Book Review--Greyhound Commander: John G. Walker's Civil War West of the Mississippi

Lowe, Richard, editor. Greyhound Commander: Confederate General John G. Walker's History of the Civil War West of the Mississippi. Baton Rogue: LSU Press. 2013. Maps, index, bibliography, footnotes. 135 pages, 120 pages of text, ISBN 9780807152508, $36.00.

If the war in the west is overlooked in comparison to the war in the east the fighting done in the trans-Mississippi area is many times buried and forgotten about without a second thought. First hand accounts written by commanders from the area are rare thus making John G. Walker's work a must read for anybody studying the war in the trans-Mississippi theater of the war.

The book opens with an interesting and easily readable treatment by editor Richard Lowe. Lowe is the author of Walker's Texas Division, C.S.A: Greyhounds of the Trans-Mississippi (Conflicting Worlds: New Dimensions of the American Civil War) and The Texas Overland Expedition of 1863 (Civil War Campaigns and Commanders Series) and is the perfect editor to have taken this work from the vaults at the U. S. Army Military History Institute and presented it to a wider readership. Lowe gives readers a nice biographical introduction to John Walker allowing those who do not have a strong background in the trans-Mississippi theater of the war (myself included) to have a better idea of what is going on in Walker's writings.

Walker was an officer in the regular army before resigning in 1861 to join the Confederacy. He began fighting in the east, under Robert E. Lee, earning rapid promotions. He particularly distinguished himself during the Antietam Campaign. By November 1862 however Walker found himself sent westward, a move generally given to those who had failed to meet expectations. Editor Lowe puts forth that this move was probably due to Walker's association with Theophilus H. Holmes, who had served as a mentor and helped Walker receive his promotions. Holmes was a friend of President Jefferson Davis so when Holmes was sent to the trans-Mississippi it is likely that he asked for Walker to be sent west as well. (p. 13) Walker was a division commander in charge of three hard marching brigades of Texans. These men covered hundreds of miles in a short period of time thus earning the nickname "Greyhounds." General Walker was wounded during the Red River Campaign but returned to command later in 1864.

The editing of Walker's text is light with only minor adjustments to the text. First names are added in order to help the reader. It appears that all of Lowe's adjustments are bracketed [ ] for easy spotting. Where Lowe's editorial pen is most evident though are in the large amount of footnotes (yes FOOT notes, no having to flip to the back of the book) that are included. These notes provide readers with further source material, provide information on people and events as need be, and where necessary make corrections and clarifications to Walker's statements.

After having left the United States after the war, due to fear of prosecution, Walker dictated his work to his daughter while they were living in England during 1866-1867. Walker's story begins in 1861 discussing events in Missouri and concludes with the ending of the Red River Campaign in May 1864. The major events covered are the previously mentioned Red River Campaign and the Texas Overland campaign. While the text portion of the book runs 120 pages Walker's narrative is approximately 85 pages long.

A common theme in Walker's writing is a condemning of higher leadership with Edmund Kirby Smith receiving plenty of negative commentary. Walker wrote that had Smith gone after Ulysses Grant's lines between Milliken's Bend and New Carthage Grant would have had to suspend actions against Vicksburg and allow a reinforcement of or an orderly retreat of, Confederate forces. Walker went further in claiming that by John Pemberton not following orders from Joseph Johnston regarding a retreat led to a loss that "was one of the principal links in the chain of misfortune by which the Confederacy was dragged down to failure and ruin." (p. 68). Smith is later condemned during the Red River Campaign for having sent Texas troops to Arkansas instead of leaving them to support Richard Taylor as he followed the retreating Union troops of Nathaniel Banks (p. 101).

While certainly not a complete telling of any of the trans-Mississippi battles this is a resource that should no doubt be consulted. Lowe has included eight maps:  the trans-Mississippi theater, Civil War Missouri, Civil War Arkansas, Civil War Louisiana, Battle of Milliken's Bend, Battle of Mansfield, Battle of Pleasant Hill and Battle of Jenkins' Ferry that are a considerable help. Strongly recommended.

Thank you to LSU Press for sending a complimentary review copy.

Book Review--Galveston and the Civil War

Schmidt, James M. Galveston and the Civil War: An Island City in the Maelstrom. The History Press,  Charleston, SC. 2012. 155 pages, 129 pages of text, index, bibliography, notes, b/w photos, 1 map. ISBN 9781609492830, $19.99.

James M. Schmidt has earned a reputation for quality Civil War writing whether it be his medical column in Civil War News, his regularly updated blog Civil War Medicine (and Writing), his guest posts on various blogs, or his wide range of books.

In his new book Galveston and the Civil War Mr. Schmidt sets out three main goals: First is to provide readers a lively and well illustrated account of Galveston and the Civil War. Second is to add to the scholarship of Galveston by addressing subjects that have previously received little coverage. These include slavery, Unionist dissent, yellow fever, and the heroic actions of the Ursuline sisters. Lastly, to further add to the literature on the city by using previously unpublished primary resources. While I am far from an expert on the history of Galveston and admit to knowing little about the war there, I am convinced that all three goals have been achieved!

The book starts off strong with a discussion of slavery in Galveston and has Schmidt ably refuting the nineteenth century claims that slavery was not a major factor in the Galveston economy and also that slaves loved the island and did not want to leave. Just as the book starts strong towards one of the goals the ending (well, next to the last chapter) covers the yellow fever epidemics and the attempts of doctors to downplay the danger until it was too late. The period of 1837-1860 saw seven epidemics which left approximately 2,000 people dead. An 1864 outbreak left 259 dead with 117 being soldiers (more than double the number killed in the battle). Just after the war in 1867 more than 1,000 lost their lives to yellow fever with around 100 being soldiers.

Those who have read Mr. Schmidt's earlier book Notre Dame and the Civil War (IN): Marching Onward to Victory will expect nothing less than the expert treatment given to the Ursuline nuns, who despite potential danger to themselves treated the sick and wounded on both sides. While opinions were mixed their convent was offered to the Confederates to be used as a field hospital by Mother Saint Pierre Harrington, leader of the Galveston Ursuline nuns.

While these "overlooked" subjects are really the gem of the book in my view, the fighting is given good coverage. The island city was an important one for Confederates to hold. When the island was blockaded in 1861 by Union naval forces the Confederacy ultimately surrendered it in 1862. Almost immediately "Prince" John Magruder began making plans to retake the island leading to the New Years Day 1863 battle that returns Galveston to Confederate control. The land/sea battle produced approximately 150 casualties.

Mr. Schmidt has an enjoyable writing style that is easy to follow. The book is thoroughly researched and the notes and bibliography contain a nice mix of primary and secondary sources. As are most books from The History Press this one contains a large number of illustrations and photos. These are a nice mix of vintage and contemporary and help the reader visualize what is on the page.  This is a great introduction to the subject for those of us not familiar with the battle. For those with knowledge of the 1863 fight the seldom heard human interest stories are a great reason to pick up this book. Highly recommended!

Upcoming Posts--Books from The History Press

Thank you to my good friends at The History Press for sending along a couple of their new release books.



From author, blogger, educator, and Antietam park ranger John Hoptak comes an exciting new book on Gettysburg. Confrontation at Gettysburg: A Nation Saved, a Cause Lost (Civil War Sesquicentennial) is  best described by John himself.

From his blog:  As is stated in the book’s introduction, I set out on this project not attempting to pave new ground, nor to mine any new, undiscovered sources. From the start, I approached this more as a storyteller than a historian. Students of the battle will find nothing new here, for the intended audience all along was not those who already possess an understanding of the battle but those who are seeking a concise narrative; those who are seeking, perhaps for the first time, a general understanding of why the battle was fought, how it unfolded, and what happened as a result. My sources were by and large secondary, with the works of Coddington, Sears, Trudeau, Woodworth, Symonds, and especially Pfanz serving as my guides and providing the framework. Confrontation at Gettysburg is a short work, coming in at around 250 pages of text, with nearly 100 images and illustrations (including a number of incredible hand-drawn maps by my good friend Mannie Gentile, which will knock your socks off, supplemented by maps by Hal Jespersen), with a total of just over 90,000 words. . . retailing for $16.99. As with all things Gettysburg, the criticisms will surely come; for not focusing enough on the cavalry actions, for example, or perhaps my handling of Lee, Meade, Chamberlain and a host of others. But this, of course, is to be expected. My intention from day one was to write a clear and concise narrative of the campaign, a synthesis, with the hope being that I could both inspire further study and repay the faith placed in me by Doug Bostick and everyone at the History Press.



The Second Battle of Cabin Creek: Brilliant Victory (Civil War Sesquicentennial) is a new book from author Steven L. Warren.

From the publisher: The commander of the three-hundred-wagon Union supply train never expected a large ragtag group of Texans and Native Americans to attack during the dark of night in Union-held territory. But Brigadier Generals Richard Gano and Stand Watie defeated the unsuspecting Federals in the early morning hours of September 19, 1864, at Cabin Creek in the Cherokee nation. The legendary Watie, the only Native American general on either side, planned details of the raid for months. His preparation paid off--the Confederate troops captured wagons with supplies that would be worth more than $75 million today. Writer, producer and historian Steve Warren uncovers the untold story of the last raid at Cabin Creek in this Jefferson Davis Historical Gold Medal winning history.

Be sure to check out the Facebook page for the book. There are already a lot of great photos there.

Press Release--Texas Historical Commission to Place Monument at Second Manassas

For Immediate Release August 31, 2012 For more information, contact: William McWhorter, THC, (512) 463-5833 Mary Koik, Civil War Trust, (202) 367-1861 x7231 MEDIA ADVISORY: TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION TO DEDICATE NEW MONUMENT AT SECOND MANASSAS   (Manassas, Va.) – The Texas Historical Commission (THC) will dedicate a monument Thursday, September 6, 2012, at 10am (E.S.T.) to Texas troops in Hood’s Texas Brigade who fought in the Battle of Second Manassas, Virginia, August 28-30, 1862. At this battlefield, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia won the decisive battle of the Northern Virginia Campaign. On the third day of battle (August 30th) Hood’s Texas Brigade contributed significantly to the collapse of the Union left flank which forced its retreat, opening the way for a Confederate invasion of Maryland. Texas Civil War Monuments Fund Texas Historical Commission Help Save Second Manassas The monument, placed through the THC’s Texas Civil War Monuments Fund, is the fifth in a series of distinctive granite memorials erected as Texans observes the Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War (2011–2015). Efforts to obtain the monument were led by the THC and the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission. Donors to the monument project include private contributors, the Austin Civil War Roundtable, the Hood’s Texas Brigade Association, Re-Activated, and the Civil War Trust. Continuing the tradition begun in the 1960s by the Texas Civil War Centennial Commission and the Texas State Historical Survey Committee (the THC’s predecessor), the THC seeks to commemorate the contributions of Texas’ military units during the war. To date, the THC has provided monuments at key Civil War sites including Vicksburg, Shiloh, Antietam, Gettysburg, Chickamauga, The Wilderness, Bentonville, Kennesaw Mountain, and Mansfield. Most recently, the agency has placed monuments in Galveston, Texas; Raymond and Corinth, MS; Rowletts and Richmond, KY; and Gaines’ Mill, Virginia. Joining THC representatives as speakers at the dedication are: President James Lighthizer of the Civil War Trust; Rick Eiserman of Hood’s Texas Brigade Association, Re-activated, and Manassas National Battlefield Park Superintendent Ed Clark. The dedication site is on Chinn Ridge near Stop 10 (Hazel Plain) on the park’s driving tour, less than one mile southwest of the Manassas National Battlefield Park’s Henry Hill visitor center at 6511 Sudley Road. Attendees may follow directional signage from the visitor center, or call the Civil War Trust at (202) 367-1861 ext. 7230 for directions. WHAT: Dedication of Texas Monument on the Second Manassas Battlefield WHEN: September 6, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. WHERE: Chinn Ridge, Second Manassas Battlefield COST: Free and open to the public For more information about the Texas Civil War Monuments Fund contact the THC’s Military Historian William McWhorter at 512.463.5833 or william.mcwhorter@thc.state.tx.us. The Civil War Trust is the largest nonprofit battlefield preservation organization in the United States. Its mission is to preserve our nation’s remaining Civil War battlefields and to promote appreciation of these hallowed grounds through education and heritage tourism. Since 1987, the organization has helped save more than 32,000 acres of battlefield land in 20 states. Learn more by visiting www.civilwar.org, the home of the Sesquicentennial. ###
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Upcoming Posts

Thanks to the kind folks at LSU Press for sending along a collection of their new releases. Please be sure to check their website for more information on these and many other Civil War titles.


For those interested in the western theater of the war John Lundberg's new book Granbury's Texas Brigade: Diehard Western Confederates looks to be a must read. Lundberg argues that mass desertion was not a signal of giving up but rather a desire to fight the enemy closer to home. The brigade itself fought until the final surrender. Even after the war members of the brigade continued to support the ideals of the Confederacy.



Editor Mark J. Stegmaier brings together twenty-one letters of Henry Adams in Henry Adams In the Secession Crisis: Dispatches to the Boston Daily Advertiser December 1860-March 1861. These letters prove to be strongly in favor of the moderate Republicans who are working to avoid the secession crisis while being highly critical of those calling for secession. These letters are also a glimpse into the early work of the soon to be famous writer.



Sherman's 1864 "March to the Sea" and 1865 "Carolina's Campaign" are the major focus of Mark H. Dunkelman's new book Marching with Sherman: Through Georgia and the Carolina's with the 154th New York. With over 40 pages of notes and a nearly 20 page bibliography  this looks to be a thoroughly researched volume that delves not just into the works of soldiers but also the post war writings of civilians, mostly women, who lived through this part of the war.


I have a weakness for books dealing with historical disasters and Meredith Henne Baker has written a book on one that I imagine most of us have never heard of. Her new book, The Richmond Theater Fire: Early America's First Great Disaster, tells the story of the December 1811 fire that took the lives of nearly 100 people including the governor of Virginia. In this first full length book dealing with the fire Baker shows how it led to a surge of anti theater backlash that stymied theatrical entertainment in Richmond for decades.

LSU Press to Release "Granbury's Texas Brigade"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Erin Rolfs, LSU Press
erolfs@lsu.edu/225.578.8282

New Military History Chronicles the Evolution of Granbury's Texas Brigade

John R. Lundberg Provides Compelling Portrait of Confederate Soldiers

"The first detailed, analytical history of the brigade, this book more than pays homage to the memory of these diehard Texans."- Richard B. McCaslin, author of "Lee In the Shadow of Washington"

Baton Rouge, LA-John R. Lundberg's new military history chronicles the evolution of Granbury's Texas Brigade, perhaps the most distinguished combat unit in the Confederate Army of Tennessee. Named for its commanding officer, Brigadier General Hiram B. Granbury, the brigade fought tenaciously in the western theater even after Confederate defeat seemed certain. "Granbury's Texas Brigade" explores the motivations behind the unit's decision to continue to fight, even as it faced demoralizing defeats and Confederate collapse. Using a vast array of letters, diaries, and regimental documents, Lundberg offers provocative insight into the minds of the unit's men and commanders. The caliber of that leadership, he concludes, led to the group's overall high morale.

Lundberg asserts that although mass desertion rocked Granbury's Brigade early in the war, that desertion did not necessarily indicate a lack of commitment to the Confederacy but merely a desire to fight the enemy closer to home. Those who remained in the ranks became the core of Granbury's Brigade and fought until the final surrender. Morale declined only after Union bullets cut down much of the unit's officer corps at the Battle of Franklin in 1864.

After the war, Lundberg shows, men from the unit did not abandon the ideals of the Confederacy-they simply continued their devotion in different ways. "Granbury's Texas Brigade" presents military history at its best, revealing a microcosm of the Confederate war effort and aiding our understanding of the reasons men felt compelled to fight in America's greatest tragedy.

John R. Lundberg is the author of "The Finishing Stroke: Texans in the 1864 Tennessee Campaign" as well as many articles on Texas and Civil War history. He currently teaches history at Collin College in Plano, Texas.

March 2012
344 pages, 6 x 9, 13 halftones, 8 maps
ISBN 978-0-8071-4347-6
Cloth $39.95, ebook available

Book Review: The Ragged Rebel

Gallaway, B.P. The Ragged Rebel: A Common Soldier in W. H. Parson's Texas Cavalry, 1861-1865. Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, TX. 2010. 208 pages  index, bibliography, notes, b/w photos. ISBN 9780891125402 $17.99.

By stroke of luck B.P. Gallaway came to have acces to the Civil War papers of Private David C. Nance. Gallaway's daughter was in a class that was taught by the daughter of Don Morris the President of Abilene Christian University and also the grandson of Nance. Morris provided access to the papers and also helped fill in the details he could. Gallaway has left out certain religious aspects of the Nance papers at the request of the family. To me this really doesn't make any difference to the story.

Nance was born in Illinois in 1843 and the family moved to Texas in 1852. When the secession crisis broke out his mother was firmly in support while his father was no so. Despite his father's objections Nance joined the Ellis County Grays later to be known as Co. E 12th Texas Cavalry led by W. H. Parsons.

During his service Nance narrowly escaped death several times. In July 1862 at Cache River Nance was shot three times and finally taken prisoner. Despite his injuries he managed to escape and was found by Confederates who took eventually transported him to Little Rock. Nance took his injuries, but that his life was spared, to be God's anger at war and Nance vowed not to shoot at another man. After his long recovery Nance used connections to be assigned to make gunpowder. He thus returned to Waxahachie, Texas to learn the art of powder making. The dangers of the job came to reality in April 1863 as a series of explosions rattled the mill Nance was working at. Two coworkers perished due to injuries but again Nance managed to survive. He again attributes his survival to the hand of God. Later in May 1864 at Yellow Bayou Nance was again shot, this time twice, with the second nicking an artery in his neck. With the help of messmates Nance was taken to a nearby farmhouse where a surgeon  removed the minie ball and helped save his life.

Gallaway takes us on a tour of the battles fought by the 12th Texas. Throughout we see the bravery of the men and their determination. However we also see conditions getting worse for Confederates. As the Union victories keep mounting and Confederate losses continue in manpower and resources the men begin to change. Gallaway writes a long passage describing how Nance found the men changed when he returned after healing from his injuries suffered during the gunpowder explosion. "He found that they also had changed in appearance and disposition. Like their comrades in the Vienna camp, they were emaciated, dirty, and dressed in rags. And they somehow seemed more cruel, vicious, and belligerent. They were reflective, preoccupied, troubled, and silent...Since Burleson's rangers, like all Confederate troops, had to live largely off the country, their quest for food for themselves and their horses had turned decent, considerate, law-abiding farm boys into shameless, unabashed thieves." (page 73).

After the war Nance became a successful farmer for several years before going to school where he excelled in English composition and mathematics. He left college after two years to marry Sallie Hackley. Together they had four children. After a long bout with rheumatoid arthritis Nance spent nine years teaching. In 1908 Nance wrote the chief regrets of his life all of which dealt with the war. He most regretted joining the army and fighting for the right to own slaves. He also felt that war is murder and murder has no mercy. He also seriously regretted going against his fathers wishes by joining the army. Nance passed away in 1925.
 
This is not a book that breaks any new grounds as far as scholarship goes. There is not a huge amount of detail given to any particular aspect of the war. Rather this is the story of one soldier told mostly through his own writings. For anyone interested in the mental struggle of the common soldier this would be an interesting read. Those with an interest in Texas during the Civil War or cavalry operations in the western theater this is a book you might want to look at. Gallaway has provided a large bibliography and notes section for those looking for further resources.

Thanks to the good folks at Abilene Christian University Press for providing a copy of this book. Please note that any page references may be incorrect as my copy was a proof copy and not the final book. I have also refrained from comments on the photos because in my copy they did not reproduce well enough for judgment.