Early modern warfare Books

Book SynopsisEven before the guns fell silent at Gettysburg, Robert E. Lee was preparing for the arduous task of getting his defeated army back safely into Virginia. It was an enormous, complex, and exceedingly dangerous undertaking, told here in exciting fashion by Bradley M. Gottfried and Linda I. Gottfried in Race to the Potomac: Lee and Meade after Gettysburg, July 4-14, 1863, the latest Emerging Civil War series entry.General Lee’s first major decision was the assembly of two wagon trains, one to transport the wounded and the other to deliver the tons of supplies acquired by the army as it roamed across Pennsylvania and Maryland on the way to Gettysburg. Once the wagons trains were set, he mapped out routes for his infantry and artillery on different roads to speed the journey and protect his command.Unsure of his opponent’s next move, George Meade, the victor of Gettysburg, dispatched Maj. Gen. John Sedgwick’s VI Corps on a reconnaissance-in-force. The thrust found the Confederate infantry in full retreat; Meade finally had the confirmation he needed that Lee was heading back to Virginia. Meade decided to launch a pursuit along different routes hoping to catch his beaten enemy without unduly exposing his own troops to a devastating counterattack or ambush.Union cavalry moved out after the vulnerable Confederate wagon trains, and the encounters that followed, including several engagements with Jeb Stuart’s horsemen, resulted in the loss of hundreds of vehicles and the capture of large numbers of wounded and tons of valuable supplies. The majority of Lee’s wagons reached Williamsport, Maryland, only to find the pontoon bridge gone—cut loose by Union troops in the area.Lee’s army reached Hagerstown, Maryland, largely unscathed and began building a strong defensive line while a pontoon bridge was built across the Potomac at Falling Waters.Meade refused to rush headlong against attack Lee’s new position, and the Confederates began crossing the river on the night of July 13-14. The last of Lee’s troops crossed on the morning of the 14th, thus ending the high-stakes drama of the “race to the Potomac.”

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Book SynopsisThe American Civil War is often called the first “modern war.” Sandwiched between the Napoleonic Wars and World War I, it spawned a host of “firsts” and is considered a precursor to the larger and more deadly 20th century wars. Confederate Gen. James Longstreet made overlooked but profound modern contributions to the art of war. Retired Lt. Col. Harold M. Knudsen explains what Longstreet did and how he did it in James Longstreet and the American Civil War: The Confederate General Who Fought the Next War now released in paperback.Initially, commanders on both sides extensively utilized Napoleonic tactics that were obsolete because of the advent of the rifled musket and better artillery. Some professional army officers worked to improve tactics, operations, and strategies. On the Confederate side, a careful comparison of Longstreet’s body of work in the field to modern military doctrine reveals several large-scale innovations.Longstreet understood early that the tactical defense was generally dominant over the offense, which was something few grasped in 1862. Longstreet’s thinking demonstrated a clear evolution that began on the field at First Manassas in July 1861, developed through the bloody fighting of 1862, and culminated in the brilliant defensive victory at Fredericksburg that December. The lethality with which his riflemen and artillery mowed down repeated Union assaults hinted at what was to come in World War I. Longstreet’s ability to launch and control powerful offensives was on display at Second Manassas in August 1862. His assault plan at Chickamauga in Georgia the following September was similar, if not the forerunner to, World War II tactical-level German armored tactics. Other areas show progressive applications with artillery, staff work, force projection, and operational-level thinking.Longstreet was not the sole agent of modern change away from the Napoleonic method, but his contributions were significant and executed on a large scale. They demonstrated that he was a modern thinker unparalleled in the Confederate Army.Unfortunately, many Civil War students have a one-sided view of Longstreet, whose legacy fell victim to bitter postwar Southern politics when “Old Pete” supported Reconstruction bills, accepted postings with the Grant Administration, and criticized Robert E. Lee. Many modern writers continue to skew the general’s legacy.This book draws heavily upon 20th century U.S. Army doctrine, field training, staff planning, command, and combat experience and is the first serious treatment of Longstreet’s generalship vis-a-vis modern warfare. Not everyone will agree with Knudsen’s conclusions, but it will now be impossible to write about the general without referencing this important study.

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Book SynopsisThe first biographical account of the life of James Gillespie Birney in more than fifty years, this fabulously insightful history illuminates and elevates an all-but-forgotten figure whose political career contributed mightily to the American political fabric. Birney was a southern-born politician at the heart of the antislavery movement, with two southern-born sons who were major generals involved in key Union Army activities, including the leadership of the black troops. The interaction of the Birneys with historical figures (Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Henry Clay) highlights the significance of the family’s activities in politics and war. D. Laurence Rogers offers a unique historiography of the abolition movement, the Civil War, and Reconstruction through the experiences of one family navigating momentous developments from the founding of the Republic until the late 19th century.

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Book SynopsisPraise for Robert L. Tonsetic’s previous publications:“…takes an unflinching look at both the adventure and trauma of war while aiming to fill the gaps in the record for Vietnam.” —Metro College Magazine“Of special interest is the way in which he recounts the dynamics of personalities and their effect on the indigenous commanders and units. A must read for any soldiers likely to conduct partnering activities in the future.”—Soldier MagazineThe Treaty of Paris in 1783 formally ended the American Revolutionary War, but it was the pivotal campaigns and battles of 1781 that decided the final outcome. 1781 was one of those rare years in American history when the future of the nation hung by a thread, and only the fortitude determination, and sacrifice of its leaders and citizenry ensured its survival.By 1781, America had been at war with the world’s strongest empire for six years with no end in sight. British troops occupied key coastal cities, from New York to Savannah, and the Royal Navy prowled the waters off the coast. After several harsh winters, and the failure of the government to adequately supply the troops, the American army was fast approaching the breaking point. It was only the arrival of French troops that provided a ray of hope for the American cause.In this book, Robert Tonsetic provides a detailed analysis of the key battles and campaigns of 1781, supported by numerous eyewitness accounts from privates to generals in the American, French, and British armies. He also describes the diplomatic efforts underway in Europe during 1781, as well as the Continental Congress’s actions to resolve the immense financial, supply, and personnel problems involved in maintaining an effective fighting army.Trade Review…careful historical writing, very careful, and readers will be informed far more often than they’ll be delighted …there’s a reassuring solidity to battlefield analyses made by a historian who’s seen actual battlefields. 1781 saw the effective end of large-scale British warring in America, but the principal strength of Tonsetic’s book is that he never takes the victory at Yorktown for granted as so many Revolution writers do; he never writes ‘backward’ from the surrender of Cornwallis, nor should he: Americans need periodic reminders that they could just as easily have lost. * Open Letters Monthly *

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Book SynopsisPraise for Michael O. Logusz: “Logusz has a flair for vivid detail, whether describing the terror Colonists felt during Indian raids on their settlements or the chaos of battles in the unfamiliar wilderness.”– Library Journal “…a fascinating book... Logusz brings this part of the Revolutionary War to life with excellent detail.”– IPMS This is the second volume of Michael O. Logusz’s epic work on the Wilderness War of 1777, in which the British Army, with its German, Loyalist, and Indian auxiliaries, attempted to descend from Canada to sever the nascent American colonies, only to be met by Patriot formations contesting the invasion of their newly declared nation. In his first volume, on the Saratoga campaign, the author described how Burgoyne’s main thrust was first stalled and then obliterated during its advance down the Hudson River. Burgoyne had hoped to be met by a corresponding British thrust from New York City, but this never materialised. However, the British had indeed launched a third thrust from the west, embarking from Lake Ontario at Oswego and thence forging its way down the Mohawk Valley. This third British thrust, under General Barry St. Leger, was perhaps the most terrifying of all, as it overran a sparsely populated wilderness where every man and boy had long needed to bear arms to protect against the ravages of the Iroquois Federation. At Fort Stanwix, a Patriot fort held fast, though surrounded by St. Leger’s forces and his Mohawk and Loyalist auxiliaries. A relief column some 800 strong under Nicholas Herkimer attempted to relieve the fort, but it was ambushed en route with most of its men killed or wounded, including the entire male population of several nearby communities. It was a truly epic disaster.

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Book SynopsisPraise for Robert L. Tonsetic’s previous publications:“…takes an unflinching look at both the adventure and trauma of war while aiming to fill the gaps in the record for Vietnam.” —Metro College Magazine“A must read for any soldiers likely to conduct partnering activities in the future.”—Soldier MagazineThe Treaty of Paris in 1783 formally ended the American Revolutionary War, but it was the pivotal campaigns and battles of 1781 that decided the final outcome. 1781 was one of those rare years in American history when the future of the nation hung by a thread, and only the fortitude, determination, and sacrifice of its leaders and citizenry ensured its survival. 1781 was a year of battles, as the Patriot Morgan defeated the notorious Tarleton and his Loyal legion at Cowpens. Then Greene suffered defeat at Guilford Courthouse, only to rally his forces and continue to fight on, assisted by such luminaries as Francis Marion, the “Swamp Fox,” and “Light Horse Harry” Lee. While luring Cornwallis north, Greene was able to gather new strength and launch a counterattack, until it was Cornwallis who felt compelled to seek succor in Virginia. He marched his main army to Yorktown on the Peninsula, upon which the French fleet, the British fleet, Greene, Washington, and the French army under Rochambeau all converged. On October 19, 1781, Cornwallis surrendered his weary and bloodied army.In this book, Robert Tonsetic provides a detailed analysis of the key battles and campaigns of 1781, supported by numerous eyewitness accounts from privates to generals in the American, French, and British armies. He also describes the diplomatic efforts underway in Europe during 1781, as well as the Continental Congress’s actions to resolve the immense financial, supply, and personnel problems involved in maintaining an effective fighting army in the field. With its focus on the climactic year of the war, 1781 is a valuable addition to the literature on the American Revolution, providing readers with a clearer understanding of how America, just barely, with fortitude and courage, retrieved its independence in the face of great odds.

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Book SynopsisThere has been a recent trend in history to interpret the rise and fall of great powers in terms of economics, or demographics, or geography. This is not always true, as this book proves, because sometimes pure military skill can propel a nation to prominence, if it is simply able to crush all its opponents on a battlefield. No better example arises than that of Sweden beginning in the 17th century, which held supremacy over northern Europe for 100 years without any technological, geographic or demographic advantages at all.This fascinating book describes how the Swedes first arrived in continental Europe during the 30 Years War, under their king Gustavus Adolfus. Just in time to roll back the reactionary Catholic tide and buttress the Lutherans, the Swedes proved more innovative in battle than their opponents, using the new arm of artillery plus tactical formations to establish supremacy on the battlefield. This horrific war still exists in collective memory as the worst travail in German history, even worse than the world wars; however along with the salvation of Protestantism the emergence of the Swedes as a power to be reckoned with meant new geopolitical complications for the existing powers of Europe.Adolphus was eventually killed in battle, but a successor, Charles XII, renewed Swedish aggression - this time for the object of conquest - as he found that no army on the Continent could stand against his legions from the north. As later military leaders would find, however, the conquest of Russia comprised a considerable overreach, and Charles was eventually trapped and defeated deep in the Ukraine, at Poltava.In this work renowned military historian Henrik O. Lunde unveils a fascinating chapter in the foundation of Western history that is seldom seen or recognized by English or American readers.Trade ReviewThe idea that Sweden has played a key role in shaping European history at first seems unlikely. But by telling that history from an entirely Swedish perspective, Lunde demonstrates how his country both broke the Holy Roman Empire, and then woke Russia from sleeping-giant status. An intriguing read: file under "surprisingly insightful". * History of War 02/12/2015 *

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Book SynopsisThe capture of a king in the course of a battle was a relatively rare event. This, the climactic event of the Black Prince's first campaign as commander, came at the end of nearly a year of campaigning across the southwest of France. The battle of Poitiers in 1356 is less well known than more famous clashes such as Agincourt, however, Poitiers was no less dramatic, and equally important in terms of the course of the Hundred Years War. The capture of King Jean brought France to the brink of total defeat, and led to one of the most devastating and destructive periods in French history. It is not exaggeration to say that the battle of Poitiers changed the course of history for both France and England. In the summer of 1356 the Prince and his army drove northward towards the Loire, attacking once again deep into French territory. This time he met real opposition: the full French army led by King Jean and many of the leading nobility of France, some of them veterans of the defeat at Crécy ten years before. Outnumbered, the Prince fell back, but in September he turned near the city of Poitiers to make a stand. The battle that followed was a tense encounter. The French had learned much from the disastrous defeat at Crécy, and took time to organise and prepare before attacking. Their advance was deliberate and well planned. Yet the result was the same. Once again, English and Welsh archers wrought mayhem among the French ranks. The French formations disintegrated, and a violent counter-attack by English men-at-arms caused it to dissolve entirely. King Jean and his eldest son made a final stand with some of their followers, but in the end they were forced to surrender and were taken back to England as prisoners. The core of the book is a day-by-description of the campaign of July-September 1356, climaxing with a detailed description of the Battle of Poitiers itself. The detailed account and analysis of the battle and the campaigns that led up to it has a strong focus on the people involved in the campaign: ordinary men-at-arms and non-combatants as well as princes and nobles.Trade ReviewThe authors cover dynastic machinations, royal weddings, military systems and weaponry, notable persons, propaganda (Edward III turns out to have been a fine PR man), mobilization and logistics, and campaign planning. This is a lively account, as the authors touch on much popular lore, such as the origins of the Order of the Garter. * Strategypage *The authors have successfully woven a narrative that not only demonstrates the military strategy that unfolded through 1355/56, but also places it firmly in the context of the underlying political intrigue and infighting that beset the French monarchy. * Military History Matters (Reviewer) *An engaging campaign account… * Miniature Wargames - Chris Jarvis *

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Book SynopsisJohn André was head of the British Army’s Secret Service in North America as the Revolutionary War entered its most bitter and, ultimately, decisive phase. In 1780, he masterminded the defection of a high-ranking American officer — General Benedict Arnold. Arnold—his name for ever synonymous with treason in American folklore — had recently been appointed commander of West Point and agreed, through André, to turn over to the British this strategically vital fort on the upper reaches of the Hudson River. Control of the fort would interrupt lines of communication between New England and the southern colonies, seriously impeding military operations against the British. The plan was also to simultaneously kidnap General George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. By these two masterstrokes, the British believed they could end rebel resistance.The secret negotiations between Arnold and André were protracted and fraught with danger. Arnold’s new wife, Peggy became the go-between in the negotiations. Arnold insisted that, to complete negotiations, he and André must meet face to face. At the dead of night on September 21st 1780 the two rendezvoused in no-man’s-land. Sir Henry Clinton, commander of British forces in North America and André’s immediate superior, agreed to this meeting but with three strict conditions: that André not go within the American lines; that he remain in uniform; and that he carry away from the meeting no incriminating papers. Thus, if caught, André could not be treated as a spy.Yet, when André was captured forty-eight hours later, he was within American lines, had changed into civilian clothes and was carrying maps of West Point hidden in his boots. The Americans had no option other than to treat him as a spy, especially when he himself admitted this. He was convicted by military tribunal and hanged — his death lamented both in America and England.While biographers agree on the facts of this tragic episode, they disagree on André’s motives and why he chose to sacrifice himself. This new biography of André puts forward a new answer to this mystery — not only why he acted as he did, but how he wished others to see his actions.

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Book SynopsisThis is a comprehensive look at how France influenced the American Revolutionary War in a variety of ways; intellectually, financially, and militarily. It raises the crucial question of whether America could have won its independence without the aid of France.The book begins with an overview of the intellectual and ideological contributions of the French Enlightenment thinkers, called the philosophes, to the American and French revolutions. It then moves to cover the many forms of aid provided by France to support America during the Revolutionary War. This ranged from the covert aid France supplied America before her official entry into the war, to the French outfitters and merchants who provided much-needed military supplies to the Americans. When the war began, the colonists thought the French would welcome an opportunity to retaliate and regain their country. France also provided naval assistance, particularly to the American privateers who harassed British shipping and contributed to the increased shipping rates which added to Great Britain's economic hardships. France's military involvement in the war was equally as important.America's First Ally looks at the contributions of individual French officers and troops, arguing that America could not have won without them. Desmarais explores the international nature of a war which some people have called the first world war. When France and Spain entered the conflict, they fought the Crown forces in their respective areas of economic interest. In addition to the engagements in the Atlantic Ocean, along the American and European coasts and in the West Indies, there are accounts of action in India and the East Indies, South America and Africa.Also included are accounts drawn from ships' logs, court and auction records, newspapers, letters, diaries, journals, and pension applications.Trade ReviewThis insightful and clearly written account examines the idea from many different angles, foregrounding the various financial, ideological, and military influences that France had on the outcome of America's cataclysmic Revolutionary War. * Military History Matters (Book Reviews) 08/08/2019 *

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Book SynopsisThe Long Shadow of Waterloo explores how Waterloo was remembered by the various nations involved, including the French, British, Germans, the influence it had on these nations (and others, including the USA) and how this changed over the 100 years following the battle.The Battle of Waterloo ended a century of war between France and Great Britain and became a key part of their national identity, serving their political needs as the battle was refought throughout the 19th century in politics, books and art to create the myth of Waterloo. For Great Britain, Waterloo became a symbol of British hegemony while the multinational contribution to the battle was downplayed and for France it was remembered as a military disaster.Through looking at the history of the battle over the battle's significance in history, an insight is gained into how cultural myths and legends about a battle are made. Wellington and Napoleon both tried to shape the memory of the battle to their advantage. Wellington propogated the myth that the British won despite being outnumbered by a huge French army, while Napoleon chose to blame his subordinates for the loss, in particular Emmanuel de Grouchy. Grouchy spent the next 60 years struggling to defend his honour, claiming that Napoleon's account of the battle written during his exile at Saint Helena was imaginary and intended to cover Napoleon's own mistakes during the campaign.This book covers the battle's influence on figures such as Jomini and Clausewitz, military theorists who wanted to find the objective truth of Waterloo and use it as a guide for future wars, as well as Victor Hugo (and Les Miserables) who challenged the myths of battle to transform it into a win for France from which the Republic would emerge. The way Waterloo was used for entertainment is also explored, as battlefield tourists came from all over the world to vicariously experience the legendary battle through visualisations such as the travelling panoramas in England and poetry of Sir Walter Scott.Trade ReviewCasemate are to be commended for publishing this book...a sympathetic but objective account. * Waterloo Association Journal *The book provides an entertaining and quite readable account of how the battle was interpreted and how it served the needs of various factions within the countries involved during the nineteenth century.'..an original angle..' (original review in French) * VaeVictis *This is an interesting twist on Waterloo, and I found it an entertaining and often surprising book. * History of War *

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Book Synopsis"What is unique about this book is the perspective. To a modern-day reader, specialops conjure images of highly trained and exotically equipped soldiers leaping out ofhelicopters and Zodiac boats to wipe out terrorists. . . . In an era when warfare was supposed to be gentlemanly and follow certain rules, did Washington and his contemporaries embrace special operations? The answer would seem to be, ‘Yes.' Even if they didn't use the term 'special ops,' they were willing to employ elite reconnaissance units, spies and partisan bands. Washington didn't have SEAL Team 6. But he made good use of what he had.” - The National InterestWhen the American Revolution began, the colonial troops had little hope of matching His Majesty's highly trained, experienced British and German legions in confrontational battle. In this book, renowned author, and former U.S. Army Colonel, Robert Tonsetic describes and analyzes numerous examples of special operations conducted during the Revolution.Trade ReviewThe individual chapters offer very useful introductions to the various raids and operations covered, many of which are minor actions that could make ideal scenarios for small battles or large skirmish wargame. […] Recommended for wargamers already interested in the American Revolution seeking further scenarios for their miniature forces.Many of the operations Tonsetic touches upon are often overlooked in the literature of the war. * Misc US Reviewer *Table of ContentsPrologue 1 The Capture Of Fort Ticonderoga 2 The New Providence Raid 3 Knowlton’s Rangers 4 Whitcomb’s Rangers 5 John Paul Jones’ Raids On Britain’s Coast 6 Partisan Warfare In The Northern Theater 7 The Rise Of Partisan Warfare In The Southern Theater 8 The Whaleboat Wars 9 George Rogers Clark’s March To Vincennes Epilogue Endnotes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe British Army in North America conducted two campaigns in 1777. John Burgoyne led one army south from Canada to seize control of the Lake Champlain-Hudson River corridor resulting in the battle of Saratoga. Burgoyne’s defeat led to that army’s capture. Rather than assist Burgoyne’s campaign, William Howe led his army from New York City on the Philadelphia campaign. Although Howe captured Philadelphia, the events of 1777 led to the French Alliance and ultimately American victory in American Revolution. This fully illustrated account of the Philadelphia campaign puts the battles into context and explains the importance of the campaign to the outcome of the war.Table of ContentsTimeline Introduction The British landing Battle of Brandywine Battle of the Clouds Occupation of Philadelphia Battle of Germantown River War Whitemarsh and the Roads to Valley Forge Afterword Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisThe campaign for Atlanta was pivotal to the outcome of the American Civil War. Roughly 190,000 men waged war across northern Georgia in a struggle that lasted 133 days. Today a national park at Kennesaw commemorates this titanic fight, and there are a surprising number of physical reminders still extant across the state.The struggle for Atlanta divides naturally into two stages. The first half of the campaign, from May to mid-July, can be defined as a war of maneuver, called by one historian the “Red Clay Minuet.” Under Joseph E. Johnston the Confederate Army of Tennessee repeatedly invited battle from strong defensive positions. Under William T. Sherman, the combined Federal armies of the Cumberland, the Tennessee, and the Ohio repeatedly avoided attacking those positions; Sherman preferring to outflank them instead. Though there were a number of sharp, bloody engagements during this phase of the campaign, the combats were limited. Only the battles of Resaca and Kennesaw Mountain could be considered general engagements.Johnston’s repeated retreats and the commensurate loss of terrain finally forced Confederate President Jefferson Davis to replace him with a more aggressive commander—John B. Hood.This work will portray the first half of the Atlanta Campaign in text and images, using both historic sketches and photographs, as well as post-war and modern images. Extant trenches, rifle pits, redoubts, shoupades, and other works, as well as the battlefields, will be covered, as well as surviving historic structures and the monuments and cemeteries that commemorate the campaign.Table of ContentsTimeline Chapter 1 — Opposing Forces Chapter 2 — Dalton and Snake Creek Gap Chapter 3 — The Battle of Resaca Chapter 4 — From Calhoun to Cassville Chapter 5 — New Hope Church, Pickett’s Mill, and Dallas Chapter 6 — The Death of Polk Chapter 7 — West of Marietta Chapter 8 — The Fight at Kolb’s Farm Chapter 9 — The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain Chapter 10 — To the Chattahoochee Chapter 11 — The Last River Barrier Chapter 12 — Johnston is Replaced

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Book SynopsisDuring the period from 1836 to 1874, the legal system in the new state of Arkansas developed amid huge social change. While the legislature could, and did, determine what issues were considered of importance to the populace, the Arkansas Supreme Court determined the efficacy of legislation in cases involving land titles, banks, transportation, slavery, family law, property, debt, contract, criminal law, and procedure.Distinguishing the Righteous from the Roguish examines the court’s decisions in this era and shows how Arkansas, as a rural slave-holding state, did not follow the transformational patterns typical of some other states during the nineteenth century. Rather than using the law to promote broad economic growth and encourage social change, the Arkansas court attempted to accommodate the interests of the elite class by preserving the institution of slavery. The ideology of paternalism is reflected in the decisions of the court, and Looney shows how social and political stability—an emphasis on preserving the status quo of the so-called “righteous”—came at the expense of broader economic development.Trade Review“J. W. Looney knows more about antebellum Arkansas’s supreme court and its jurisprudence than anyone alive. Thank goodness we now have that knowledge in one volume. Distinguishing the Righteous from the Roguish will be an incredibly valuable resource for scholars of Arkansas history and the law.”—Michael Pierce, associate professor of history, University of Arkansas

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Book SynopsisSterling Price began his career as commander of the Missouri State Guard, then served as a major general in the Confederate army during the Civil War. Because of his early conditional unionism - he was for the Union, but not to the extent of suppressing the rights of individual states - Price was not completely trusted in Missouri by either Governor Claiborne Jackson or Lieutenant Governor Thomas C. Reynolds. Nor was he trusted by Jefferson Davis, president of the new Confederate States of America. Price led by example, sharing hardships with his men and inspiring them with his fearlessness. They fought for him in the battles of Wilson's Creek, Lexington, and Pea Ridge. Price's 'last hurrah' was the autumn 1864 raid into Missouri. However, Reynolds, who traveled with the men, was furious that the raid failed to bring Missouri into the Confederacy. In 1867, Reynolds began writing his version of events. The manuscript was never completed, possibly because of the death of Sterling Price in St. Louis. In 1898, the Reynolds text was discovered and donated to the Missouri Historical Society. For historians, the Reynolds manuscript has proved to be a proverbial gold mine of information. This is especially true because Price's personal papers were lost in a fire in the 1880s. Now for the first time, the entire, although unfinished, manuscript is available. It is important not only for its appraisal of Sterling Price but also for Reynolds' views of the inner workings of the Confederate government and in particular the challenges that faced the Trans-Mississippi Department of the Confederacy.

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Book Synopsis The role of the Missouri Confederate in the Civil War is too often typified as that of the Bushwhacker, guerrilla, or partisan ranger. Although these soldiers are certainly part of Missouri’s Confederate history, Missouri soldiers also fought for the South at Shiloh and Corinth, from Vicksburg to Atlanta, in the assault at Franklin, and in defense of Fort Blakely in Mobile Bay. Printed primary accounts about these Confederate regiments from Missouri are few. In this new book, author and editor William C. Winter presents the story of the 1st Missouri Infantry, one of the best of these regiments, through the words of Captain Joseph Boyce of Company D, the St. Louis Greys.Less than two decades after the war, Boyce began presenting his history of the regiment to the Southern Historical and Benevolent Society of St. Louis. His text appeared in the Missouri Republican after each lecture, resulting in a serialized account spread over several years. Boyce’s narrative addresses his service from his involvement as a member of the Missouri Volunteer Militia in the Camp Jackson massacre on May 10, 1861, until the regiment’s surrender at Fort Blakely near Mobile, Alabama, in April 1865. Boyce’s history is offered here in full and as a continuous story for the first time.Winter has written the necessary introduction to each chapter, adding background to Boyce’s narrative that to Boyce was unneeded because many in his initial audience had shared the experience of war. Through extensive footnotes and the incorporation of other writings by Boyce, Winter has significantly expanded Boyce’s history but has maintained the focus on the regiment’s service in the war’s western theater.

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Book SynopsisThis short text with beautiful watercolour illustrations dates from 1595, and details fencing with the single sword, rapier and dagger, rapier and buckler, halberd, and full pike. Schermkunst is one of the oldest known martial arts treatises from the Low Countries and provides a glimpse into the `Art of Defence’ as it was practiced during a particularly volatile time in Netherlands history. Rebellion against Philip II of Spain led to independence of the Calvinist Northern provinces from Catholic Spain. In the same year, the spice trade expedition set into motion events culminating in the formation of the Dutch East India Company, and a golden age of Dutch history that spanned the 17th century. The original anonymous manuscript is held in the special collections of the Newberry Library of Chicago Trade Review Table of ContentsIntroduction Transcription, Translation and Illustrations Single Sword Fencing Rapier and Dagger Fencing Fencing with Dussack and Shield Rapier and Buckler Fencing Halberd Fencing Fencing with Pikes Bibliography

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Book SynopsisIn early April 1861, the streets of West Chester, PA, echoed with the sound of a rattling snare drum. The orders it marked out could be heard for blocks around – about face, advance, retreat, company rest – but there were no troops in the city to hear it. The Civil War, though it loomed heavy on the minds of everyone in the nation, had not yet begun. Fort Sumter would remain in Union hands for another two weeks and the secession crisis in the south was yet still only a war of words. But on the one hundred block of Barnard Street, the children had already mustered. The children were already marching. And Charley King, a boy of only 11, was leading them. In a matter of days, the war would start in earnest. In just a few months, Charley would march with the 49th Pennsylvania Infantry into the heat of battle. And in just under a year and a half, he would become the youngest enlisted soldier to die in the American Civil War.Charley marched with Company F, tapping out the cadence and relaying orders as they fought in the ill-fated Peninsula Campaign, traveled in the long slog through Maryland during Robert E. Lee’s first invasion of the North, and faced down enemy artillery in the woods north of Sharpsburg at Antietam Creek. That battle remains the bloodiest day in American history. Charley and twenty-two thousand other Americans were killed or wounded that day. Charley’s final resting place is unknown, but he is memorialized in West Chester at Greenmount Cemetery where his mother and father are buried. Using a wide range of sources, this unique history reconstructs Charley’s short life and the tragedy of his claim as the youngest soldier to die in the American Civil War.Table of ContentsWest Chester Fort Sumter Bull Run Goodbyes Muster Drill and Train Marching Orders The Peninsula April 22nd Williamsburg The Lull Seven Days Battles Savage Station and White Oak Swamp Harrison's Landing Disease Coward Long Withdraw Crampton's Gap Sharpsburg His Last Full Measure Epilogue

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Book SynopsisIt answers all your questions! The first edition of the Dictionnaire de la Grande Armée was published in 2002, on the eve of the great Napoleonic military bicentenary celebrations, which took place between 2004 and 2015. Since then, a lot of publications have been brought out; this edition takes this into account and brings the different sections up to date. The first aim of this dictionary is to answer amateurs’ questions both general and precise. This book is unique in that it has no equivalent nowadays; it’s a work tool and a reference book which makes often complex and wide-ranging scattered research easier; it won the Grand Prix Premier Empire from the Fondation Napoléon when it came out. This Dictionnaire de la Grande Armée is now an easy, condensed synthesis which should delight all Napoleon enthusiasts, researchers and students who are interested in things military. Wherever possible at the end of the articles, we have indicated the references as well as the bibliographical route to take in order to refine and complement the researches. New: in this edition we have 600 biographies of people who had something to do with this military period, anything of an anecdotal nature which has a link to army organisation and military memorialists; we have also added 127 biographies of people linked to Napoleonic military history from the 19th and 20th Centuries, amateurs who were collectors, writers, historians, painters, etc., like Detaille, Lalauze, Margerand, Martinien, Rousselot, Saski, Six, etc. This part is completely new. In this second edition, there are more articles – at least 2 600 – but they have been padded out and are more precise and in a lot of cases quite new. The book finishes with a long bibliography. With all these articles, we hope you will save time in your future research and that you will discover a lot of new information, not to mention the pleasure of reading more about the history of this military epic. This dictionary is a tool which you will use often and is a must for your bookcase: that’s what it’s for!

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisNew Proceedings on the Mamluk Sultanate

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