​Confederate Courage on Other Fields: Overlooked Episodes of Leadership, Cruelty, Character, and Kindness
Mark J. Crawford
Savas Beatie, 2017, 190 pp., $18.95
ISBN: 978-1-61121-352-2
Image courtesy of amazon.com
 
                When it comes to the study of Civil War history, there are certain battles which garner more attention than others.  Mostly, the studies aimed at Gettysburg, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and even Vicksburg far outshine some of the other fields of glory.  Confederate Courage on Other Fields is Mark J. Crawford’s answer to that sentiment by using four locations in order to tell tales of incredible leadership from the Confederate commanders.  Events such as the Battle of Dinwiddle Courthouse, stories from Missouri, and lesser known areas, are given the just treatment here in this work.  Not only does the book show the stories of these commanders and soldiers, it details lesser known places which badly need attention.
                Mark J. Crawford has spent most of his life as an exploration geologist.  For eighteen years, he prowled forests and deserts mainly in the southeast.  There, he researched this book, which not only showed him the stories which the earth can tell, but also by visiting some of the descendants of these soldiers, and driving up dirt roads.  He has written four other works, including, The Encyclopedia of the Mexican-American War. 
                As stated in the introduction, this book strives to take four events that are not fully covered in the Civil War realm of scholarship, and use them to tell stores of valor from Confederates, both officers and soldiers.  The book opens with the Battle of Dinwiddle Courthouse in Virginia which preceded the Battle of Five Forks.  While the chapter was fascinating in the narrative, the most interesting, and disturbing part, was the tale of the troops which were swept away with the river, some of them drowning in the attempt to get across.  The second section he devotes his writing to is from the letters of a man named Charles Blacknail.  His story is that of a plantation owner who became a Confederate officer.  The letter writing shown in this section of the book highlights the overall problem of being driven and consumed by the war at hand.  The next portion of the work is dedicated to a struggle between officers from both sides in which President Lincoln had to become involved.  Mainly taking place in Missouri, these two men’s quarrels greatly affected those around them more so than they would like to admit.  The last section of the book deals with one of the hospitals in North Carolina and Reverend M.M. Marshall.  The narrative deals with the ways in which he tended to the soldiers while they were in that place, attempting to heal, or preparing themselves to die.
                I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys human interest stories.  This book not only shows some of the human side of the conflict, but the overall humanity which these soldiers faced.  Too many books rely on the maneuvers and overall battles which were fought in the war, but this one pinpoints the stories which touch at the heart of the conflict; these stories show the side of a conflict that we rarely see and the reasoning behind their motivations.  Highly Recommended!

​A Civil War Captain and His Lady: Love, Courtship, and Combat from Fort Donelson through the Vicksburg Campaign
Gene Barr
Savas Beatie, 2016, 342 pp., $32.95
ISBN: 978-1-61121-290-7
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Oftentimes, when we study this conflict, the most reliable primary sources which I have read have been letters, mostly between either lovers or married couples.  Today’s book presents the letters between a Civil War Captain and a woman whom he was courting.  Throughout these accounts, I found some of the most interesting writings about the time of Fort Donelson through the Vicksburg Campaign as a primary source that I have seen in a long time.  Gene Barr has done a great service by bringing these letters to the light of Civil War Scholarship.  In the long run, I do believe that these letters will be looked at when studying the campaigns listed above and the time between.
                Gene Barr is the president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry.  He has spent most of his life in the political and government affairs world, including twelve years with a Fortune 100 energy company.  It is the largest broad-based business advocacy group in the state.  He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.  He also serves on the board and is a former chair of the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  A Civil War Captain and His Lady is the first book he has written. 
                This is an interesting book, most likely I will not be reviewing another like it in some time.  The book covers the relationship between Josiah Moore and Jennie Lindsay.  Josiah is a Captain in the 17th Illinois infantry and Jennie is a member of one of the most prominent families in Illinois.  But this book is not just their letters which showcase the love they had for one another, this collection also showcases some of the actions which the 17th Illinois faced.  Jennie’s letter writing also shows the reader that the role of the sweetheart writing to the soldier in the war was an important one.  The encouragement in her letters, the language she uses in these writings shows the level of hardship with not only Josiah in the war, but her brother as well.  Josiah’s letters show the reader quite a bit about the life of a soldier and the engagements which they were a part of.  This publication of the 17th Illinois’ actions throughout the time of Fort Donelson to Vicksburg give a new perspective of that unit in the war, and this includes the Meridian Campaign which has been highly ignored. 
                I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Western Theater of the war.  I also recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the letter writing between the war and homefront.  This is not just about two lovers sending messages back and forth; it is about the toll that it takes not only on their lives, but on the lives of the loved ones around them.  In a way, these letters are fascinating on a different level and as I said before, I don’t think I’ll be reviewing another book like this one for quite some time.  Highly recommended.

​Battle Above the Clouds: Lifting the Siege of Chattanooga and the Battle of Lookout Mountain, October 16 – November 24, 1863
David A. Powell
Savas Beatie, 2017, 192 pp., $14.95
ISBN: 978-1-61121-377-5
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The Emerging Civil War Series has brought introductory books to many in the public who have shown interest in certain parts of the American Civil War.  Battle Above the Clouds continues that tradition by giving the reader an introduction to the Siege of Chattanooga and the Battle of Lookout Mountain for which the book is named.  Written by David A. Powell, this material is in fine hands upon the completion of his Magnum Opus, The Chickamauga Campaign.  I, as a reader, have always felt that this battle was not well covered in the past, but with a renewed interest in this campaign, this book is a great starting point for any reader who might be interested not only in the Siege of Chattanooga, but the Civil War in the West.
                David A. Powell is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute with a Bachelors in History.  He has written many articles and has been focused on the Battle of Chickamauga for which he is nationally recognized.  His other works include The Maps of Chickamauga, Failure in the Saddle, and the previously mentioned, The Chickamauga Campaign.  All three volumes have been released and were widely acclaimed.  His is also the Vice President of Airsped Inc., a specialized delivery firm.
                Once again, as mentioned in the introduction, this book handles a lot of information which can be seen as an introduction to these conflicts.  This book surrounds the first half of the campaign to lift the siege of Chattanooga but within its spine, there is so much more.  Portions of the book which I found to be interesting was the arrival of Ulysses S. Grant as commander and there were even portions of the book which were dedicated to the appendices as it is with previous Emerging Civil War books.  This work, however, limits those appendices to only three which aids the book in the narrative flow.  The coverage of the Battle of Lookout Mountain was well handled, as in my own experience, it is not covered enough in the scholarship of the Civil War.  All of these things help the book to become a great aid for anyone interested in the engagements here.  As always, there are driving tours which shows how versatile these books are, that they can be brought along with the reader in order to help them understand what happened in these locations.  Once again, very well done.
                I highly recommend this book to anyone who has read the Emerging Civil War Series.  These books not only aid in the understanding of the battle, but help those who want to get into the Civil War.  On top of that, Mr. Powell handles this book with the same narrative grace which he offered to his Chickamauga series which has just finished.  With photographs and or maps on every page, this book should be a fine offering to those who wish to gain a further understanding.  Highly recommended. 

​“No Such Army Since the Days of Julius Caesar”: Sherman’s Carolinas Campaign from Fayetteville to Averasboro, March 1865
Mark A. Smith and Wade Sokolosky
Savas Beatie, 2017, 248 pp., $29.95
ISBN: 978-1-61121-286-0              
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If there is one thing which I do not believe gets enough coverage in Civil War study, it is the war in the west.  Also, I do not believe that the end of the Civil War in the West gets enough coverage, even when it gets coverage.  While today’s book does not completely cover the end of the Civil War in the West, it is one of the stepping stones which leads us there.  “No Such Army since the Days of Julius Caesar,” chronicles Sherman and his Carolinas campaign in March of 1865.  Mark A. Smith and Wade Sokolosky have brought us a book not only well researched and developed, but a fine book which covers that which is not covered enough.
                Colonel Wade Sokolosky is a graduate of East Carlolina University and a veteran of the United States Army.  He leads tours of Civil War battlefields and is a well seasoned speaker to many.  He also co-authored “To Prepare for Sherman’s Coming,” which precedes this work.  He is also the author of Final Roll Call: Confederate Losses during the Carolinas Campaign.  Major Mark A. Smith is a veteran of the United States Army holding various positions in his career.  He holds a Masters degree in military studies.  He is the other co-author of “To Prepare for Sherman’s Coming.”
                In their previous work, both Smith and Sokolosky showed us the Battle of Wise Forks which occurred in March of 1865.  This book focuses on the fighting immediately following the “March to the Sea” with Sherman’s plan to head north into the Carolinas.  As I was reading the opening pages, I was fascinated not only by the plans coming ahead by moving into the Carolinas, but by Sherman himself.  I will not get into it here since Sherman is so well covered by other works, but as a side note, both Smith and Sokolosky handled the commander quite well.  But what was interesting was the coverage of the Confederate side of the ordeal coming into this campaign.  Most usually focus on Sherman and his movements, but here there is plenty of coverage on the opposition.  Of course, the narrative on the Battle of Averasboro showed that Sherman could be halted.  While it was an inconclusive fight, there was still enough time to be given to the Confederacy for Johnston to assemble his forces.  I have to say that while reading these narratives, I was enthralled by the accounts.  I was happy to see these battles getting their due diligence with research and that both authors continued their dedication to the Carolinas campaign that we saw in their earlier work.
                I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Civil War in the West.  For far too long, these engagements have not been covered in history and I am happy to say that Smith and Sokolosky brought about a well written work for the fighting.  The narrative is aided not only by well drawn maps, but photographs which are relevant to the events at hand.  Highly Recommended!

​Confederate Waterloo: The Battle of Five Forks, April 1, 1865, and the Controversy that Brought Down a General
Michael McCarthy
Savas Beatie, 2017, 294 pp., $32.95
ISBN: 978-1-61121-309-6
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I remember the first time I learned about Napoleon Bonaparte and his massive campaigns across Europe and Africa.  I was fascinated by the stories which came from them and the imminent failure he received at Waterloo.  It is no surprise, then, that many of the battles which occurred in the Civil War were also named with terms such as “Waterloo,” “Tragalger,” and “Austerlitz.”  Michael J. McCarthy offers up one of those such battles.  Confederate Waterloo deals with the Battle of Five Forks teetering on the edge of the end of the war, focusing not only on the downfall of a general, but the incipient end of the war on the horizon.
                Michael J. McCarthy graduated from LeMoyne College with a degree in history and received his Masters in American History in 1971.  He has spent a great deal of time working for the government and also received MPA degrees in Public Finance from the University of Albany, and in Public Management from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.  His interest in the Battle of Five Forks occurred during a Capital District Civil War Round Table trip to the battlefield.  This work before us is an edited version of his dissertation and is his first book on the market.
                The Battle of Five Forks is, according to some who even fought in the conflict, a skirmish.  However, that account continues to say that “no other fight of the entire four years’ struggle was followed by such important consequences.”  When I begin to think about the ending of the Civil War in the East, the Battle of Five Forks comes to mind.  Throughout the text, we see that though the Confederate force fought well, they knew what was coming.  For those who know next to nothing about the Battle of Five Forks, this work is the place to start.  McCarthy handles the narrative of the battle with grace and even shows the reader some of the mistakes which were made on both sides both during and after the battle.  While the Union was successful, the clash between both Generals Sheridan and Warren would bring about a lifelong rivalry.  This portion of the work was not only well handled, but some of the most interesting writing on military judicial cases I have read.  When I first heard that there were chapters devoted to that, I was looking forward to it.  The narrative on the battle is wonderful, but I thoroughly enjoyed the work on the judicial case towards the end of the book.
                I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the final days of the Civil War in the East.  The narrative on both the battles and the court case were fascinating to read.  The research was top notch and McCarthy should take pride in the work which he has accomplished.  While this was part of his dissertation, I was happy that the work was able to be published for the public in this form.  A fine book indeed!

​Decision at Tom’s Brook: George Custer, Thomas Rosser, and the Joy of the Fight
William J. Miller
Savas Beatie, 2016, 268 pp., $29.95
ISBN: 978-1-61121-308-9
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George Custer has gone down in history as one of the great names of our nation, but what he is most well known for is the failure he faced at Little Big Horn.  But as you look at the life of Custer, you begin to see other things in his military career which he should be more well known for but is forgotten.  Custer fought at East Cavalry Field in the Battle of Gettysburg; he graduated at the bottom of his class at West Point for interesting reasons.  All of these get forgotten if you look at that failure.  Thankfully, William J. Miller’s work, Decision at Tom’s Brook, brings about more information about this fascinating character in history along with a few others whom we should remember as well.
                William J. Miller is a teacher, writer, and preservationist; he is a former editor of Civil War Magazine and has authored other works as well.  Mapping for Stonewall: The Civil War Service of Jed Hotchkiss, won the Fletcher Pratt Award for best Civil War nonfiction in 1993.  He also wrote Great Maps of the Civil War: Pivotal Battles and Campaigns.  Decision at Tom’s Brook is his ninth book about the Civil War.
                The Battle of Tom’s Brook is one which has been covered in the past, but not to the extent which Miller has taken in my experience.  It is books like these which make my reading interesting.  I knew next to nothing about this battle going into the narrative and to learn about this disaster, according to a Confederate soldier in his account, was wonderful.  I extensively mentioned Custer in the introduction but there is another personality which Miller highlights: Thomas L. Rosser.  Both attended West Point before the war but when it broke out, as so many heartbreaking Civil War stories follow, they split, with Rosser serving in the Confederacy.  Off the bat, Miller not only makes his narrative about the Battle of Tom’s Brook, but he highlights the relationship between the two and shows that they had not met in battle until this moment.  There were moments within the book which left me enthralled; some of them were even written with the gravitas of tragedy.  It is that kind of narrative which keeps my interest alive in the Civil War and I’m sure that other readers would agree.  Behind the “friend against friend” narrative is an amazing account of the battle and the details of the combat which was had at Tom’s Brook.  It is not one to be missed.
                I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the Battle of Tom’s Brook.  There is also a high recommendation to anyone who is fascinated with the “brother against brother,” or “friend against friend” ideals which the Civil War brought with it.  The narrative is exquisite and is aided by wonderfully drawn maps.  The research which went into this work is nothing short of a labor of love and Miller should be praised for what he brought to the forefront.  Highly recommended!