The Union Cavalry and the Chickamauga Campaign


Book Description

During the Chickamauga Campaign, General Stanley's two Union cavalry divisions battled Forrest's and Wheeler's cavalry corps in some of the most difficult terrain for mounted operations. The Federal troopers, commanded by Crook and McCook, guarded the flanks of the advance on Chattanooga, secured the crossing of the Tennessee River, then pushed into enemy territory. The battle exploded on September 18 as Col. Minty and Col. Wilder held off a determined attack by Confederate infantry. The fighting along Chickamauga Creek included notable actions at Glass Mill and Cooper's Gap. Union cavalry dogged Wheeler's forces throughout Tennessee. The Union troopers fought under conditions so dusty they could hardly see, leading the infantry through the second costliest battle of the war.




Chickamauga 1863


Book Description

Released to mark the 150th anniversary of one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, this book provides general readers with a succinct examination of the Confederacy's last major triumph. There is renewed interest among Civil War historians and history buffs alike about events west of the Appalachian Mountains and their impact on the outcome of the conflict. In examining the Chickamauga campaign, this book provides a fresh analysis of the foremost Confederate victory in the Western theater. The study opens with a discussion of two commanders, William S. Rosecrans and Braxton Bragg, and the forces swirling around them when they clashed in September 1863. Drawing on both primary sources and recent Civil War scholarship, it then follows the specific aspects of the battle, day by day. In addition to interweaving analysis of the Union and Confederate commanders and the tactical situation during the campaign, the book also reveals how the rank and file dealt with the changing fortunes of war. Readers will see how the campaign altered the high commands of both armies, how it impacted the common soldier, and how it affected the strategic situation, North and South.




The Chickamauga Campaign - Glory or the Grave


Book Description

David PowellÍs The Chickamauga Campaign„Glory or the Grave: The Breakthrough, Union Collapse, and the Retreat to Chattanooga, September 20-23, 1863 is the second volume in his magnificent projected three-volume study of this overlooked and largely misunderstood campaign. According to soldier rumor, Chickamauga in Cherokee meant ñRiver of Death.î The name lived up to that grim sobriquet in September 1863 when the Union Army of the Cumberland and Confederate Army of Tennessee waged a sprawling bloody combat along the banks of West Chickamauga Creek. This installment of PowellÍs tour-de-force depicts the final day of battle, when the Confederate army attacked and broke through the Union lines, triggering a massive rout, an incredible defensive stand atop Snodgrass Hill, and a confused retreat and pursuit into Chattanooga. Powell presents all of this with clarity and precision by weaving nearly 2,000 primary accounts with his own cogent analysis. The result is a rich and deep portrait of the fighting and command relationships on a scale never before attempted or accomplished. His upcoming third volume, Analysis of a Barren Victory, will conclude the set with careful insight into the fighting and its impact on the war, PowellÍs detailed research into the strengths and losses of the two armies, and an exhaustive bibliography. PowellÍs magnum opus, complete with original maps, photos, and illustrations, is the culmination of many years of research and study, coupled with a complete understanding of the battlefieldÍs complex terrain system. For any student of the Civil War in general, or the Western Theater in particular, PowellÍs trilogy is a must-read.







Gracie's Alabama Volunteers


Book Description

Using authentic letters, the author chronicles the experiences of the men who fought in the 59th Alabama Volunteer Regiment throughout the Civil War. The 59th Alabama Volunteer Regiment originated in the spring of 1862 as Hilliard’s Alabama Legion. Its volunteers ranged from sixteen to sixty years old; many were illiterate; very few owned slaves. After the harrowing battle at Chickamauga, the legion was reformed under the dynamic, New York-born Brig. Gen. Archibald Gracie Gracie led them during the battle of Beans Station and throughout the harsh sojourn in Tennessee. Though he survived the battle of Richmond, Gracie was killed while his regiment was entrenched at Petersburg. His surviving men finished the war with the Army of Northern Virginia. The author’s great-great-grandfather, William Tate Burton, volunteered at the age of twenty-nine and was with Gracie’s regiment for the entire war. When injuries kept him from active combat, he served the regiment in the demanding and dangerous role of teamster, or mule skinner, driving the heavy wagons filled with crucial artillery and other supplies. Gracie’s Alabama Volunteers includes vintage photographs, excerpts from soldiers’ letters, and complete muster rolls for the regiment. Praise for Gracie’s Alabama Volunteers “It is a well written, well researched, and a very informative regimental history.” —Lake Charles American Press




The 26th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry


Book Description

The 26th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry: The Groundhog Regiment is the gripping story of the men and boys who valiantly fought to preserve their country's glory during the Civil War. These brave souls were among the first to answer the Union 's call to duty and among the last to be mustered home. They proudly adopted the nickname, "The Groundhog Regiment," as the rodent's agility and determination epitomized their strengths. The Old 26th played a pivotal role in numerous major western theater campaigns and battles, from the early conflicts in western Virginia and Shiloh to the bloody fields of Stones River, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Kennesaw, Spring Hill, Franklin, and Nashville. After the war's end, the veterans yearned to write their regiment's history as so many other units had done. Regrettably, the high price of publishing proved to be too steep for the soldiers, and their dream of telling their story died with them. The descendant of two veterans of the 26th Ohio, Jeffrey A. Hill resurrected their dream and brought it to fruition. Meticulously researched, this history is based on over three hundred primary source documents from the soldiers. From the daily struggles of the privates to the internal anguish of Colonel Fyffe and the other senior commanders, the history offers an intriguing insight into the men who preserved the Union. The book chronicles the involvement of the 26th Ohio from the initial fervor following Fort Sumter, throughout the War, and the post-war activities of the veterans. The appendices include an updated roster, list of burial sites, and a photo gallery. The history is a lasting tribute to the men who so bravely fought to protect what they held most dear: their country. At long last, here is their story...




The 22nd Michigan Infantry and the Road to Chickamauga


Book Description

Called upon to take a hill at the 1863 Battle of Chickamauga, the untested 22nd Michigan Infantry helped to save General George H. Thomas' right flank. Formed in 1862, the regiment witnessed slavery and encountered runaways in the border state of Kentucky, faced near starvation during the siege of Chattanooga and marched to Atlanta as General Thomas' provost guard. This history explores the 22nd's day-to-day experiences in Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia. The author describes the challenges faced by volunteer farm boys, shopkeepers, school teachers and lawyers as they faced death, disease and starvation on battlefields and in Confederate prisons.




Bi-monthly Bulletin


Book Description