 lists of books for several battles, numerous posts pointing to interesting and thought provoking blog entries on other Civil War blogs, Civil War magazine summaries, and posts on various other Civil War related topics.  I like to believe I’ve added in my own admittedly amateur historian way to my readers’ knowledge of the Civil War, albeit admittedly very little in the overall scheme of things.

On to the Raven.  Let’s play his/her game by looking at its blog for two seconds: The Raven Spoke is clearly a far left blog hell bent on telling everyone else how stupid they are and what they should do with their lives.  I’m slightly left of center on the political spectrum, but this guy’s views would be laughed at as radical by the vast majority of the American voting public.  Is that condescending and generalizing enough for you Raven?  No need to thank me for returning the favor.

In conclusion for those of you who think TOCWOC is some kind of Black Confederate web site:

1) TOCWOC is and freely admits to being a GROUP of amateur historians, not just one person.  People like The Raven who want to look down on us are free to do so.  I have little time for people who think they’re better than everyone else and only respond when attacked with ridiculous falsehoods.  I take my history seriously, and though I have no advanced history degree, I am very interested in getting things right and citing my sources.  See my Siege of Petersburg site Beyond the Crater for instance.

2) James Durney made ONE post on this, and Andy rightly had some serious questions about this.  I agree with Andy on this topic rather than Jim.  Note that out of thousands of blog posts at TOCWOC, one touches on this topic.  While I disagree with Jim on this topic, it does not mean I do not value many of his other opinions.  Jim has done a TON of good book reviews here, and for that I sincerely thank him.  He is welcome to continue to post his views here at TOCWOC, and people are welcome to challenge him in the comments section.

3) I am an Illinoisan by birth and I fully believe that slavery was the main cause of the Civil War, that the tariff reason cited by so many Lost Causers does not hold up under scrutiny, and that any Blacks accompanying Confederate armies were slaves, designed to free up white men for armed fighting roles.

4) I again take GREAT exception to being called a “Lost Causer”, and if the genius who made that comment had spent more than two minutes at TOCWOC, they would have figured this out.

5) I encourage anyone reading this to look over the archives of TOCWOC in the last 6 years and come to their own conclusions rather than assuming TOCWOC is a Black Confederate site.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  My “black hole on the internet” does quite nicely for the niche topic it covers, which is NOT Black Confederates.

PS I encourage The Raven (you anonymous coward!) to email me so I can tell you offline what I really think of you and what you can do with your sweeping generalization of me and the blog I founded.

The comments I left were a LOT more explicit when I started writing.  As many of you who have read this blog know, nothing pisses me off more than people who think, act, and write like they are better than everyone else.  The far, far left are better at this apparently than the rest of us.  See, the debate on Black Confederates is a modern day political issue, much more than it is an kind of historical issue.  As I stated above, if you spend time with primary sources (or in this case the damning LACK of primary sources) you’ll quickly see this idea of thousands upon thousands of Black men willingly fighting for the Confederacy is a fabrication of major proportions.

I HATE our current two party system, with 5% of people on the far right and left of the spectrum arguing past each other all day long on “black holes of the internet” like The Raven’s blog while the rest of us wish you would just go move somewhere else and let the rest of us go on with our lives without either (far left) telling us all we’re stupid rednecks and should do things your way because you’re SOOO much smarter than we are or (far right) telling us we’re all going to hell because <insert your particular brand of Christianity or other religion here> is the one true way.  For these reasons, I stay as far away from this crap as possible.  I enjoy studying the military history of the Civil War, and Beyond the Crater has me getting more interested in the experiences of the common soldier, a topic I haven’t always been interested in.  I never post on modern day political issues, and with the exception of responding to disrespectful, ignorant comments made by others about my site, it will remain that way.

Thank you for letting me get this off my chest.  I feel better and we’ll go back to your regularly scheduled posts on the Civil War.  The Raven can go back to calling 95% of the country rednecks and argue with far right nutjobs until the cows come home.  I know where I’d like to see his far left friends and their counterparts on the far right go, and though it’s warm, it sure isn’t near the equator!

Post from: TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog

And the Far Left Wonders Why Everyone Hates Them

Related posts:

1. One Month Left In the FREE Civil War Book Giveaway
2. Three Weeks Left In the FREE Civil War Book Giveaway
3. Two Weeks Left In the FREE Civil War Book Giveaway

As I stumbled Craig Swain’s post about HMDB.com making the April 2011 issue of Civil War Times (congrats Craig), I started thinking about other Civil War buffs out there and whether or not they use StumbleUpon.  I’d like to see what others are stumbling since I will probably be interested.  If you have a StumbleUpon account and you stumble Civil War items, leave your StumbleUpon username in the comments section below.  Mine is bschulte1978.  Let me hear from you and I’ll add you as a friend.

Post from: TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog

Any Other Civil War Buffs Out There Using StumbleUpon?

Related posts:

1. StumbleUpon: A Great Way to Increase Blog Traffic

Editor’s Note: This Civil War book review originally appeared at The Siege of Petersburg Online: Beyond the Crater earlier today.

Hess, Earl J. Into the Crater: The Mine Attack at Petersburg. The University of South Carolina Press (September 30, 2010). 352 pp., 45 illustrations, maps, order of battle, notes, bibliography, index. ISBN: 978-1-57003-922-5 $44.95 (Cloth).

The Battle of the Crater is arguably the most famous action of the entire nine month long Siege of Petersburg, filled with controversy and amazing events. Other mines were exploded under enemy lines during the Civil War, but none with more spectacular results or more tragic consequences than Henry Pleasants’s mine under Pegram’s Salient on July 30, 1864. Why did the Union attack fail under what has generally been assumed were favorable conditions? Did Confederate soldiers massacre Blacks in the Union USCT regiments in and around the Crater? Which Confederate forces are truly responsible for restoring their lines after the mine explosion? Hess answers these questions and more with Into the Crater: The Mine Attack at Petersburg.

Author Dr. Earl J. Hess is no stranger to the Siege of Petersburg. In fact, his previous book In the Trenches at Petersburg: Field Fortifications and Confederate Defeat is an important contribution to an overlooked but vastly important and ever present component of the siege, the forts and trenches surrounding Richmond and Petersburg. Hess has had published no less than twelve books on the Civil War, and is well-known to serious students of the conflict.

The Battle of the Crater, a battle during Grant’s Third Offensive against Petersburg, occurred as a direct result of a mine explosion under Pegram’s Salient on July 30, 1864. This portion of the Confederate lines east of Petersburg was very near Union lines and hence vulnerable to a mining operation by the Union Ninth Corps facing them. Henry Pleasants, the colonel of the 48th Pennsylvania, happened to have many former coal miners in his ranks. He was given the go-ahead to attempt a lengthy tunnel under the Confederate works with the intention of blowing a portion up in June 1864. Interestingly there was debate about whether to even attack after blowing up the mine. Pressures on Ulysses S. Grant in the form of Early’s raid on the North and the failure of a planned attack north of the James against Richmond at the Battle of Deep Bottom forced the Federal hand, however. The explosion under Pegram’s Salient occurred spectacularly at 4:44 a.m. on July 30, 1864, resulting in a large hole in the ground ever after referred to as the Crater. Ambrose E. Burnside, widely regarded as one of the worst high level commanders in the entire war on either side, was in charge of the attack. Several command blunders caused Union brigades to pack into the Crater and the trenches just north and south of the newly made landmark. Union division and brigade commanders were confused about whether they were supposed to push on or consolidate their gains, and the maze of covered ways behind the Confederate lines did not help in any potential attack on the high ground beyond the crater. While the Federal troops continued shoving into an ever more constricted area, Confederate survivors in the area combined to provide another deterrent to any further Union attacks. In addition, three brigades of Mahone’s Army of Northern Virginia division were on their way. They delivered three separate attacks in the late morning and early afternoon of July 30, eventually causing a massive Union retreat and a bloody hand to hand fight in the Crater and surrounding trenches. At this point the debate began about Confederates massacring USCT (United States Colored Troops) prisoners during the fighting. The battle ended with the capture of many Union prisoners, a bloody disgrace for Ambrose Burnside and his Ninth Corps men. Burnside was soon after relieved of duty with the Army of the Potomac as a result of the battle and his arguments with Meade before, during, and after July 30. The Battle of the Crater still captures the imagination today, recently appearing in the Civil War era movie Cold Mountain.

As can be imagined with such an unusual Civil War battle, there were numerous controversies. Many of these centered around Burnside’s plans to assault, Meade’s interference, and the eventual lack of execution by many high level Ninth Corps commanders. Meade and Burnside had a final falling out during these few days which made it clear one of them had to go. Another major controversy was the possible massacre of Black Union soldiers by Confederates who attacked the Crater. The authors’ final thoughts will not be revealed here, but it suffices to say that he does believe these accusations have merit. Portioning out the credit for the successful assault on the Confederate side has also been a source of contention. Hess relentlessly wades through a voluminous number of sources on these controversies, and his conclusions do not always follow the preconceived “facts” about the Crater. The number of eyewitness accounts the author uses lends validity to these conclusions, as it is clear he knows the material well.

The book has a large number of maps going down to regimental and battery level which clearly show the fighting as it took place. Maps are also presented for the earlier Battle of Deep Bottom, a prequel of sorts to the Crater. While this book is not truly about the entire Third Offensive, Hess does set the stage nicely by giving the Deep Bottom operation more than just a cursory glance. The Order of Battle is standard, going down to regimental/battery level and down to brigade level for commander names. No unit strengths are given, however, despite some of these making their way into the book’s text. Even a brief glance at the bibliography, a favorite section of mine for any Civil War book, backs up Hess’ claim that Into the Crater is the most thoroughly researched book on the Battle of the Crater to appear to date. The number of archival sources is amazing, showing the author is willing to do a lot of hard work to make his book the best it could possibly be.

Into the Crater: The Mine Attack at Petersburg is the best book on the Battle of the Crater, period. Hess uses the most sources, uses them well, and doesn’t take anything for granted. He debunks some “facts” as myths and only further reinforces others. One of the foremost questions about the Crater battle involves the controversial massacre of Black troops by Confederate soldiers, and the author covers this topic well. In addition, Hess does a good job of placing the Battle of the Crater in the wider context of Grant’s Third Offensive and the entire Siege of Petersburg. Many excellent maps are tied well to the text. This book is worth the cover price for the extensive bibliography alone. Civil War readers looking for a good military history “battle book” will love Into the Crater. In addition, anyone interested in the Battle of the Crater or the larger Siege of Petersburg will want to make this the centerpiece of their collection on this battle. Readers unfamiliar with the Petersburg Campaign but looking to learn more about this lengthy, sprawling conflict could do much worse than starting here. As a student of the Siege of Petersburg, I highly recommend this book.

I would like to thank Jonathan Haupt at The University of South Carolina Press.

Editor’s Note: A copy of this book was provided gratis for the above review.

For detailed information and notes on this book, see BTC Notes: Into the Crater: The Mine Attack at Petersburg.

Post from: TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog

Civil War Book Review: Into the Crater: The Mine Attack at Petersburg

Related posts:

1. Civil War Book Review: Into the Crater: The Mine Attack at Petersburg
2. The Battle of the Crater at the Siege of Petersburg Online
3. Siege of Petersburg Beyond the Crater Progress Report: 2/19/2010

At the Precipice: Americans North and South during the Secession Crisis (Littlefield History of the Civil War Era)
by Shearer Davis Bowman

Product Details

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press (September 30, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807833924
• ISBN-13: 978-0807833926

Difficult but Rewarding

The author, who died in December 2009, spent his life teaching history at the college level.  While not a dynamic writer, an excellent understanding of history coupled with the ability to discern trends resulted in a unique view of events creating a provocative view of American history.

Eight chapters organize the author’s position and present his arguments.  “Introduction and Overview” is a slow read and may cause some to give up on the book.  It is not an optional item as the author covers events and interruptions of events during the 1850s.  “Slaveholders and Slaves, State’s Rights and Revolution” picks up the pace looking at feelings, fears and values.

“Honor and Degradation” takes a hard look at manliness and personal honor.  How these items influence the political process and secession provides food for thought.  How the political parties held off or brought on secession is the subject of “The Second Party System and Its Legacy”.   Looking at John Bell, John C. Breckinridge, Howell Cobb, Stephen A. Douglas, John Tyler and Martin Van Buren we see the process of comprise and disaffection.   “Jefferson Davis, Horace L. Kent and the Old South” coupled with “Abraham Lincoln, Henry Waller and the Free-Labor North” highlight the development of the two sections.  How different they were in attitude, politics and expectations resulting in one nation with two countries.  “Faith, Race, and Gender” is worth the price of the book.  Using Sojourner Truth, the author traces the history of slavery in the North.  Using a well to do Southern widow, we see slavery in the South from a moderate’s view.  These 17 pages is a revelation on the subject of slavery.  The last chapter looks at Buchanan, the Crittenden Compromise, Lincoln and Ft. Sumter.  Throughout, the author looks at racism, property rights, westward expansion and abolition.

The “takes readers into the minds” is misleading.  To me, it brought back memories of the “pop physiology” histories that once were popular.  In this book, the author makes his points using statements and actions by the participants.  This results in a very well supported logical argument.  This is a serious history with 49 pages of ends notes and 18 pages of further reading suggestions.  Sources are a mix of primary and contemporary works.

There is a wealth of information and ideas in this book.  It is an intellectually challenging and thought provoking book.  This is not an easy read!  Often, I had to reread a sentence to ensure understanding.  The prose is not impossible but can be difficult. The ideas presented are worth the effort and will expand your understanding of America entering the Civil War.

Post from: TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog

Civil War Book Review: At the Precipice: Americans North and South during the Secession Crisis

Related posts:

1. McFarland Civil War Book of the Week: William Henry Seward and the Secession Crisis: The Effort to Prevent Civil War
2. McFarland Civil War Book of the Week: The Causes of the Civil War: The Political, Cultural, Economic and Territorial Dispute Between North and South
3. North & South Magazine

Guerrillas posed a major problem for Union occupiers, who resorted to harsh (but ultimately ineffective) measures to suppress them.

Here is a circular letter from Maj. Gen. David “Black Dave” Hunter that was delivered to suspected sympathizers in the Shenandoah. Just how they were to refute these charges or stop guerrilla activities is unspecified.

IN THE FIELD, VALLEY OF THE SHENANDOAH, May 24, 1864.

SIR: Your name has been reported to me, with evidence, that you are one of the leading secession sympathizers in this valley, and that you countenance and abet the bushwhackers and guerrillas who infest the woods and mountains of this region, swooping out on the roads to plunder and outrage loyal residents, falling upon and firing into defenceless wagon trains, and assassinating soldiers of this command who may chance to be placed in exposed positions. These practices are not recognized by the laws of war of any civilized nation, nor are the persons engaged therein entitled to any other treatment than that due by the universal code of justice to pirates, murderers, and other outlaws.

But from the difficulties of the country, the secret aid and information given to these bush whackers by persons of your class, and the more important occupation of the troops under my command, it is impossible to chase, arrest and punish these common marauders as they deserve. Without the countenance and help given to them by the rebel residents of the valley, they could not support themselves for a week. You are spies upon our movements, abusing the clemency which has protected your persons and property, while loyal citizens of the United States residing within rebel lines are invariably plundered of all they may possess, imprisoned, and in some cases put to death. It is from you and your families and neighbors that these bandits revive food, clothing, ammunition and information; and it is from their secret hiding-places in your houses, barns and woods, that they issue on their missions of pillage and murder.

You are, therefore, hereby notified that for every train fired upon, or soldier of the Union wounded or assassinated by bushwhackers in any neighborhood within the reach of my cavalry, the houses and other property of every secession sympathizer residing within a circuit of five miles from the place of the outrage, shall be destroyed by fire; and that for all public property jayhawked or destroyed by these marauders, an assessment of five times the value of such property will be made upon the secession sympathizers residing within a circuit often miles around the point at which the offence was committed. The payment of this assessment will be enforced by the troops of the department, who will seize and hold in close military custody the persons assessed until such payment shall have been made. This provision will also be applied to make good, from the Secessionists in every neighborhood, five times the amount of any loss suffered by loyal citizens of the United States from the action of the bushwhackers whom you encourage.

If you desire to avoid the consequences herein set forth, you will notify your guerrilla and bushwhacking friends to withdraw from that portion of the valley within my lines, and to join — if they desire to fight for the rebellion — the regular forces of the secession army in my front or elsewhere. You will have no one but yourselves to blame for the consequences that will certainly ensue if these evils are permitted to continue. This circular is not sent to you for the reason that you have been singled out as peculiarly obnoxious, but because you are believed to furnish the readiest means of communication with the prominent secession sympathizers of your neighborhood. It will be for their benefit that you communicate to them the tenor of this circular.

D. HUNTER, Maj.-Gen. Com’d

If captured, guerrillas could expect little mercy. If they survived capture and summary execution they could look forward to trial by a military commission from which there was no appeal. Lincoln did pardon Union soldiers and even Indians, but I’m not aware of him ever showing mercy to a partisan or guerrilla.

From the Nashville Union, June 18.

Five men were hung yesterday at the State Prison. They were tried and sentenced by a Military Commission at Tullahoma, last March, Col, E. A. CANNON, of the Thirteenth New-Jersey, acting as President of the Commission, They were charged and found guilty as follows:

WILLIAM P. LEMMOND, citizen, charged first, with murder; second, assault with intent to kill; third, robbery.

CYRUS LEE CATHEY, citizen, charges the same as the foregoing.

JESSE B. NERRON, citizen, same charges.

THOMAS R. WEST, citizen, same charges, and also with bushwhacking.

BENJAMIN F. WEST, citizen, murder and robbery.

After a fair hearing, the prisoners were convicted and sentenced to death. The findings and sentence were approved by the General Commanding, and by the President, who directed that the prisoners be executed on the 17th of June, 1864.

LEMMOND was a native of Lincoln County, Tenn., and has a mother, one sister and two brothers living there. He was a tall, handsome built man, with a powerful frame, light-blue eyes, and rather a pleasant countenance. He was at one time a member of the Seventeenth Mississippi rebel regiment, and was captured a year ago.

CATHEY was a native of North Carolina, but was raised in this State. His mother and the remainder of the family reside in Lincoln County. He leaves a widow and one child. Before the war he bore an unblemished reputation. He had served in the rebel army, as a private in the Forty-fourth Tennessee, and was wounded at Chickamauga. He was a fine-looking man.

NERRON was a native of Marshall County, Ala. His father and sister reside in Lincoln County. He was formerly a member of the Thirty-second (rebel) Tennessee Regiment. He was captured last Summer. He was by no means a wicked-looking man; on the contrary, he had rather an amiable face.

THOS. R. WEST was a native of Lincoln County, and only eighteen years of age. He was a slender built boy, with blue eyes and light hair; and formerly a member of Thirty-second (rebel) Tennessee Regiment. His mother, brother and two sisters live in Lincoln County.

BENJ. F. WEST, was a cousin of THOMAS R., and also a native of Lincoln County. He has a mother, two brothers and two sisters residing in Marshall County, Tenn. He was a member of FORREST’s cavalry, at the time he participated in the inhuman deed which cost him his life. He was a man of prepossessing appearance, had fine dark eyes, and a round symmetrical form, a model of manly physical developement.

For upward of a fortnight previous to their execution, the prisoners exhibited much concern touching the preparations for their future state. They were attended in their religious exercise by Rev. J.W. MASON, of Lebanon, Ohio, and Rev. J.J. THOMPSON, of Hamilton, Ohio. CATHEY and NERRON, in particular, were sincere and devout; whilst LEMMOND and BENJAMIN WEST were baptized several days ago. CATHEY’s wife and child remained with him the night before the execution.

Preparations were made for the execution previous to 9 o clock A.M., yesterday. Major SHERMAN and Capt. TRENT were the officers detailed by Col. HORNER to carry into effect the sentence of the Commission. In front of the Penitentiary were drawn up several companies of the Thirty-first Wisconsin, while squads of the same regiment surrounded the institution to repress any undue excitement. The scaffold was erected in a little yard to the left of the main entrance, and was surrounded by about a hundred men of the Thirty-first Wisconsin, in command of Col. WEST.

The arrangements for the execution were excellent throughout, thanks to the wisdom and humane promptings of our efficient Provost-Marshal, and but a small number of spectators were present. But very few were there who went simply to gratify a prurient curiosity.

A few minutes after 10 1/2 o’clock the culprits ascended the terrible platform, accompanied by their spiritual advisers, a squad of soldiers, and the officers who had charge of the execution. They all walked up to the scaffold with firmness, and stood side by side, evidently with slight emotion, and immediately gave themselves up to religious exercises.

After the usual ceremonies, on such occasions, the process of binding their bodies and limbs commenced; in a short time all was arranged, and the fatal ropes were adjusted around their necks. The moment CATHEY felt the rope about his neck, he betrayed uneasiness, soon became unconscious, and sunk down as far as the rope permitted. This painful episode, coupled with increasing stoicism on the part of his companions — excepting perhaps, NERRON, who, though firm, gave every exhibition of penitence — produced a sensation not soon to be forgotten.

Each of the men made a few remarks, the tenor of which was an asseveration of their innocence. CATHEY and NERRON earnestly declared they were not guilty of the crimes imputed to them; but added that they were willing to die and felt assured of immortal happiness. LEMMOND could merely assert his innocence, in broken accents, but was otherwise calm and resigned. The two WESTS, as the scene was prolonged, grew more bold, and less penitent, and after asserting their freedom from guilt, stated that they were but honest rebel soldiers, affirmed their belief in the justness of the rebel cause, and said they would die true rebel soldiers.

At precisely 11 o’clock, the white caps were drawn over their heads, the scaffolding was sprung, and the souls of the condemned launched into eternity.

Post from: TOCWOC - A Civil War Blog

The Fate of Guerrillas and Their Sympathizers

Related posts:

1. Civil War Book Review: The Fate of War: Fredericksburg, 1862
2. Review: No Prouder Fate: The Story of the 11th South Carolina Volunteer Infantry
3. Review: Punitive War: Confederate Guerrillas and Union Reprisals