​“Double Canister at Ten Yards”: The Federal Artillery and the Repulse of Pickett’s Charge, July 3, 1863
David L. Shultz
Savas Beatie, 2017, 120 pgs., $13.95
ISBN: 978-1-61121-272-3
Image courtesy of amazon.com               
 
One of the things I love about being a Civil War book reviewer is the new found information on battles which seem to have been covered ten times over.  “Double Canister at Ten Yards” may seem like just another Gettysburg book, but here it is handled differently.  David L. Shultz has taken the stance of the Union perspective during Pickett’s Charge, but not only that, he details the Federal Artillery instead of just the infantry.  This outlook into the artillery has been one of the more fascinating aspects of Gettysburg study I have recently been reading and I was thrilled that a book like this came out.
                David L. Shultz has authored many Civil War works including Guide to Pennsylvania Troops at Gettysburg, The Battle Between the Farm Lands: Hancock Saves the Union Center, and he coauthored The Second Day at Gettysburg: The Attack and Defense of Cemetery Ridge, July 2, 1863 with Scott Mingus Sr.  He has received numerous awards for his work including special citations from the House of Representatives and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for Meritorious Public Service for Battlefield Preservation.  His current project is a full analysis on the artillery at Gettysburg, mainly a tactical study which will be comprehensive.
                As I said earlier in this review, Shultz takes a different approach on this subject by giving us an outlook onto the Federal Artillery during Pickett’s Charge.  Many works tend to focus on Lee and the decisions he made during this attack, and rarely do we see through the eyes of the artillery men.  The book is well crafted by placing certain chapters in charge of sections of the battlefield accompanied by excellent maps and photographs.  Most of what I found to be interesting were the parts before the charge began, mainly the actions of the commanders in preparation for the attack past the cannonade.  The analysis on General Henry Hunt and his gun line, along with the rest of his artillery officers, shows a great determination to push back the Confederate soldiers.  The research placed in this work was excellent by drawing out that which I was not familiar with before.  Of course, the climax of the work is when the charge reaches the Federal lines and the perfect organization of the artillery in order to end the infamous charge.  While some readers may look at the length of this book and wonder if it is enough information, I can tell you that it is.  This book offers everything you will need to know about the Federal Artillery during Pickett’s Charge and I look forward to his comprehensive study he is working on.
                I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Battle of Gettysburg, or a study on artillery as a whole.  Shultz handles the material in an incredible fashion with a flowing narrative and massive grasp of knowledge.  Mr. Shultz should be praised for the work he has brought forward in this book and I eagerly await the next one he writes.  

​“The Bloody Fifth,” The 5th Texas Infantry Regiment, Hood’s Texas Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia, Volume I: Secession to the Suffolk Campaign
John F. Schmutz
Savas Beatie, 2016, 336 pgs., $32.95
ISBN: 978-1-61121-204-4
Image courtesy of amazon.com               
 
The War in the East during the Civil War held many of the great battles we know and remember.  It overshadows the War in the West in terms of scholarly works written about the conflict and general knowledge about the eastern war is higher than the west.  Many are left to wonder if there is more that Civil War authors can write about and the answer is yes.  John F. Schmutz has written “The Bloody Fifth,” a regimental history on the 5th Texas Infantry which was one of only three Texas regiments to fight in Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.  This regimental history will be separated into volumes, the first taking the regiment from secession to the Suffolk Campaign.
                John F. Schmutz is a veteran of the United States Army and hails from Oneida, New York.  He has had a successful career as a corporate attorney; while during his career, he had a lifelong passion for the Civil War.  His first book was The Battle of the Crater: A Complete History which was published in 2009.
                One of the highlights about “The Bloody Fifth” was the incredible amount of information within the pages.  As I was reading, I could tell the painstaking research Mr. Schmutz has put into this regiment.  The stories of the men who served during the war with this unit are fascinating.  The book is wonderfully organized into the sections which this volume is handling from the organization of the unit to the Suffolk Campaign.  One of the points this book offers which I find fascinating was the telling of the events themselves.  For example, in the chapter of Fredericksburg, most regimental histories would delve into the actions of the regiment instead of the overall event.  Here, Mr. Schmutz tells the readers about the event as a whole which lends more to the understanding of the battles.  It also gives a greater understanding of the actions of the regiment as the battle was waning on.  In the account on the Battle of Fredericksburg, another interesting point in the book, was the action in which the 5th Texas took part in.  The usual stories we read about that battle are in the form of the attack on Mayre’s Heights.  But the 5th Texas was about the attack between Meade and Jackson, which is not wholly covered in many books.  Lastly, one of the appendices which I appreciated was not only the organization by company of the regiment, but the listing of the important people throughout the regiment’s history.
                I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in regimental histories.  This is how a regimental history should be written.  Properly organized and researched fully without any question, Mr. Schmutz has done his due diligence.  The narrative flows quite well always keeping the interest of the reader intact and with the appendices to aid the text made the book even more valuable.  Aided with well drawn maps and photographs, I eagerly await the next volume in this fine series.  Highly recommended.    
                                                                                                                                                                          

​Determined to Stand and Fight: The Battle of Monocacy, July 9, 1864
Ryan T. Quint
Savas Beatie, 2017, 192 pgs., $14.95
ISBN: 978-1-61121-346-1
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Determined to Stand and Fight is another entry into the Emerging Civil War Series which has been bringing introductory material to the eyes of American Civil War Neophytes.  Its handling of narrative from unknown battles to the more popular has been one of the more helpful resources to Civil War students.  Now, in Determined to Stand and Fight, the Battle of Monocacy is given the treatment; to be fair, even some readers well beyond the level of student are not too informed on this battle.  Thankfully, with Ryan T. Quint to thank, we have a volume in this series devoted to this conflict so close to the nation’s capital.
                Ryan T. Quint graduated from the University of Mary Washington and is a seasonal National Park Ranger for the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.  He is also a guide at the Historic Kenmore which is the home of George Washington’s sister, Betty Lewis.  Living in Fredericksburg, Virginia, he is one of the many writers for the Emerging Civil War blog.  For those who are not aware, The Emerging Civil War Series is a series of books written by well versed authors on the subject; they are introductory books to students and even readers, on the engagement or subject.
                During the Civil War Sesquicentennial, the subject of the Battle of Monocacy came up in newly written works.  While this was a welcome addition, there was always something which was missing in those texts.  Overall, it seemed to be that the engagement was still just a chapters length of information.  When I enjoyed about this book is that it is an entire length work devoted to the engagement.  As is usual with the Emerging Civil War works, the battle is separated into easy to follow segments ranging from the battle itself to introducing key people which would help morph the action.  One of the most fascinating chapters in the book was about Lew Wallace who was an officer in the Union army.  Many readers may recognize that name for something else as Wallace was the author of Ben-Hur.  Accompanied by fine maps and photographs, both historical and modern, the narrative within the text is very well written and presented excellently.  And towards the back of the book, we have six appendices giving more information to the lesser known battle.  Overall, this work will be seen as one of the Emerging Civil War’s more valuable books due to the lack of information usually presented on the subject. 
                I highly recommend this book not only to Civil War students, but to readers who still do not known entirely what happened at the Battle of Monocacy.  This book presents the material in a fine way with a flowing narrative and excellent presentation.  In conclusion, Ryan T. Quint should be thanked for the material presented and the information given to the many readers of this series. 

​Out Flew the Sabres: The Battle of Brandy Station, June 9, 1863
Eric J. Wittenberg and Daniel T. Davis
Savas Beatie, 2016, 142 pgs., $14.95
ISBN: 978-1-611121-256-3
Image courtesy of amazon.com        
 
Out Flew the Sabres is a new book from the Emerging Civil War Series which handles the Battle of Brandy Station.  Without a doubt, one of the most accomplished Civil War Cavalry historians is Eric J. Wittenberg.  At the same time, The Emerging Civil War Series is one of the finest collections of historians writing about the Civil War as a whole.  When I heard that Wittenberg would be tackling the Battle of Brandy Station along with Daniel Davis as part of this series, I was excited.  The series has always been one of the best introductory works on battles and campaigns published and I was thankful to find out that this battle was getting the treatment.  While it is covered in many other Civil War works, it is welcome news that this series has a work written about the battle by itself instead of just an attachment to a Gettysburg book.
            Eric J. Wittenberg has written many articles and books on the Civil War, mainly the cavalry history of the conflict.  Some of his works include, Gettysburg’s Forgotten Cavalry Actions, Protecting the Flank, and The Devil’s To Pay.  He has also co-authored a few novels, most recently, The Second Battle of Winchester with Scott Mingus Sr.  Daniel T. Davis is a historian at the Appomattox Court House National Historic Site and the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.  He is one of the leading authors of The Emerging Civil War Series. 
            I’ve often considered the Battle of Brandy Station and the previous review of Brandy Station to be the starting point of the Gettysburg Campaign.  The theatrics of General J.E.B. Stuart during the reviews of his forces proudly display the downfall of the great commander in the coming months.  Just like with many of the other Emerging Civil War books, this one takes the action, and preliminary steps, one at a time in order for ease of understanding.  An entire chapter is devoted to the review of the forces while many of the actions during the battle are separated into easy to follow parts.  The narrative of this book is excellent as usual when it comes to the research of Mr. Wittenberg and Mr. Davis, and the text is aided by a myriad of maps and photographs, many of the pictures taken by the authors.  One of the things I did notice about this work compared to other in the series was the limited amount of appendices.  There are only three in this work where in other books there can be upwards of six.  However, that did not bother me.  I found the narratives by Mr. Wittenberg and Davis to be enough coverage of this battle.  Overall, this book was highly enjoyable, especially for readers who do not know anything about the Battle of Brandy Station and its importance.
            I highly recommend Out Flew the Sabres to anyone interested in the Civil War, mainly those who have an interest in the Gettysburg Campaign.  As I stated previously, I consider this to be the starting point of the campaign and to have a piece of this series wholly devoted to the battle was a great addition.  The narrative is excellent and once again, the presentation was fabulous.  Highly Recommended.

​The Maryland Campaign of September 1862: Volume III: Shepherdstown Ford and the End of the Campaign
Ezra A. Carman, Thomas G. Clemens ed.
Savas Beatie, 2017, 328 pgs., $32.95
ISBN: 978-1-61121-302-7
Image courtesy of amazon.com        
 
Ezra A. Carman’s The Maryland Campaign has already proven itself to be the pinnacle of primary sources when it comes to the autumn of 1862.  After the first two volume’s publication, the third volume was not even existent in my mind; it was happy with the two.  But when I heard that the third volume was coming, helmed by the excellent work of Thomas G. Clemens, I was ready for the conclusion of the series.  But this third volume is not just the excellent conclusion to the work at hand, it also contains the errata and extensive notes Mr. Clemens has put into this.  In the end, we have an excellent completed work which needs to grace the shelves of all Civil War readers alike.
            Ezra Ayres Carman was educated at the Western Military Academy in Kentucky and hailed from New Jersey.  During the American Civil War, he fought with many New Jersey units and organizations and was appointed to the Antietam National Cemetery Board of Trustees after the war.  Later in life, he was appointed to the Antietam Battlefield Board in 1894.  Thomas G. Clemens, editor and annotator, gained his doctorate at George Mason University.  He has published many magazine articles, book reviews, and is a licesened guide at Antietam National Battlefield.  He is a retired professor from Hagerstown Community College and is one of the founders of the Save Historic Antietam Foundation Inc.
            The third volume of The Maryland Campaign: Shepherdstown Ford and the End of the Campaign, ends the account of the campaign as a whole not only on the military level, but on the political sphere as well before the campaign beings.  Not only does Carman handle this subject masterfully, but Clemens offers incredible annotations throughout the text.  I appreciate the accounts of Shepherdstown Ford from Carman as many authors I have read from the Civil War period usually end their accounts with the final shots of the major battle.  Here, we have the aftermath.  The chapter on the results of the campaign, mainly focusing on the losses, was fascinating as well.  One of the most interesting chapters of the book was the one about Lincoln, Halleck, and McClellan.  Mainly, the interesting part comes in the form that the chapter deals with events before the Maryland Campaign even begins.  To see the political dealings before the campaign’s beginning was fascinating and one of the points which many Antietam books seem to gloss over.  While this book is considerably shorter than its predecessors, it does not skimp on the informative narrative.  This is a well done tie off to the series.
            I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Civil War.  Even though it focuses on the Maryland Campaign, this is a primary source which should be in the homes of any Civil War reader.  It is one of the books which shows not only the excellent of the primary source, but the painstaking research of the editor which helmed the project.  Mr. Clemens should be applauded for the work he put into these works; he should know that it will be greatly appreciated in the years to come.