The Battle of Allatoona Pass: Civil War Skirmish in Bartow County, Georgia

Brad Butkovich

The History Press, 2014, 192 pp., $19.99

ISBN: 978-1-62619-461-8

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                Outside The Official Records, little has been written about The Battle of Allatoona Pass and to some people, it does not seem like an important enough event in the final year of the Civil War.  Brad Butkovich shows us in this work that there is a lot to learn about from the battle and does so with excitement and vigor.  His well versed narrative on the subject proves that while the annals of Civil War history have spoken very little about this battle, it was a very important engagement.  While the subtitle calls the battle a skirmish, it seems that throughout the description of the action that it was far from it and was in fact a full-fledged battle. 

                Brad Butkovich has a Bachelor of Arts in history from Georgia Southern University and has spent some time in his life working in the role-playing game publishing industry.  Now the head of a customer service department at a major corporation, he also serves as a member of the Northeast Georgia Civil War Round Table.  He has published many other works on the American Civil War, mainly in the realm of miniatures wargaming and a book on the Battle of Pickett’s Mill. 

                In his introduction, Butkovich gives the reader an aide which sounds silly, but is quite helpful.  He spells out the difference between the Army of Tennessee and the Army of the Tennessee with the former being the Confederate army and the latter being the Union army.  This is very important to point out before going into the narrative since it can be quite confusing at times.  As I read through the book, there was a realization which came as the author’s photographs assisted his narrative.  This battlefield may be quite difficult for the average Civil War traveler to discover.  As can be seen in his photographs, there is much overgrowth in the area of Allatoona Pass and the Star Fort which was under much contention during the conflict.  His narrative begins with the general introductory statements made on the way towards battle and even gives some insight into the way the command structure was beginning to collapse in the Confederate army.  Morale was not strong since many in the army wanted to cheer for Joe Johnston instead of General Hood and the problems began for the high command.  What ensued at the Battle of Allatoona Pass seemed like a drawn out game of tug-of-war where most of the action was centered around the Star Fort and the holding thereof.  One thing which Butkovich gives attention to, which other authors tend to avoid, is the importance of the Signal Corps in the battle and the role in which they played to aid the commanders during the fight.  Sometimes, the messages could be exaggerated but were sent because of the Signal Corps nonetheless.  They are the unsung heroes of the Civil War.

                I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the War in the West, especially the final year of the war.  The idea that the Confederates had given up and were just being chased around northern Georgia and Tennessee is false and their fighting spirit is presented well in this narrative on the battle.  I applaud Butkovich’s work and look forward to what else he can offer for Civil War studies.  

Hood’s Tennessee Campaign: The Desperate Venture of a Desperate Man

James R. Knight

The History Press, 2014, 205 pp., $19.99

ISBN: 978-1-62619-597-4

Image courtesy of civilwartalk.com

                When many people think about General John Bell Hood after the Gettysburg Campaign, there is this remembrance of the burning of Atlanta which brings about images of Gone With the Wind.  In this work, however, James R. Knight reminds us that there was much more to the end of the war concerning John Bell Hood than we think.  As the narrative moves on, there is not much hope for the Confederate army to begin with leading to the defeat and a long heartbreak all throughout Tennessee.  Much in the style of The History Press, what is presented here is quite a bit of information unknown to some people, known to others, but presented in a fashion which renders the work as a great addition to Civil War academia. 

                James R. Knight is a graduate of Harding University from the Class of 1967 and spent five years as a pilot in the United States Air Force.  Keeping with his skills as a pilot, he also worked for Federal Express for thirty-one years.  This is Knight’s fourth book for The History Press Sesquicentennial Series with his other focus being on the Battles of Franklin, Fort Donelson and Pea Ridge.  He now is a historical interpreter for the Battle of Franklin Trust and gives tours at the Carter House.

                There is a lot to be said about Hood’s Tennessee Campaign as a whole but the endeavor is so massive it often makes historians exhausted.  However, in this work, there is quite a bit of material which offers a unique insight into the psychology of the men and the actions of the men.  As the subtitle states, there are many points in this work where the actions of the Confederate army seem quite desperate and useless.  The nature of the campaign seemed to be that way at every turn and even with the help of the great cavalier, Nathan Bedford Forrest, there was little hope to be had.  The book opens with a visit to the army from Jefferson Davis and it is an event which is well documented in history.  While the discussion between Davis and Hood is not entirely known, what is presented is the conflict and friction between the high command of the Army of Tennessee.  Throughout the text, there are also many well drawn maps to aid the reader in the understanding of the expanse of Tennessee.  Often times, especially those who focus on the War in the East, there is a lack of understanding on how large Tennessee is.  With these maps, even I had an understanding of what was going on as the men were maneuvering throughout the large expanses of the state.  Knight, though he has already done extensive research on the battle, talks about Franklin and does so in such a way that the engagement is not bogged down in details.  When writing a book on the entirety of a campaign, the lack of detail in a battle itself, I felt, was a positive decision.

                There is a lot of information presented in this material.  I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the War in the West during the end of the conflict.  Many feel that once Vicksburg falls, the War in the West was over.  This work proves that is not quite the case.  James R. Knight should be praised for the work he is bringing to this area of the war and I look forward to what he will be presenting next.

Patriots and Rebels

John C. Bush

Createspace Independent Publishing, 2014, 285pp., $14.95

ISBN: 9781499179262

Image courtesy of amazon.com

                Civil War fiction is a booming industry during the Sesquicentennial of the conflict.  The first which people tend to think about is The Killer Angels but there are many which can hold their own against the rest of the works being released.  John C. Bush has given us a work which is both interesting and saddening.  He combines the war itself with the world after the Civil War along with a different twist to the art than any other.  Instead of having someone from the North fighting for the South as is usual in Civil War fiction, there is someone from the South fighting for the North.  Bush also brings into the fold the idea of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder upon the return of the protagonist.  Known now as “Soldier’s Heart,” the experience of the fighting men is something which Bush excels at in his work.

                John C. Bush is a native of Montgomery, Alabama and was born in northwest Florida.  The ancestral line of his family can trace its roots back to Virginia in 1670.  He now lives in the Tennessee Valley in Northern Alabama.  This is where most of the story of Patriots and Rebels takes place.

                When I first heard about this work, I immediately thought of the American Revolution but upon further inspection, discovered the work was about the Civil War.  Patriots and Rebels allows for something different to be seen in the eyes of Civil War fiction.  The work opens up in a very fast paced mode which creates some confusion but is soon fixed in the narrative.  The story is about the return of a father to Alabama from the war where he had fought for the North.  Not only is this story about the fight in the War of the Rebellion, the history of the family is told through the tales of the father and it is plainly clear as to why he chose to fight for the North.  What I found more interesting throughout all of the text and narrative was the implementation of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the mind of the Civil War soldier.  When the father is telling his tales of the war and what he had gone through, it is often interrupted by the bouts of the disease.  Unlike some of the other Civil War fiction being published now, the book is fast paced even though it is told all through stories and flashbacks.  The reader gains a clear idea of what soldiers had to go through upon their return home.

                Patriots and Rebels is recommended for the fan of Civil War fiction and even more so for those interested in the life of the soldier in the time of Reconstruction.  One of the things which makes this work shine is the difference between the general stereotypes of Civil War literature.  His narrative is flowing and his attention to detail is great up to the point where there is a clear picture as to what is happening in his novel.  In conclusion, Patriots and Rebels is a work of Civil War fiction which is recommended for those interested in the realm of literature.  Not to be missed.

The Maryland Campaign of September 1862 Volume II: Antietam

Ezra A. Carman, edited and annotated by Thomas G. Clemens

Savas Beatie, 2012, 670pp., $37.50

ISBN: 978-1-61121-114-6

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                The classic off The Maryland Campaign of September 1862 has long been considered a classic in military literature but something which has been missing in the document is annotations.  Upon reading primary sources, there are some questionable things which have been written in these accounts, but with a good annotation, the errors are corrected and sources properly.  Thomas G. Clemens has provided these annotations and are an excellent way to re-read this classic.

Ezra Ayres Carman was born in Oak Tree, New Jersey and attended the Western Military Academy in Kentucky.  During the Civil War, he fought with New Jersey units and faced some of the fiercest fighting throughout the war including the Battle of Antietam.  After the war, he was appointed to the Antietam National Cemetery Board of Trustees and the Battlefield Board.  Thomas G. Clemens has spent years studying the Maryland Campaign and gained his doctorate at George Mason University.  He has written a myriad of magazine articles and has appeared in documentaries along with being a licensed tour guide at Antietam National Battlefield.  Also, he is an instructor at Hagerstown Community College and also founded the Save Historic Antietam Foundation.

Much of volume one deals with the Battle of South Mountain and the process of reaching the battlefield of Antietam.  Without volume one, volume two does not make much sense but both works stand as classics.  In order to appreciate the full context of Carman’s work, both volumes need to be read and with Clemens’ annotations aid the work in the best way possible.  Thomas G. Clemens has performed a labor of love and his notes on the Battle of Antietam are quite extensive.  Throughout the text, there are quite a few good historic maps and the text is also fueled with many good photographs of the field.  The Battle of Antietam is one of the most terrifying experiences from the Civil War and is considered the bloodiest day in American history.  In all of the works on the battle, there are few which do not mention the work done by Ezra Carmen and since he was present at the battle, the primary source can be seen as more accurate than others.  Without the words of Clemens, there could be some confusion on the part of the reader not quite familiar with the battlefield of Antietam or the rest of the Maryland Campaign.

The Maryland Campaign of September 1862 Volume II: Antietam, stands on its own as a great work of Civil War literature, but is more appreciated with both volumes.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the Maryland Campaign or is just interested in the Battle of Antietam.  This in depth work by a Civil War veteran brings the horror of the battlefield to the reader and the annotations of Clemens bring academia to the work.  These two volumes will be hailed as the greatest edition of Carman’s work and a great addition to the annals of Civil War history.   

Knights of the Golden Circle: Secret Empire, Southern Secession, Civil War

David C. Keehn

2013, Louisiana State University Press, 308 pp., $39.95

ISBN: 978-0-8071-5004-7

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There is a rarity in the realm of the Civil War when a subject comes along that many have never really analyzed.  Here, in Knights of the Golden Circle, David C. Keehn analyzes the secret society in a way no one has done.  By taking the roots of the group and bringing it up to the world of the Civil War was utterly fascinating.  Because we always hear of the Knights of the Golden Circle but are never analyzed, Keehn’s work stands out as one of the major contributions to academia concerning this secret society.  Certain events which have been clouded in mystery are finally answered in this text and to some, the outcome is a bit horrifying.

                David C. Keehn is an attorney from Allentown, Pennsylvania and received his history degree from Gettysburg College.  He also holds a juris doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania.  This is the first work he has written and hopefully will not be the last.

                In the sidelines of many narratives of Civil War history, there is mention of a group called the Knights of the Golden Circle.  Many times in my own reading of the texts, I have not understood what the group was or what they stood for and many times I disregarded it or forgot to look up what they were.  Here, in David Keehn’s book, they are explained in excruciating detail which is needed due to the lack of information presented in other histories.  The Knights of the Golden Circle wanted to extend the institution of slavery into the areas of Mexico, Cuba, the Caribbean and Central America and after the Civil War was over attempted to continue their actions only to be arrested or hide their links to the organization.  One thing which was noticeable and may be noticeable to many others who read this book is the closeness between the Freemasons and the Knights of the Golden Circle.  Though not the same organization, the language of their tenants tends to be similar which lends people to believe that Masons were behind some of the operations of the war when, in fact, it was the knights.  With their origins in the Order of the Lone Star, they found a way to contract and army and legalize invasions of another country.  For so long, the knights had their sights on the area of Mexico and were often close to “filibustering” or invading the country.  Of course, current events slowed that process and instead some of the knights played their way into the folds of the American Civil War.  When it came to the Election of 1860, many knights who did not like the Southern candidate, either Southern Republican or Southern Democrat, would have rather voted for Lincoln because it would force the hand of the South to secede.  Even the people involved in the assassination plot of 1861 to kill Lincoln in Baltimore had ties to the Knights of the Golden Circle.  Lastly, John Wilkes Booth was a member of the organization and was the reason he was able to see the execution of John Brown.

                Knights of the Golden Circle is an excellent book and I cannot recommend it enough.  This subject matter is unexplored to the point where many know nothing about this organization.  With Keehn’s book, that is no longer a problem.  With a flowing narrative, and sometimes action packed,  Keehn has renewed an interest in the secret societies during the Civil War.  Highly recommended.  

Gateway to the Confederacy: New Persepctives on the Chickamauga and Chattanooga Campaigns, 1862-1863

Edited by Evan C. Jones and Wiley Sword

2014, Louisiana State University Press, 323pp., $39.95

ISBN: 978-0-8071-5509-7

Image Courtesy of amazon.com

                Throughout the battles and campaigns of the Civil War which are studies, much attention is given to the battlefield of Gettysburg.  A fact like this pointed out many times in the introduction of this collection of essays on Chickamauga and Chattanooga.  Even before the creation of the Gettysburg National Military Park, these battlefields are more well preserved and more established than any other battlefield in the country.  While not as written about as Gettysburg, this campaign has been ignored in the wake of Gettysburg and Vicksburg, Chickamauga and Chattanooga are treated with distinction in this incredible collection of essays.

                The two editors of the collection, Evan C. Jones and Wiley Sword, both contributed essays to the work and are no strangers of these battlefields. Evan C. Jones is a former National Park ranger who has spent a good amount of time at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park along with many other battlefields from the Civil War.  Wiley Sword is an accomplished author and historian who has devoted his career to these campaigns.  The other authors of this work include Russell S. Bonds, David A. Powell, Gerald J. Prokopowicz, William Glenn Robertson, Craig L. Symonds, Stephen Cushman and Caroline E. Janney.  All of their contributions to this work have a short biography within the body of the book.

                Gateway to the Confederacy is an important work for many reasons.  First and foremost, it is a great introduction to the campaigns of Chickamauga and Chattanooga in both the years of 1862 and 1863.  One essay talks about the 1862 campaign of Chattanooga which most people tend to forget about.  The essay goes over many of the events which happened during that campaign but more important was the attention made to the politicking going on in the army for Don Carlos Buell in those actions.  The book opens with an essay about the overall terrain of Chickamauga and Chattanooga and the importance the land had to the campaigns and the people who had settled there.  The essay titled, “The Funnel of the Universe” explains in detail the industry which surrounded the area of Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama and how Chattanooga was a large hub for this industry.  Through these studies, one can see why Chickamauga and Chattanooga was the Gateway to the Confederacy and without it, the victories at both Gettysburg and Vicksburg would not have meant much of anything.  Wiley Sword in his essay talks about the issues of arming slaves and the possibility of what could have happened if it became a reality.  These essays are not only well written, they are thought provoking which exceeds expectations when it comes to the realm of Civil War academia.

                Gateway to the Confederacy is highly recommended for any Civil War reader.  This collection of essays is one of the better collections I have come across in the recent years.  The input of both Evan C. Jones and Wiley Sword are greatly appreciated both in their editing and their essays.  They are correct in stating that sometimes, Civil War historians tend to gravitate towards Gettysburg and Vicksburg because of their grandiose nature, and though not written about as much as Gettysburg, all the contributors give an excellent outlook onto the campaigns rarely talked about in the annals of Civil War history.

The Maryland Campaign of September 1862 Volume I: South Mountain

Ezra A. Carman, Edited and Annotated by Thomas G. Clemens

2010, Savas Beatie, 576 pp., $37.50

ISBN: 978-1-932714-81-4 

Image Courtesy of Barnes and Noble

                Much has been written about the Maryland Campaign surrounding the Battle of Antietam, but there have always been the classics.  As it is with classics, especially classics which were written right after the war, they run out of print and are quite difficult to get your hands on.  For the longest time, I had heard of the great narrative which Ezra Carman had written on the entirety of the Maryland Campaign but was never able to get it.  That was, until Thomas G. Clemens and Savas Beatie released the work in an annotated fashion.

                Ezra Ayres Carman was born in Oak Tree, New Jersey and attended the Western Military Academy in Kentucky.  During the Civil War, he fought with New Jersey units and faced some of the fiercest fighting throughout the war including the Battle of Antietam.  After the war, he was appointed to the Antietam National Cemetery Board of Trustees and the Battlefield Board.  Thomas G. Clemens has spent years studying the Maryland Campaign and gained his doctorate at George Mason University.  He has written a myriad of magazine articles and has appeared in documentaries along with being a licensed tour guide at Antietam National Battlefield.  Also, he is an instructor at Hagerstown Community College and also founded the Save Historic Antietam Foundation.

                I should make one thing clear about this work.  It is not a reprint.  So many times when classics are reprinted, that it all they do, but this one is not one of those works.  Clemens annotates the whole document with modern sourcing and extensive footnotes.  Published in two volumes, the first deals with the Battle of South Mountain and some of the preliminary details of the campaign while the second deals with the Battle of Antietam.  The annotations throughout not only give us an up to date look into the Maryland Campaign with modern sources, but a look into the mind of Carman as he was writing the work.  Clemens tells us who Carman was more likely to paint in a greater light because of his experiences in the war and the politicking going on between Lincoln and McClellan throughout.  While Carman states that this was not just a battle against armies, but a battle between the high command in Washington, Clemens adds that to tell us that not all was easy for the commanders.  One of the aspects of the campaign which is largely ignored is the action taken at Harper’s Ferry before the Battle of Antietam and here, Carman places it in his narrative.  The details of the capture of Union soldiers at the garrison is greatly important to the study of the campaign and here, it is given explicit detail through both the narrative of Carman and the annotation of Clemens.

                The Maryland Campaign of September 1862 Volume I: South Mountain is a great addition to any Civil War library and is highly recommended for any reader.  The excellent map system used in the book is a great aid to the narrative and the annotations are second to none.  This is an excellent printing of this classic and goes to show that there is more to write about when it comes to the Maryland Campaign even if it is through annotations.  Thomas G. Clemens has done a fantastic job and has performed a labor of love by pouring his knowledge into this text.  Highly recommended!