Book Description
The ten companies of the Terry Texas Rangers were officially activated into the Confederate Army as the 8th Texas Cavalry Regiment, but throughout the Civil War they were known by the name of their first commander, Col. Benjamin F. Terry, who fell at the battle of Woodsonville. In over 200 battles including Shiloh, Bardstown, Perryville, Murfreesboro, Chichamauga and Knoxville, they gave credence to Gen. John B. Hood's remark that there was "no body of cavalry superior." When the South finally surrendered, there were scarcely enough men left to form one company. This volume of vivid descriptions, of the first-hand experiences of men in the ranks throughout the duration of the war, makes available three of the rarest pieces of Texana concerning the Terry Texas Rangers' role in the Civil War.
Customer Reviews:
Texas Civil War Trilogy.......2006-11-05
I have been interested in Civil War history and wanted to read about Terry's Rangers since they came from the part of Texas I live in. This trilogy further reinforces how poorly equipped many of the Southern troops were and how much of their time was foraging the land for food, water, and horses. This was a good book.
Wonderful Collection Of First Person Accounts.......2000-12-21
This book is a must have for anyone interested in Terry's Texas Rangers (8th Texas Cavalry). It contains three rare first person accounts of the Ranger's activities during the Civil War including the diary of Ephraim Dodd who was unjustly hung as a spy by Federal troops. There are also several photos and an excellent introduction by Thomas Cutrer. I highly recommend it.
Average customer rating:
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Annals of the Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry
Samuel Levis Gracey
Manufacturer: Vanberg Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
 Regimental Histories
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ASIN: B0006QQ9VM |
Amazon.com
A penetrating look inside an armored cavalry regiment--the technology, the strategies, and the people... profiled by Tom Clancy.
His first nonfiction book, Submarine, captured the reality of life aboard a nuclear warship. Now, the #1 bestselling author of Clear and Present Danger portrays today's military as only army personnel can know it.
With the same compelling, you-are-there immediacy of his acclaimed fiction, Tom Clancy provides detailed descriptions of tanks, helicopters, artillery, and more--the brilliant technology behind the U. S. Army. He captures military life--from the drama of combat to the daily routine--with total accuracy, and reveals the roles and missions that have in recent years distinguished our fighting forces.
Armored Cav includes:
- Descriptions of the M1A2 Main Battle Tank, the AH-64A Apache Attack Helicopter, and more
- An interview with General Frederick Franks
- Strategies behind the Desert Storm account
- Exclusive photograph, illustrations and diagrams
PLUS: From West Point cadet to Desert Storm commander, an interview with a combat cavalry officer on the rise.
Customer Reviews:
Good reference material.......2005-01-26
Very good book to be used for technical reference. It is NOT a novel (a la "Hunt For Red October"), so if that is what you are looking for, look elsewhere. Fairly accurate, if a bit dated. A lot has happened since this book was published. The M8 AGS was never fielded, the 2d ACR-L is now a Stryker Brigade, both 2d ACR and 3d ACR have seen combat in Iraq and elements of 11th ACR are heading over, and the then CPT H.R. McMasters of E Troop, 2d ACR (see battle of 73 Easting) is now COL McMasters and the 71st Colonel of the 3d ACR. So Mr Clancy, you have a lot of catching up to do! Till then - "BRAVE RIFLES!" Aiee-yah.....
Guided Tour series continues...........2003-09-27
Like the other six books in the Guided Tour series, Tom Clancy and John D. Gresham take the reader on a behind-the-scenes field trip of a military unit. This time, the focus is on an Army armored cavalry regiment, its equipment and personnel, the history of armored cavalry, and two short fictional scenarios depicting the use of this type of unit in combat.
The one new feature (later included in all the later books) is a softball interview with now-retired General Fred Franks, former commander of the VII Corps during Desert Storm and later commander of TRADOC, Training and Doctrine Commmand. Although informative, Armored Cav is more of a love letter to the Army than an unbiased piece of reporting. Still, fans of Clancy and of military hardware should not pass this book (or any of this series)up. Just park high expectations at the roadside and you'll enjoy this for what it is, and not what it could have been.
Average Work.......2002-11-13
If you have read any of the other books in the series then you know what to expect with this one. The book follows the familiar format, it details out the machinery used, the troops, the division make up of the topic in the armed forces, a few interviews and it ends with some fictionalized short stories describing the expected types of encounters this area would face in the future. All in all a basic book on the armored cavalry that gives you all the basics. The Clancy style of writing, lots of facts and plodding movement work well in this type of book given that you buy it to learn about the subject.
Overall it is a good effort and if you have been happy with the other books in the series you will enjoy this one. My only complaints were that there did not seam to be enough photos of the equipment for me. Sure they had all the main items, but I wanted a picture of every truck and tractor covered in the book. I also would have liked to have seen a comparison of the other counties main battle tanks - something he did with his Submarine and Aircraft Carrier books. And one last little complaint - what was with his ending every chapter with some junior high school type rah-rah cheer. We are talking about the military; do we need this type of comic book love-fest mentality?
Lacking.......2002-03-10
I'm all for anything Cav related. But this one could have been done a lot better had Mr. Clancey taken the time to set down and talk one on one with the rank and file Armored Cav troopers. While his technical details of the weapons used in a Cav unit are quite accurate, his explanation of how they are used is at times far fetched. The kicker for me was when at the end of the book Mr. CLancey examined a hostage resuce situation in which an Armored Cav unit is parachuted into a soccer field to snatch the hostages. After 11 years in the U.S. Army, serving in both the 82nd ABN and an Armored Cav unit I'm fairly certain that the Airforce hasn't the capbilities to drop either an M 1 Abrams nor Bradley fighting vechicle from the back of a C-130 nor a C-141. And the ideal of using a soccer field as a drop zone is a workable one but only if your talking about an A team or Seal team using High altitude low opening parachute techniques. I'm glad Mr. Clancey is giving some credit to our armed forces, I just wish that he would do more research on these projects and quit relying on his name to sell books.
Simply great!.......2001-12-10
well, in first place i love clancy's non-fiction book, and this one is great! it makes a full review of a army's cavalry brigade organization and composition, and at the same time a review of all the heavy weaponry used by the US army, the tanks, armored transports, the artilery, well, just abou everything! if u want to learn all about that, just go running to buy this book, u'll love it... i did :)
Book Description
The Third Texas Cavalry Regiment, recruited from twenty-six counties of northeastern Texas, was one of the most famous Confederate units from the Lone Star State. Douglas Hale narrates troop movements and battle actions, sensitively portraying the sufferings and private thoughts of individual cavalrymen and their commanders as they marched back and forth across the Southern landscape.
Book Description
Michael J. Martin's A History of the 4th Wisconsin Infantry and Cavalry in the Civil War is a deeply researched and vividly written study of an unheralded Federal combat regiment. Few of the thousands of regiments raised to fight the American Civil War experienced the remarkably diverse history of this little-known organization.
The Wisconsin "Badgers" began the war as foot soldiers in the summer of 1861 as the 4th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. After service in Maryland guarding railroads, the men sailed to the Gulf of Mexico to join Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler's expedition to capture the South's most important city: New Orleans. From August 1862 to July 1863, the 4th Wisconsin participated as infantry or mounted infantry in a series of bloody battles in Louisiana, including Baton Rouge, Bisland, the siege of Port Hudson, and Clinton. With a desperate need for mounted troops, the Badgers were officially changed to cavalry in September 1863 and became the 4th Wisconsin Cavalry. As troopers, they took part in four mounted expeditions across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, serving under such notable generals as Albert Lee, John Davidson, and Benjamin Grierson.
The Confederate armies surrendered in the spring of 1865, but the 4th Wisconsin Cavalry joined Maj. Gen. Wesley Merritt's cavalry division that July on its ride from Louisiana into Texas, where the regiment was broken up and deployed in various outposts along the Rio Grande River. On May 28, 1866, Wisconsin's last regiment of Civil War volunteers was finally mustered out at Brownsville, Texas. Unfortunately, many of the men would not be going home: 431 had lost their lives to enemy bullets and disease.
Eight years in the making, Martin's regimental history is based upon scores of previously unused soldier and civilian diaries, letters, reports, contemporary newspapers, and reminiscences. It includes dozens of previously unpublished soldier photos, and a complete roster. Martin's study is a must-have addition for every serious Civil War reader.About the Author: A descendant of a Civil War soldier who was wounded at the Wheatfield at Gettysburg, Michael James Martin grew up in Mequon, Wisconsin, and received both an MS and a Ph.D. in Animal science from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is the author of several published articles on the Civil War. This is his first book.
Customer Reviews:
The Civil War in a Minor Battle Area - Unless You Were There.......2006-11-08
As a Louisiana native I don't usually get very interested in the history of Yankee regiments. This one, however, I'll recommend. The 4th Wisconsin spent a good bit of its time in Louisiana.
I found myself fasinated by their story:
They report for instance that they were camped in early April in Algiers (across the river from and now a part of New Orleans). The weather was warm and 'beautiful' - just like June at home. These guys were from Wisonsin. Can you imagine what the next few months brought them? August in the swamps of South Louisiana are not at all like Wisconsin - And they were wearing wool uniforms.
From Algiers they went and encamped '3 and one half miles east of Brashear City.' That's now Morgan City (where I was born) and that is truly miserable country - wet, swamp, snakes, alligators, mosquitoes - yuk! They then crossed 'Berwick's Bay' (Atchaflaya river), continued westward and then started fighting the Confederates.
The country down there is bad enough, and then to have people shooting at you....
Although this book is on the actions of the 4th Wisconsin, I recommend it to anyone interested in the fighting in the Trans-Mississippi theater, and especially the fighting in Louisiana.
Highly recommended........2006-10-04
Eight years in the making, A History Of The 4th Wisconsin Infantry And Cavalry In The Civil War is an exhaustively researched, highly readable chronicle drawing upon numerous previously unused soldier and civilian diaries, letters, reports, contemporary newspapers, and reminiscences. Dozens of previously unpublished soldier photos, a complete regimental roster, and an index enhance this minutely detailed chronicle. A History Of The 4th Wisconsin Infantry And Cavalry In The Civil War focuses on individuals and the points of view of the men who laid their lives on the line as surely as the overall flow of history. Highly recommended.
The 4th Wisconsin gets its due . . ........2006-09-24
I thoroughly enjoyed "A History of the 4th Wisconsin Infantry and Cavalry in the Civil War." Until now the 4th Wisconsin Cavalry and its contributions to the Federal effort during and after the Civil War had all but been forgotten. Thanks to some hard work and a knack for ferreting out information from unlikely places, we now have a good understanding of just what this group of Badgers went through and accomplished in the Trans-Mississippi Theater. Martin covers the regiment from top to bottom . . . from its formation at Camp Utley in Racine, Wisconsin, to its mustering out at Brownsville, Texas, in May 1866. This is one of the few Federal units that fought as infantry, mounted infantry and, following its official redesignation in September 1863, cavalry. As a result, these Badgers were everywhere: the Eastern Shore of Virginia and Maryland, Louisiana: New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Alexandria, Port Hudson; Mississippi: Vicksburg, Brookhaven, Osyka, Liberty, West Pascagoula; Alabama: Greensville, Eufala, Clinton; Texas: San Antonio, Laredo, Rio Grande City, Las Cuevas, Santa Maria, Brownsville. In addition to a plethora of diary material, the book is filled with letters and exerpts from letters that were published in one of the state's major, Milwaukee Sentinel, and many local newspapers. The book contains a superb recounting of the regiment's first major engagement at Bisland, Louisiana, its decimation (it sufferered 64% casualties, the largest of any regiment in the Corps) during the Port Hudson Campaign, its fight at Clinton, Louisiana, under Benjamin Grierson (who did not have one of his better days during that contest) and its participation as cavalry in three major raids through Mississippi and Alabama. With the aid of diaries written by an officer in the 11th New York Cavalry and three 4th Wisconsin troopers, this book contains the first complete day-by-day recounting of Major General John Wynn Davidson's 300 mile-plus raid from Baton Rouge to West Pascagoula. As a bonus, the first complete history of "Canby's Special Scouts" also known as "Earl's Scouts" is also included. This group of individuals was led by Company D's Lieutenant Isaac Earl and was comprised almost exclusively of individuals from the 4th Wisconsin Cavalry. The "corps" of scouts, which was initially created by Major General Nathanial Banks, was inherited and expanded by his predecessor, Major General Edward R.S. Canby. Earl's Scouts operated out of Natchez, Mississippi, and were responsible for clandestinely obtaining information on Confederate activities in an area stretching from Bruinsburg and St. Joseph to Fayette, Mississippi. With the aid of his pocket steamer, Colonel Cowles, Earl and his command occasionally scouted as far as DeWitt, Arkansas. Though a history of a "Yankee" regiment, the author has no difficulty giving the Confederate forces their due. Martin lauds not only the Confederates that faced, and easily repulsed, the Badgers during their assaults on the Priest Cap at Port Hudson but also Colonel John Logan and his command's performance at the first battle of Clinton, where Colonel Grierson was soundly thrashed. Rounding out this excellent book is an extremely interesting group of 4th Wisconsin soldier post-war biographies, a complete regimental roster, appendices that list casualties that the regiment suffered during its two assaults on Port Hudson and a listing of 4th Wisconsin soldiers that are interred in the National Cemetery at Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
A great regimental history.......2006-09-22
I have heard of any number of regiments of volunteers who enlisted in a cavalry or an artillery unit, and who were then informed that they would be marching rather than riding. Infantry was what everyone became as the Civil War ate up soldiers in the front lines. Thus it was that I was very surprised to learn of a unit of infantry that had the very good fortune of being given mounts to ride half way through the war. For the first two years they were the 4th Wisconsin Infantry, but for the second two years these same men served as the 4th Wisconsin Cavalry. Perhaps it was that lucky break that encouraged them to reenlist, and, according to the author, serve longer than any other unit. (They didn't- that honor probably belongs to the Bloody 11th Pennsylvania, but why nitpick?)
I really love this book. Other than the very attractive dust jacket and the acid-free paper, this book has the look and feel of the best regimental histories produced a century ago by the survivors themselves, such as Bosbyshell's History of the 48th Pennsylvania, or Rawle's History of the 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry. Pictures of all of the principal players appear throughout the text. Maps pop up where they need to be, and many are needed to cover the exploits of this outfit that saw action in such scattered locales as Baltimore, New Orleans, Montgomery and Texas.
The author's exhaustive research provides much in the way of first-hand commentary and storytelling that you would find in an original regimental. But the fact that he has such a broad understanding of the unit and its men allows him to tell their tale with far more understanding than anyone could have had one of the veterans undertaken such a job a century or more ago. As is pointed out in Lance Herdegren's thoughtful introduction, this unit saw significant service, and it had a nearly unique tour of duty, caused in great part by its conversion from infantry to cavalry. Serving with it were a cast of fascinating characters, including three future governors of the Badger State and the creator of "Peck's Bad Boy." Reading this book will take you to Civil War sites you have never been to before, no matter how avid a student of the period you have been.
One of the best regimental histories I've ever read........2006-09-01
This book was a great read. I loved the diary excerpts along with the letters of condolence to the families.
Product Description
Based on original letters written by Spencer Viall, 3rd Regiment Wisconsin Volunteers and the 6th U.S. Cavalry, to his brother, Charles. 1861-1863
Book Description
"A superb regiment, noted for intelligence, bravery and stalwart service, the Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry was an elite outfit, in the truest sense. That they were accepted and admired by the Regulars, alongside whom they served on many a hard-fought field, speaks volumes of the gallantry and dash of these sons of the Keystone State."—Brian C. Pohanka, historian and adviser for the motion pictures Cold Mountain and Glory
The Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry, also known as Rush's Lancers, was a completely volunteer unit and one of the finest regiments to serve in the Civil War. Tracing their history from George Washington's personal body guard during the Revolutionary War, many of the men of the Sixth Pennsylvania were the cream of Philadelphia society, including Richard H. Rush, grandson of Dr. Benjamin Rush, Maj. Robert Morris, Jr., great-grandson of the financier of the Revolutionary War, Capt. Charles Cadwalader, whose great-grandfather was a general under George Washington, Frank H. Furness, architect and Medal of Honor recipient, and George G. Meade, Jr. But it was their actions in battle, not their illustrious family histories, that distinguished Rush's Lancers. The Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry earned a reputation for being a highly trained and reliable unit, despite being armed initially with antiquated weapons, leaving their mark on key battlefields, including Hanover Court House, Antietam, ! Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Brandy Station—where they conducted one of the most famous charges of the war—and Appomattox. Drawing upon letters, diaries, memoirs, service and pension files, contemporary newspaper coverage, official records, and other primary sources, Rush's Lancers: The Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry in the Civil War by distinguished military historian Eric J. Wittenberg is an engrossing account of these young men from both Philadelphia's social elite and the city's working classes who, despite not being professional soldiers, answered the Nation's call to war.
Customer Reviews:
Rush Out To Buy This One.......2007-02-15
This is one of the best cavalry regimentals I have read. it was obviuosly a labour of love for the author. The research is sound and the story is well told. You can hear bugles blow and sabers clash in each chapter.
Regimental History Writing At Its Best.......2007-01-29
Long a fan of Eric Wittenberg's writing, I believe this is among his finest work- and deserves 5 stars. In all other respects I agree with the previous reviewer's comments.
As a fan and student of the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry, I can attest to the enormous amount of research and original material that went into this book. I believe the combat experiences and hardships of this single regiment- delivered with many firsthand accounts- gives the reader the best possible insight into the life of a first class horse soldier and the war going on around him. Rush's Lancers performed at a level far above the average calvary regiment, and their full story needed to be told. I am pleased that an author with Wittenberg's skill was equal to the task.
Well Done!.......2007-01-13
Regimental histories require a great deal of an author. There is the temptation to get lost in the details of daily life and produce a 19th Century soap opera. This is a history of personal hope, disappointment, unrequited love, lust and ambition that wears most readers out. Regiments have a limited view of major battles, producing a limited view of the war raging around them. Fewer still, actually have a defining moment around which the author can build the story. An author that accepts these challenges must love the regiment. This produces a new set of problems as the author may expect the reader to share their passion and be unwilling to produce a "warts n all" history. In these cases, the glass is always half full until the reader tires of how great they were statements. The brigade is becoming the unit history currently in favor. Being the operational unit on the battlefield, the brigade is more involved, more likely to see major action and reach that defining moment. Civil War readers have been blessed by the publication of a number of good brigade histories.
I approached this book with turpitude. Following Wittenberg's work, I know this is "his regiment" and worried he might lose some of his critical eye. I feared the book would get lost in daily life, politics of regimental elections and details of horsemanship. I was unsure if cavalry regiment would have sufficient battles to make an interesting book. My fears all prove groundless.
The regiment/brigade problem is solved by always placing the regiment within the brigade. The result is a detailed account of the regiment's fighting within an account of the brigade's action. This keeps the reader in the battle without losing the contribution made by the regiment. The reader is kept very aware of the overall situation, which in turn introduces the regiment's reaction. This allows for an intelligent development of the story making an easy enjoyable read.
This is not a 19th century soap opera but a good account of the raising, training and life in a Civil War cavalry regiment. Early on, in a "wouldn't it be nice to have" the men are armed with a nine foot lance from the Napoleonic wars. This lance, gave them their name while making them the butt of numerous jokes. A long series of skirmishes, battles and campaigns showed these men to be an outstanding regiment. Brigaded with the regular Army cavalry, this volunteer regiment exceeded all the service requirements until accepted as equals.
This was a very active regiment; the list of actions is four pages long, with one of the highest casualty rates among cavalry regiments. While we are not pulled through the mud for every action, the book has enough detail for us to understand the evolution of the Union Cavalry from little more than targets to the dominate force on the battlefield. We participate in that process moving from messengers to warriors and graduating at Brandy Station. Mr. Wittenberg has extensive knowledge of cavalry operations and limitations. He places that knowledge to good use by showing us how difficult life was for a cavalryman and his horse.
I have given the book only four stars because I feel it is not the equal of "Plenty of Blame to Go Around" or "The of Battle of Monroe's Crossroads" but will not argue with those that feel this is a five star book too.
Average customer rating:
- Rather dull and not particularly ambitious work
- top rating
- A Solid Book on an Overlooked Topic
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Peculiar Honor: A History of the 28th Texas Cavalry, 1862-1865
M. Jane Johansson
Manufacturer: University of Arkansas Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1557285047 |
Customer Reviews:
Rather dull and not particularly ambitious work.......2007-05-27
While the book does cover an overlooked topic the history of the 28th Texas Cavalry (dismounted) wasn't a particularly interesting one. They fought 4 smallish battles over 2 1/2 years and because of poor leadership on a strategic level (not adequately addressed in book) spent most of their time marching around Louisiana and Arkansas.
top rating.......2007-01-03
came in very quick and was in great shape for a used book
A Solid Book on an Overlooked Topic.......2006-12-09
The obscure Trans-Mississippi Theater during the Civil War has long been overshadowed by the larger battles and more famous personalities east of the Mississippi River. Perhaps no portion of the Trans-Mississippi has been so overlooked as the Confederate units fighting to protect Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and the Indian Territory. At the time this book was published in 1998, not one unit history had been written on a Confederate force serving in this area for the majority of the war, writes author Jane Johansson. In Peculiar Honor, the author strives to give the Trans-Mississippi Theater and the Confederate units defending the region the attention they deserve through the story of the 28th Texas Cavalry (dismounted).
The 28th Texas Cavalry was raised by Colonel Horace Randal in the spring and summer of 1862 in several counties of East Texas. Like many Texas cavalry regiments, the 28th was dismounted on their way to the front. This was due to an overabundance of mounted units and a need for infantrymen. Ever proud and despite never mounting their horses again, the Texans chose to continue to call themselves cavalry, appending the word 'dismounted' to the end of their official title. These men were predominantly armed with smoothbore muskets, only managing to field a majority of rifles after several major battles of the Red River Campaign. Over the course of the war, the 28th Texas served as a part of Walker's Texas Division, the "Greyhounds", known for their quick marching ability. These men only fought in five major battles in the war (Milliken's Bend, Bayou Bourbeau, Mansfield, Pleasant Hill, and Jenkins' Ferry), but they marched thousands of miles across Arkansas and Louisiana. These Texans did endure two mutinies late in the war, mostly due to rumors of their possible departure from the Trans-Mississippi Theater to protect Selma, Alabama. Not shying away from these less glowing traits, the author attributes the mutinies to these men being an "independent and perhaps loosely controlled group". The 28th Texas wasn't the most famous unit in the war or even the most effective, but they did the best they could with what they had.
As with any study on a Trans-Mississippi Confederate unit, the amount of information available is going to pale in comparison to units serving east of the Mississippi. Johansson took a logical approach to this unavoidable problem. She used the letters, diaries, and memoirs of the 28th Texas Cavalry where available and supplemented these sources with those of other units serving in Walker's Division. The letters of Dr. Edward W. Cade are heavily used. Dr. Cade served first as the regimental and then as the brigade surgeon. Captain Theophilus Perry of Company F wrote often to his wife Harriet, and the author uses these as another main source. Johansson was able to uncover letters from privates in the 28th who wrote home after major battles, helping to fill gaps in the record. When even these weren't sufficient, the reminiscences of men from other regiments in Walker's Division were substituted. The memoirs of Robert Gould, the commander of Gould's Battalion, seemed to be particularly helpful in this regard.
The men of the 28th Texas could look to their leadership and be sure they would be well handled. Colonel Horace Randal attended West Point in the 1850s, graduating second to last in his class in 1854. Johansson believes part of this low standing was due to Randal's "limited educational background" prior to attending the Academy and his average number of demerits. Randal served on the frontier with the 1st Dragoons after graduation, and he had some combat experience in several skirmishes with Native Americans. The first Lieutenant Colonel, Eli H. Baxter, also attended West Point. He was not interested in a military life, however, and resigned in 1853. Baxter attended the University of Virginia for several years, later obtained his law license, and moved to Texas. Baxter would rise to command the regiment rather quickly when Randal became the commander of the 28th Texas' brigade. Major Henry G. Hall was a Princeton graduate, and by the time the war started he was a wealthy slave holder. The author concludes that all three men "attended college, were professionals in their chosen fields, and were well qualified to provide leadership."
Jane Johansson's main goal is to expose the efforts of Walker's Texas Division through its three years of service in the Trans-Mississippi. The 28th Texas is used as a conduit through which to explore the contributions of Walker's Texas Division in a relatively traditional way, but the author also utilized collected genealogical data on the regiment to study the ways in which wealth, slave holding, and other social patterns affected the organization and service of the regiment. This regimental is then, in effect, a blending of traditional and "new" military history. In fact, the author covers the methods she used in detail in an interesting introduction to the book. The men of the 28th Texas enlisted in early 1862 after conscription became law in the Confederacy. Johansson compares these men to those who served in the 3rd Texas Cavalry, also raised in similar counties in East Texas but who enlisted in 1861. She finds that the men who answered the initial call to arms in the early days of the war were substantially different than the later enlistees. The 3rd Texas cavalryman was much younger and wealthier than his counterpart in the 28th, he owned more slaves, and he was usually unmarried. Typically, says the author, poorer men who needed to work their farms and married men who wanted to care for their families did not answer the first calls to arms. Conscription made their involvement in the war unavoidable, however. This look at the social fabric of regiments who differed by enlistment time but who were raised in the same local area was a fascinating and worthwhile effort. In addition to weighing the 28th against other units, Johansson compares the officers of the regiment to its enlisted men. In almost every case, the officers were "wealthier and more occupationally diverse", which the author logically concludes was a reflection of Southern society as a whole. The balance of the book is a traditional military narrative, and the author does a solid if not perfect job covering the movements and battles of the 28th Texas. Johansson mentions early in the book that she needed to fill in some gaps in the narrative of the 28th, and this sometimes shows through. In certain cases, the author candidly admits that there was no record of the activities of the 28th Texas for a given time frame. I found that this turned the book into more of a look at the division as a whole rather than a specific regimental. This has both positive and negative points. On the plus side, the author specifically states her desire to highlight the contributions of Walker's Division, and to her credit she does a solid job of this. However, those looking for a specific history of the regiment in a traditional sense may be left wanting more. To be fair, the amount of primary material available on a Confederate Trans-Mississippi regiment is usually thin, so some of this was undoubtedly unavoidable. The lack of a roster was a curious omission given the subject matter and the way the data was compiled and studied. Perhaps this was done due to space and cost concerns.
Peculiar Honor is an enjoyable and sometimes fascinating read. This is not just a traditional military history, but also sheds light on the social breakdown of the 28th Texas and some of its sister units. The author should be commended for attempting to inform readers about a neglected section of the Civil War in a new and interesting way, largely succeeding in the process. This book is particularly recommended to fans of the Trans-Mississippi Theater, those who enjoy regimentals, and those interested in some of the techniques involved in "new" military history.
Average customer rating:
- Excellent book on the history of the 1st Texas Cavalry
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Horse Sweat and Powder Smoke: The First Texas Cavalry in the Civil War (Texas a & M University Military History Series)
Stanley S. McGowen
Manufacturer: Texas A&M University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0890969035 |
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book on the history of the 1st Texas Cavalry.......1999-12-29
Congratulations to Stanley S. MacGowen for this excellent book. I most enjoyed reading it. It gives the most complete and detailed overview on the history, the leaders, and the horsemen of the 1st Confedarate Texas Cavalry Regiment (also known as the First Texas Mounted Rifles). The book covers the regimental history from the time the regiment was raised by Colonel Henry McCulloch to defend Texas frontiers against indian warriors over the time the regiment was part of the Confederate Armee under the Colonels Augustus Carl Buchel and William Overall Yager until the end of the Civil War. Even being not correct at some details such as the origin of Colonel William O. Yager (Yager was not a German immigrant. He was born in Viriginia and graduated at the Virginia Miliraty Institute) the book has a high value to all interested in the History of Texas and the War between the States.
Karl-J. Schmeink, Kiel, Germany EMail: Karl-Josef.Schmeink@1st-Texas-Cavalry.de
Average customer rating:
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History of the Thirteenth Regiment Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry U.S.A.
Samuel W. Scott , and
Samuel P. Angel
Manufacturer: Overmountain Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0932807232 |
Book Description
Though officially one of the Confederate States, much of Upper East Tennessee remained loyal to the Union. This loyalty was so fierce that it became nec-essary for the Confederacy to occupy the area. Dri-ven from their homes, many men slipped through Confederate lines and joined the Union Army. The Thirteenth Regiment is one unit whose roster con-sisted of these Loyal Federals, primarily made up of men from Johnson and Carter Counties. In this exciting volume, Captain Samuel Scott and his Adjutant, Samuel Angel, chronicle the history of the War Between the States as they saw it, particu-larly the actions of their Regiment as it fought for the North. Along with photographs of several of the men, there is a complete roster. The Regimental roll contains name, rank, age at enlistment, dates of en-listment and muster in, promotion, capture, etc. A complete name index has been added to this reprint.
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