55th North Carolina in the Civil War: A History And Roster

Product Description

With the advent of the Civil War in 1861, young men from both Confederate and Union states rushed to volunteer for military duty in a war that many believed would be quickly resolved. The spring of 1862, however, brought the realization that not only was the conflict going to last longer than expected, but additional troops would be needed on both sides. It was at this time that the 55th Regiment North Carolina Troops entered the war. Composed primarily of farmers and tradesmen, the regiment also presented a microcosm of the Tar Heel State with a regionally diverse membership from more than 20 counties. Along with these members came an equal variety of political ideologies, social institutions and range of economic stabilityall differences that faded in the face of a common enemy. Finding motivation for their fight in a simple defense of their homes and families, the men of the 55th North Carolina made significant contributions to the Confederate cause, fightingand often dyingin some of the wars bloodiest conflicts. From its formation in 1862 through its dissolution in 1865, this comprehensive history tells the story of the men who served in the 55th North Carolina. Drawing on letters, memoirs, diaries and recollections, it depicts the Civil War through the eyes of the soldiers, enhancing modern-day understanding of what it was like to fight for the Confederate States of America. While providing information on the battles in which the 55th North Carolina took part (including the little known Suffolk campaign), the main focus of the work is the everyday life of the menthe ever-present influence of politics and religion as well as the effects of disease and combat. Appendices provide a breakdown of the companies in the regiment; the regimental roster; a list of men who died of disease; and a record of the men from the 55th who were killed in battle. Contemporary photographs are also included.

Customer Reviews:

55th NC Infantry Regiment FINALLY gets its due!.......2007-09-07

Jeff Girvan has done what has been overlooked for over 150 years; he reveals the valor and honor of the common soldier over the over-inflated previously recounted feats of Picket's command. Namely, that the common farmers-turned-soldiers from Cleveland County (and environs) of southwestern North Carolina fought as valiantly as any of the units representing the CSA. In a clear, concise and well-documented account he presents factual data as well as the human side of the Southern Cause in this great conflict. You'll enjoy this quick read and keep this as a ready reference for descendants of these gallant men.

Outstanding Regimental History.......2006-08-05

I have read several regimental and general Civil War histories, and Jeffrey Girvan's is up there at the top. His narrative is very readable, and the roster and unit listings of those killed in action, missing, and those that died from disease are helpful for any one interested in the 55th NC. The narrative tells the story of a regiment from Gettysburg to Appomattox, but also has information on the little known battle for Washington, NC that occurred in September 1862, and the Sufolk campaign. Girvan's use of primary sources provides the reader with a better understanding of what it was like to fight in the Civil War. The every day camp life, but also the combat. As one man from the unit says about Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg it was like being in "the jaws of death." Also, the description of the 55th and Heth's division on May 5, 1864 in the Wilderness is exceptional. One can feel the desperation these men must have felt after being assaulted numerous times and out numbered 4 to 1. Col. Belo, then commander of the 55th hears of his brothers death during the battle but must keep commanding his troops and is almost forced to order a bayonet charge when the men run out of amunition.A great read!! I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the American Civil War.

The Civil War through the eyes of the soldiers.......2006-07-03

I have read many Civil War books, including regimental histories like Pullen's 20th Maine and J Girvan's book about the 55th North Carolina ranks as one of the best. The 55th did not join Lee's army until after the great string of victories, but was there for Gettysburg and, although green, was able to prove its worth. So many exciting incidents stand out in this book. On July 1st the 55th was one of the first on the field, and the regiment's youthful leader Colonel John Kerr Connally wanted his men to prove themsevles to their brigade (which except for the 55th NC wer all unit's from Mississippi under the command of President Davis's nephew Joesph R. Davis) As his men moved forward their color bearer was shot and Connally, wanted to motivate his men, picked up the regimental standard and charged only to be shot several times and severally wounded. When asked if he needed help the brave colonel's response was to instruct his men to keep going and not to let "the mississippians get ahead of you."
The 55th would again face death at Gettysburg on the third day when they participated in the famous charge, and several officers from the unit would be credited with going farther than any other. Again during the Overland campaign the 55th would find themselves in desperate figthing throughout the summer and fall of 1864, and finally to surrender, all 83 left of more than 1000 when the regiment was formed in May 1862, with Lee at Appomattox. But this book is more than a chronical of battle it is a story of the men who fought and sometimes died for the Southern cause. After reading Mr. Girvan's book I gained a better understanding of what it was like to serve in the Army of Northern Virginia. Some men fighting with their fathers, sons, brothers, and cousins. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about the life of the Confederate soldier during the Civil War.

The 55th North Carolina in the Civil War: A History and Roster.......2006-06-26

This is one of the best regimental histories I have ever read. Girvan's use of primary sources provided a better understanding of what is was like to serve in Lee's Army. Also, the battles covered in the book were described very well, especially the battle for Washington, NC, and the Suffolk campaign, which are two engagements I knew little of before. Gettysburg was a watershed for the Confederacy, but also for this regiment. The 55th NC went in with little experience, but proved their worth by participating in some of the battles bloodiest engagements. Again during the Wilderness the 55th found it self in a tight spot, and after numerous assaults by Federal troops was low on amunition. Colonel Belo, whose own brother had just been killed during the day's battle was prepared, as Chamberlain at Gettysburg, to order a bayonet charge, but relief came. For anyone interested in Civil War regiments, soldier life, and seeing a battle from the eyes of the combat troops I highly recommend this book. J Johnson

A True History of Co. I, 49th Regiment, North Carolina Troops (Army of Northern Virginia)

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Book Description

A True History of Co. I, 49th Regiment, North Carolina Troops (Army of Northern Virginia)
W. A Day , and W. A. Day
Manufacturer: Butternut and Blue
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Customer Reviews:

Book Description.......2001-02-17

In 1893, William A. Day's A True History of Company I was published by the Enterprise Job Office, a commercial printing arm of the Newton, N.C. newspaper The Newton Enterprise. The pamphlet was apparently printed in a limited press run and, over the years, it has become forgotten testament to the 49th North Carolina. Billy Day joined the 49th North Carolina at age 18. The regiment's initial colonel was Stephen Ramseur. By May 1862 the unit became part of Ransom's Brigade. The 49th North Carolina saw action at Malvern Hill and Antietam in 1862. It was then transferred to the North Carolina/southern Virginia region where it saw action in the battles of Boone's Mill, Gum Swamp, and New Bern. In May of 1864, the regiment returned to Petersburg and participated in the defense of the Confederate lines. Perhaps the best portion of the book describes the siege--the life in the trenches and the crucial battle of the Crater are particularly detailed. Day was captured at Five Forks and was incarcerated at Point Lookout, Maryland until June 1865. Day wrote this book with the purpose of keeping alive for fellow veterans the memories of the war. He succeeded not only in doing this. He also provided subsequent generations a vivid view of the war from a private's viewpoint.

The Heart of Confederate Appalachia: Western North Carolina in the Civil War (Civil War America)

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Insightful but dry
"Balanced View" of Confederate Appalachia
Good Exploration of Civil War Western North Carolina

The Heart of Confederate Appalachia: Western North Carolina in the Civil War (Civil War America)
John C. Inscoe
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0807825441

Book Description

In the mountains of western North Carolina, the Civil War was fought on different terms than those found throughout most of the South. Though relatively minor strategically, incursions by both Confederate and Union troops disrupted life and threatened the social stability of many communities. Even more disruptive were the internal divisions among western Carolinians themselves. Differing ideologies turned into opposing loyalties, and the resulting strife proved as traumatic as anything imposed by outside armies. As the mountains became hiding places for deserters, draft dodgers, fugitive slaves, and escaped prisoners of war, the conflict became a more localized and internalized guerrilla war, less rational and more brutal, mean-spirited, and personal—and ultimately more demoralizing and destructive.

From the valleys of the French Broad and Catawba Rivers to the peaks of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains, the people of western North Carolina responded to the war in dramatically different ways. Men and women, masters and slaves, planters and yeoman, soldiers and civilians, Confederates and Unionists, bushwhackers and home guardsmen, Democrats and Whigs—all their stories are told here.

Customer Reviews:

Insightful but dry.......2007-03-21

A few pages into this book it occurred to me that it must be written by a college professor since it was text-book dry. Sure enough, not one, but two of them.
Having said that, it is loaded with an insightful peek into a specific region of our country during a very specific time. A good read for anybody interested in the history of the mountains of North Caroilina.

"Balanced View" of Confederate Appalachia.......2005-12-08

If one is looking for a detailed study of the skirmishes and battles of western North Carolina in the American Civil War, this is not the research. Inscoe and McKinney may only reflect on the skirmishes and battles, however, they skillfully present the detailed sociopolitical and geopolitical "tone" of western North Carolina and the American Civil War. To embrace western North Carolina's entry and struggle during the Civil War, East Tennessee and western North Carolina must be studied. One can't separate the influences of East Tennessee from western North Carolina; hence, equal examination allows a "balanced view."

Moreover, as a border state with North Carolina, East Tennessee was predominately pro-Unionist by a margin of two-to-one. Tennessee and North Carolina were the last two states to secede. With several western North Carolina regiments fighting numerous Civil War skirmishes and battles in East Tennessee, both states are discussed.

The Heart of Confederate Appalachia: Western North Carolina in the Civil War justly provides the reader with the "prelude to the aftermath" of western North Carolina in the Civil War. There are 368 pages, with 67 pages dedicated to accurate and detailed primary and secondary sources.

It is considered a "must have" addition for the student and scholar of western North Carolina and East Tennessee during the American Civil War.

Matthew D. Parker

Good Exploration of Civil War Western North Carolina.......2000-08-02

Progressing from his study of slaveholding in Western North Carolina (Mountain Masters) and other explorations of Southern Appalachian History, John Inscoe has teamed up with Gordon B. McKinney, the editor of the microfilm version of the Zebulon B. Vance Papers and author of Southern Mountain Republicans to produce the first scholarly synthesis of the Civil War in Western North Carolina. The book breaks new ground in relying on the scholarship of the past twenty years to revise the portrait of a part of North Carolina that was considered to be staunchly Unionist. It explores mountaineers attitudes toward slavery, secession, and the war in general in very broad strokes; these insights are fleshed out with details from specific locales. From the historian's point of view, the authors have not met the rigorous burden of proof in many cases, choosing to base their conclusions on just one or two primary sources; in some cases, they are forced to draw from examples outside of the region (such as Tennessee) which would fail to satisfy the most demanding of those who want conclusive evidence. However, the book is a wonderful tale and in many cases shows the myriad of responses to what has been described as the most influential historical event in United States History.

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Superb regimental history ... and more

The 2nd North Carolina Cavalry
Roger H. Harrell
Manufacturer: McFarland & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786417773

Book Description

The Second North Carolina Cavalry fought its first major battle in its home state at New Bern on March 14, 1862, and narrowly escaped with its men and reputation intact. The regiment was nearly decimated in the Gettysburg Campaign, but was rebuilt and later fought with Robert E. Lee's cavalry in most major battles, including Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, with only a handful of men.

This history covers not only the Second North Carolina Cavalry's accomplishments and failures, but the events going on around them which influenced their actions and performance. The author pays particular attention to the Second North Carolina's involvement with the Army of Northern Virginia and the North Carolina Cavalry Brigade, and includes official documents, letters written to and from home, diaries and memoirs to present the soldiers' war experiences.

Customer Reviews:

Superb regimental history ... and more.......2006-02-10

I have read (and reviewed on Amazon) quite a number of the McFarland regimental histories, and have found just about all of them fascinating pieces of detailed historical scholarship. Without disparaging the best of them for a moment, this book on the "Two Horse" brings the series to another level: the depth of scholarship and the comprehensiveness of the material brought forth for the reader are beyond just about anything I'm familiar with in this field. Not only does Roger Harrell relate every major and minor action the unit was involved in (even those they didn't actively participate in, like Fredericksburg), he's also placed the 2nd in context to events around them. He's consulted all the different source materials available, and has included many excerpts from cavalrymen's letters and diaries. The book is a wonderful achievement.

Interestingly, just about all the authors in this series have expressed a personal interest in the regiments they wrote about when they learned that a relative had fought with the unit. Harrell is no exception. The 2nd Carolina Cavalry got off to a disastrous beginning. Formed in the summer of 1861, trained at Camp Clark near Kittrell Springs, it saw it's first major action at New Bern, NC, in March 1862. After a disorderly retreat from there and what was perceived as cowardly behavior a month later at Gillett's Farm, some thought the regiment so incompetent that they wanted it disbanded. Instead, it regrouped and began a gradual ascension to respectability and finally very high regard. How the regiment achieved this hard-won acclaim is Harrell's major concern in the book.

Most cavalry units in the Civil War were involved in small skirmishes or in shielding the movement of the army entering or leaving a large battle. Often they did not participate in these larger battles. Harrell is concerned, however, with the small fights and details them with care, trying to illustrate how they fit into the larger scheme of things. He is also interested in the day-to-day trials and tribulations of the common soldier, his worries about food, the weather, death and disease, and boredom, too, and, of course, the loneliness of being away from home and family. Harrell does a magnificent job of dealing with all of this. My only concern is that some might find the amount of detailed information presented by Harrell overbearing, which would be a shame. There IS a lot of minutiae here, but anyone truly interested in not only the 2nd North Carolina Cavalry but of cavalry units in general and their role in the eastern theatre of the Civil War, will find much to appreciate in this excellent book.

Covered With Glory: The 26th North Carolina Infantry at Gettysburg

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A heart felt "Thank You"
Excellent
Fantastic and Moving
Excellent, concise well-written regimental history
COVERED WITH GLORY

Covered With Glory: The 26th North Carolina Infantry at Gettysburg
Rod Gragg
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0060174455
Release Date: 2000-07-25

Book Description

Here, fully told for the first time, is the unforgettable story of the 26th North Carolina Infantry at the Battle of Gettysburg. In July 1863 the regiment's eight-hundred-plus troops--young men from North Carolina's mountains, farmlands, and hamlets--were thrust into the firestorm of Gettysburg, the greatest battle ever fought in North America. By the time the fighting ended, the 26th North Carolina had suffered what some authorities would calculate to be the highest casualties of any regiment in the Civil War.

Following a bone-wearying march into Pennsylvania with the rest of General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, the soldiers of the 26th found themselves in ferocious, almost face-to-face combat with some of the hardest-fighting troops in the Federal army--the heralded Iron Brigade. The bloody contest on McPherson's Ridge produced some of Gettysburg's fiercest fighting, and the troops involved--men from North Carolina, Michigan, and Indiana--established an enduring legacy of American fortitude and will.

On Gettysburg's third day of battle, the 26th North Carolina was placed in the front ranks of Pickett's Charge. Following a massive artillery barrage, the tattered regiment was commanded to go the distance in what would prove to be the most famous assault of the war. At one point, as he watched the men of the 26th in battle, Brigadier General James J. Pettigrew dispatched a message to the regiment's commander: "Tell him his regiment haas covered itself with glory today."

The story of the 26th North Carolina at Gettysburg is an American saga of duty performed in the worst of warfare. It unfolds through the lives of key characters--the regiment's twenty-one year old commander, Colonel Henry K. Burgwyn, Jr.; its second-in-command, twenty-six-year-old farmer-turned-lieutenant colonel John R. Lane; twenty-two-year-old Major John Jones, who had abandoned his college studies to join the army; and common soldiers like Private Jimmie Moore, a North Carolina mountain boy who had gone to war at the age of fifteen.

Covered In Glory is an intensely personal narrative based on exhaustive research into the diaries, letters, memoirs, and official records of the men who struggled on the bloody field at Gettysburg. It is a powerful, moving account of American courage and sacrifice.

Customer Reviews:

A heart felt "Thank You".......2005-06-20

goes to Mr Gragg for his excellent book on the 26th NC Regiment. As a long time Union County resident in the "Old North State", I have often times looked at the Confederate Memorial located on the old courthouse lawn in Monroe listing all the various units which volunteered to do battle from this area. Units such as Co B, 15th NC Reg/ Co F, 35th NC Reg/ Co D, 37th NC Reg/ Co B, 43rd NC Reg/ Co A,E,F and I, 48th NC Reg/ Co I, 53rd NC Reg/ Co C, 10th Bat, NC Artillery/ Co F, 2nd Reg, NC Artillery (Jr Reserves) and of course ... Co B, 26th NC Regiment.

Who were these men, what were they like, what battles did they participate in, how many made it home and what were their lives like when they returned. Political Correctness has taken it's toll in the South, demonizing all those who participated in the Confederacy as extremists and traitors to the United States and so ... from the very towns and villages and hamlets where these men came from, little is known or even spoken of concerning these men today. Indeed, more roadside historical markers of the exploits of Gen Sherman exist today in this area than tributes to the men who defended their homeland.

It is true that the cause may have been all wrong ... men fighting for their own liberty and independence while denying the same to an entire race of people is hard to justify. I do suppose that "States Rights" must fit somewhere in the total picture of the war, but I am convinced that slavery was still the main cause of the war ... so in the end, I guess that we are only left with the devotion to duty, the courage and valor with which they performed that duty and the truly horrendous losses they sustained in trying to achieve their ends. But I do not judge men who lived so long ago by the standards of today and slavery was truly a world wide phenomona not so very long ago ... yes, the South held on to it a little longer than other sections of our country ... and it has paid a price for it ever since.

But Mr Gragg has put a face on those men of so long ago for me, one which I can put in my heart ... that of Col Lane ... who spoke at the 40th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. If Mr Gragg would permit me I would love to quote from his book.

"When Lane spoke, the croud hushed. Looking down into the faces of his audience, he saw many who had witnessed the excitment, tragedy and horror of those unforgetable fields of fire. There too were many who could never imagine what he described; they were a new generation for whom those three days were merely history. "I was once a soldier ...", he began, and then spoke at length ... an old man telling a young man's story of smoke and fire and death. He tried to tell them about the shouts and volleys, about brave enemies in Black hats, about dressed lines and fallen color-bearers. He tried to tell them about the courage and confusion, about McCreery and Wilcox and Honeycutt ... and about Colonel Burgwyn, down and dying. He tried to tell them what it was like to look into the face of a twenty-one-year-old when the boyish light in his eyes was fading. He spoke of exhillerating victory and searing losses. "On the third day," he told them, "the remnant with colors flying stepped out, with hearts of oak, to take part in that memorable third day's charge." He gave them brutal numbers and awful statistics of bloody subtraction: 800 young and healthy men with homes and families and futures reduced to so few and then reduced again to nearly nothing.

Always, he came back to his men."Your valor is coming to be regarded as the common heritage of the American nation," he told them. "It no longer belongs to your State alone; it no longer belongs to the South; it is the high-water mark of what Americans have done and can do." He wept. In front of everyone and without apology, the old warrior looked at the tiny, aged remnant of the 26th North Carolina and he wept. "I give you the highest tribute," he told them, " ... a comrade's tears." A blue uniformed band of Pennsylvania veterans then broke into a spirited rendition of "Dixie," and the audience ... Northerners, Southerners, Americans all ... erupted in cheers.

Thank you Mr Gragg for pouring so much of yourself into this book, for in so doing you have given something priceless back to those of us who claim the Southern heritage. I can now look at that memorial in the courthouse lawn and feel a sense of pride for in the end ... the question is not what a man can scorn or disparage or find fault with, but what he can love and value and appreciate.

Excellent.......2004-06-08

The narrow focus of what the 26th is most famous for is wonderful because it allows for many details. For those that don't know, they took atrocious casulaties over a 48 hour period, basically 8 out of 10 men went down. Their action is legendary, lining up against the Union's most famous, Iron Brigade, and also being the unit that could claim the farthest penetration into enemy territory on day 3.

As always, a couple of more maps would have been extremely helpful, but that being said, the ones there are well done.

Day 1 is treated extremely well with intense description of the action, almost minute by minute as far the 26th was concerned. The reading is smooth however, and most won't get lost in the details.

Day 3 has some of the best coverage that I have read because the author expands the focus for the Picket-Pettigrew-Trimble Charge to cover many of the other units involved. Of course, the 26th still gets the lions share of the commentary.

This book isn't for novices, but at the same time, you don't need to be a hardcore student to get it. I think a simple 2 or 3 page synopses of the battle will help so you don't get bogged down with some of the names, but more so you understand the importance of the battle in an overall perspective.

Again, the focus is the 26th at Gettysburg with a very brief prelude and wrap up to their other action. Highly recommended for the ACW afficionada and casual reader.

My only little quibble is with the quality of paper and tiny font for the paperback. Come on publishers, put the better works on better paper so they'll last longer.

Fantastic and Moving.......2003-07-13

This book has brought even closer than before to the realization that men of the South, especically the 26th North Carolina, sacrificed so much for what they believed in. This book follows this unit from beginning to end, sharing all that they did during the War, but hilighting Gettysburg and the tremendous toll it took on this great unit. I was especially enthralled by the personal side that the author shared, delving into personal history of various members of the unit, especially its Boy Colonel. A great read for those who want to know more about the men and units who made up Lee's great Army.

Excellent, concise well-written regimental history.......2002-07-30

I'm pretty new to reading about the Civil War, but so far it seems that Regimental History books are my favorite. While other books try to do too much and cover many battles, generals and focus on troop movements, etc., Regimental History books focus on people and individuals.

Covered with Glory was particularly enlightening, as it sheds some light how Confederates felt about the war.

It is a very focused and straight forward read. Don't expect this to be a comprehensive book on the Civil War, but to experience a "little piece" of it, this is a great book.

COVERED WITH GLORY.......2001-12-11

An outstanding read! The author does not spend a great amount of time dealing with the formation and early days of the regiment. Instead and pleasantly so, he provides the reader with just enough information to get a feel for the regiment and its officers and concentrates on Gettysburg.

Additionally, the book is in simple and plain english allowing the reader to easily navigate troop movements, etc.. I especially enjoyed the "what happened to" part of the book, something which is missing from too many volumes.

Book Description

Home front and battle front merged in 1865 when General William T. Sherman occupied Savannah and then marched his armies north through the Carolinas. Although much has been written about the military aspects of Sherman's March, Jacqueline Campbell reveals a more complex story. Integrating evidence from Northern soldiers and from Southern civilians, black and white, male and female, Campbell demonstrates the importance of culture for determining the limits of war and how it is fought.

Sherman's March was an invasion of both geographical and psychological space. The Union army viewed the Southern landscape as military terrain. But when they brought war into Southern households, Northern soldiers were frequently astounded by the fierceness with which many white Southern women defended their homes. Campbell argues that in the household-centered South, Confederate women saw both ideological and material reasons to resist. While some Northern soldiers lauded this bravery, others regarded such behavior as inappropriate and unwomanly.

Campbell also investigates the complexities behind African Americans' decisions either to stay on the plantation or to flee with Union troops. Black Southerners' delight at the coming of the army of "emancipation" often turned to terror as Yankees plundered their homes and assaulted black women.

Ultimately, When Sherman Marched North from the Sea calls into question postwar rhetoric that represented the heroic defense of the South as a male prerogative and praised Confederate women for their "feminine" qualities of sentimentality, patience, and endurance. Campbell suggests that political considerations underlie this interpretation--that Yankee depredations seemed more outrageous when portrayed as an attack on defenseless women and children. Campbell convincingly restores these women to their role as vital players in the fight for a Confederate nation, as models of self-assertion rather than passive self-sacrifice.

Customer Reviews:

First Rate work........2004-01-12

This is a very condensed book, mainly dealing with how the war, ( Sherman's March) affected the people in the path of Shermans army. Mrs. Campbell (the author, and a professor of history) uses extensive footnotes, and numerous sources, from a wide spectrum of people, and authors. One thing Mrs. Campbell bears on, is how Shermans march affected the African-American people, and how it differed with it's affect on the white people; and the differences in effect it had on the moral of the people, versus the effect it had on the Confederate soldiers.

If you're new to Shermans March, this is a good book to start with. It's an excellent, quick view of the effect on the Southern people.

If you've read extensively, on Sherman March, this is an excellent book, that adds to your knowledge.

Book Description

Craig Chapman presents the definitive history of the First North Carolina Volunteers/11th Regiment North Carolina Troops--the legendary Bethel Regiment.

Customer Reviews:

Well written, extremely informative book on North Carolina's premier regiment in Civil War........2006-07-08

The book is well written, and quite informative. It is about North Carolina's most famous regiment in the Civil War. While this might seem like a book of narrow appeal, it offers a great deal about how the war was conducted and should be of interest to any Civil War buff. I bought the book because I had an ancestor that served in it. I learned far more than I had expected. As a former
Infantry Officer and a Physician, I was also interested in tactics, morale, supply, casualties and their handling, intelligence and care of the soldier from recriutment to the end (whether death or discharge). I found all of these and much more! The battles are well described, as well.
Expecting a regimental history, I found a greater comprehension of life in the South during the War, it's politics, it's problems and their solutions, and a great military overview of many areas. If you liked Gone With the Wind, or Cold Mountain, or Shelby Foote's volumes on the history, you will get some of each here. I highly recommend this surprising book to anyone interested in the Civil War.

Thorough Accounting of the Bethel Regiment in the Civil War .......2005-08-02

A must-have book for anyone with ancestors who fought in this unit, the reporting is both academically complete and personal.

Clear and stirring battle descriptions.......2004-01-01

While researching my genealogy last summer I came across this book. My great grandfather was Woodson Garrett who is mentioned in this book and who served in the Bethel Regiment. I visited several of the battlefields and the descriptions of the battles here are coherent and emotionally charged. Highly recommended.

Top notch Regimental History.......2003-02-24

Craig Chapman's book struck a chord here. As one who is very much interested in Gettysburg, and the Overland Campaign of 1864, I am glad I found this jewel of a book. The author writes the story very well, and the research that he has done is exceptional in this tale of the boys from the Tarheel state.

This regiment is not as well known as the the 26th NC, but their trevails at Gettysburg was just as horrible. It also illustrates how they were used in the Overland Campaign...and the perils and suffering that they went through in 1864.

Book Description

The struggle for control of the eastern waters of North Carolina during the War Between the States was a bitter, painful, and sometimes humiliating one for the Confederate navy. No better example exists of the classic adage, "Too little, too late." Burdened by the lack of adequate warships, construction facilities, and even ammunition, nevertheless the South's naval arm fought bravely and recklessly to stem the tide of the Federal invasion of North Carolina from the sea.

Storm Over Carolina is the account of the Southern navy's struggle in North Carolina waters. It is a saga of crushing defeats interspersed with moments of brilliant victories. It is also the story of dogged determination and incredible perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds.

Book Description

The Pettigrew-Kirkland-MacRae Brigade was one of North Carolina's best-known and most successful units during the Civil War. Formed in 1862, the brigade spent nearly a year protecting supply lines before being thrust into its first major combat at Gettysburg. There, James Johnston Pettigrew's men pushed back the Union's famed Iron Brigade in vicious fighting on July 1 and played a key role in Pickett's Charge on July 3, in the process earning a reputation as one of the hardest-fighting units in Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Despite suffering heavy losses during the Gettysburg campaign, the brigade went on to prove its valor in a host of other engagements. It marched with Lee to Appomattox and was among the last Confederate units to lay down arms in the surrender ceremony.

Earl Hess tells the story of the men of the Pettigrew-Kirkland-MacRae Brigade, and especially the famous 26th North Carolina, chronicling the brigade's formation and growth under Pettigrew and its subsequent exploits under William W. Kirkland and William MacRae. Beyond recounting the brigade's military engagements, Hess draws on letters, diaries, memoirs, and service records to explore the camp life, medical care, social backgrounds, and political attitudes of these gallant Tar Heels. He also addresses the continuing debate between North Carolinians and Virginians over the failure of Pickett's Charge.

Customer Reviews:

A first-rate history of NC's most illustrious brigade.......2002-07-15

Lee's Tar Heels is a superb narrative of one of North Carolina's premier brigades in the Civil War. Author Earl Hess delivers a very readable and interesting account of the brigade, which included the 11th, 26th, 44th, 47th, and 52nd NC regiments. Hess draws on a large number of period resources, including some priceless accounts from brigade members, some of whom did not survive to see the war's end.

The book basically covers the entire history of the brigade, from its early days participating in the relatively small skirmishes and battles of Eastern NC, until its true baptism of fire at Gettysburg, in which it suffered appalling casualties and gained immortal glory. One thing I liked about the book is the consistency with which he covers all the regiments of the brigade, and not just the more famous 26th NC. It would be easy to have written a book on the 26th, with scant reference to the other equally deserving member regiments, but Hess never fails to present the brigade as a whole.

He also tells of a number of interesting side stories, including devoting much space to the famous Moravian band which travelled with the regiment. He talks about the Quaker members of the brigade, who were caught up in a situation they hated, yet earned the sympathy of their fellow soldiers. Each aspect of the brigade history is presented in a readable way, including discussions on desertion, camp life, and politics.
He also talks a great deal about the three leaders of the brigade; Pettigrew, Kirkland, and McRae. He is candid about each of their leadership styles, including any blunders they may have perpetrated, but he is quick to come to their defense when he feels it is warranted. One thing I was impressed with was the natural talent that the last commander, William McRae, exhibited. If not for the end of the war, he surely would have gone on to be a fine division commander.

Hess also addresses the post-war controversy over the blame for the failure of Pickett's charge between North Carolina and Virginia. Several prominent Virginia newspapers printed accounts of the Tarheel's actions at Gettysburg that were biased and inaccurate. There is a whole chapter on "After the War", which deals with the efforts of various members of the brigade to rectify the incorrect accusations of the Virginians, and to accord the brigade the credit it was due. He also writes about the eventual fate of many of the soldiers you come to know through the reading of the book, some of whose stories are absolutely fascinating.

This brigade was present at pretty much every large battle of the ANV from Gettysburg until the end of the war, including a number of smaller engagements which are generally overlooked. It gained a reputation for hard fighting, and was often used in situations where extreme measures were called for. Hess writes about them with an obvious enthusiasm, but never loses his objectivity. I will have to admit, this is the first brigade history I have ever read, but I cannot imagine it gets much better than this. If you enjoyed the book he co-wrote on Pea Ridge, I think you will find this one just as good, maybe even better. I simply cannot recommend it highly enough.

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Brief North Carolina Civil War History

Confederate Military History Of North Carolina: North Carolina In The Civil War, 1861-1865
D. H. Hill
Manufacturer: Ebooksondisk.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
General | Civil War | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
General | Military | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1932157301

Customer Reviews:

Out standing .......2007-06-16

This book is wonderful, and a very impressive work. I was fortunate to find this seller who had this book. Highly recommend. Thank you again.

Brief North Carolina Civil War History.......2006-01-20

Confederate Military History of North Carolina is a fair "summary" of the "Old North State's" contributions in the Civil War. The Tar Heel State provided the "bulk" of the Confederate's Army.

It is a good first read to allow one an "overview" of North Carolina in the Civil War. Remember, Hill's work should be considered an overview or summary of North Carolina's American Civil War history.

Approximately 125,000 "Old North State" soldiers fought during the course of the war, moreover, 40,000 never returned home.
At the Battle of Big Bethel North Carolina experienced the first Confederate casualty of the American Civil War. Field officers and privates discuss their unit's skirmishes and battles. Included are diaries and memoirs from some unit historians; underscoring the veracity of their fighting history.

First at Bethel, farthest at Gettysburg, and last at Appomattox; sadly, Mr. Hill admits to space limitations omitting a more detailed history.

A very detailed history of North Carolina in the Civil War, please consider: Clark's: HISTORIES OF THE SEVERAL REGIMENTS & BATTALIONS FROM NORTH CAROLINA:
Vol. 1: Bethel Regt. __ 16th Regt.
Vol. 2: 17th Regt. __ 42nd Regt.
Vol. 3: 43rd Regt. __ 69th Regt.
Vol. 4: 70th Regt. __ 83rd Regt.
& 1st Bn. __ 16th Bn.
Vol. 5: Battles, Navy, Addenda, Index
IN THE GREAT WAR 1861-1865.

For comprehensive North Carolina American Civil War regimental and battalion rosters (excellent source for genealogy), consider "North Carolina Troops, 1861-1865: A Roster, by Weymouth T. Jordan and Louis H. Manarin."

Matthew D. Parker

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