Confederate General William Extra Billy Smith

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Confederate General William "Extra Billy" Smith

Scott L. Mingus
Confederate General William Extra Billy Smith Book PDF

Author : Scott L. Mingus
Publisher : Grub Street Publishers
Page : 599 pages
File Size : 42,7 Mb
Release : 2013-04-19
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 9781611211306

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Confederate General William "Extra Billy" Smith by Scott L. Mingus Pdf

An award-winning biography of one of the Confederacy’s most colorful and controversial generals. Winner of the 2013 Nathan Bedford Forrest History Book Award for Southern History Nominated for the 2014 Virginia Book Award for Nonfiction Despite a life full of drama, politics, and adventure, little has been written about William “Extra Billy” Smith—aside from a rather biased account by his brother-in-law back in the nineteenth century. As the oldest and one of the most controversial Confederate generals on the field at Gettysburg, Smith was also one of the most charismatic characters of the Civil War and the antebellum Old South. Known nationally as “Extra Billy” because of his prewar penchant for finding loopholes in government postal contracts to gain extra money for his stagecoach lines, Smith served as Virginia’s governor during both the war with Mexico and the Civil War; served five terms in the US Congress; and was one of Virginia’s leading spokesmen for slavery and states’ rights. Extra Billy’s extra-long speeches and wry sense of humor were legendary among his peers. A lawyer during the heady Gold Rush days, he made a fortune in California—and, as with his income earned from stagecoaches, quickly lost it. Despite his advanced age, Smith took to the field and fought well at First Manassas, was wounded at Seven Pines and again at Sharpsburg, and marched with Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia into Pennsylvania. There, on the first day at Gettysburg, Smith’s frantic messages about a possible Union flanking attack remain a matter of controversy to this day. Did his aging eyes see distant fence-lines that he interpreted as approaching enemy soldiers—mere phantoms of his imagination? Or did his prompt action stave off a looming Confederate disaster? This biography draws upon a wide array of newspapers, diaries, letters, and other firsthand accounts to paint a portrait of one of the South’s most interesting leaders, complete with original maps and photos.

The Second Battle of Winchester

Eric J. Wittenberg,Scott L. Mingus
The Second Battle of Winchester Book PDF

Author : Eric J. Wittenberg,Scott L. Mingus
Publisher : Savas Beatie
Page : 529 pages
File Size : 50,7 Mb
Release : 2016-04-30
Category : History
ISBN : 9781611212891

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The Second Battle of Winchester by Eric J. Wittenberg,Scott L. Mingus Pdf

A comprehensive, deeply researched history of the pivotal 1863 American Civil War battle fought in northern Virginia. June 1863. The Gettysburg Campaign is underway. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia pushes west into the Shenandoah Valley and then north toward the Potomac River. Only one significant force stands in its way: Maj. Gen. Robert H. Milroy’s Union division of the Eighth Army Corps in the vicinity of Winchester and Berryville, Virginia. What happens next is the subject of this provocative new book. Milroy, a veteran Indiana politician-turned-soldier, was convinced the approaching enemy consisted of nothing more than cavalry or was merely a feint, and so defied repeated instructions to withdraw. In fact, the enemy consisted of General Lee’s veteran Second Corps under Lt. Gen. Richard S. Ewell. Milroy’s controversial decision committed his outnumbered and largely inexperienced men against some of Lee’s finest veterans. The complex and fascinating maneuvering and fighting on June 13-15 cost Milroy hundreds of killed and wounded and about 4,000 captured (roughly one-half of his command), with the remainder routed from the battlefield. The combat cleared the northern end of the Shenandoah Valley of Federal troops, demonstrated Lee could obtain supplies on the march, justified the elevation of General Ewell to replace the recently deceased Stonewall Jackson, and sent shockwaves through the Northern states. Today, the Second Battle of Winchester is largely forgotten. But in June 1863, the politically charged front-page news caught President Lincoln and the War Department by surprise and forever tarnished Milroy’s career. The beleaguered Federal soldiers who fought there spent a lifetime seeking redemption, arguing their three-day “forlorn hope” delayed the Rebels long enough to allow the Army of the Potomac to arrive and defeat Lee at Gettysburg. For the Confederates, the decisive leadership on display outside Winchester masked significant command issues buried within the upper echelons of Jackson’s former corps that would become painfully evident during the early days of July on a different battlefield in Pennsylvania. Award-winning authors Eric J. Wittenberg and Scott L. Mingus Sr. combined their researching and writing talents to produce the most in-depth and comprehensive study of Second Winchester ever written, and now in paperback. Their balanced effort, based upon scores of archival and previously unpublished diaries, newspaper accounts, and letter collections, coupled with familiarity with the terrain around Winchester and across the lower Shenandoah Valley, explores the battle from every perspective.

Virginia by Stagecoach

Virginia C. Johnson
Virginia by Stagecoach Book PDF

Author : Virginia C. Johnson
Publisher : Arcadia Publishing
Page : 192 pages
File Size : 47,6 Mb
Release : 2019-07-29
Category : History
ISBN : 9781467141017

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Virginia by Stagecoach by Virginia C. Johnson Pdf

Travel in old Virginia was many things, but it was never dull. Stagecoaches were the primary means of transport, carrying mail as well as passengers. Trips that now take hours lasted for days. Coach trips could be dangerous, and all-hands situations arose quickly. A traveler might need to apply horsemanship, carpentry, leather-mending or the sheer brawny effort of shoving the coach out of a muddy ditch. Inns across the state catered to stagecoach riders and acted as community gathering places. Some still stand, like the Rising Sun Tavern in Fredericksburg and Michie Tavern in Charlottesville. Author Virginia Johnson relates tales of those wild early days on the road.

American Civil War [6 volumes]

Spencer C. Tucker
American Civil War 6 volumes Book PDF

Author : Spencer C. Tucker
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Page : 3030 pages
File Size : 41,8 Mb
Release : 2013-09-30
Category : History
ISBN : 9781851096824

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American Civil War [6 volumes] by Spencer C. Tucker Pdf

This expansive, multivolume reference work provides a broad, multidisciplinary examination of the Civil War period ranging from pre-Civil War developments and catalysts such as the Mexican-American War to the rebuilding of the war-torn nation during Reconstruction. The Civil War was undoubtedly the most important and seminal event in 19th-century American history. Students who understand the Civil War have a better grasp of the central dilemmas in the American historical narrative: states rights versus federalism, freedom versus slavery, the role of the military establishment, the extent of presidential powers, and individual rights versus collective rights. Many of these dilemmas continue to shape modern society and politics. This comprehensive work facilitates both detailed reading and quick referencing for readers from the high school level to senior scholars in the field. The exhaustive coverage of this encyclopedia includes all significant battles and skirmishes; important figures, both civilian and military; weapons; government relations with Native Americans; and a plethora of social, political, cultural, military, and economic developments. The entries also address the many events that led to the conflict, the international diplomacy of the war, the rise of the Republican Party and the growing crisis and stalemate in American politics, slavery and its impact on the nation as a whole, the secession crisis, the emergence of the "total war" concept, and the complex challenges of the aftermath of the conflict.

Best Little Ironies, Oddities, and Mysteries of the Civil War

C. Brian Kelly
Best Little Ironies Oddities and Mysteries of the Civil War Book PDF

Author : C. Brian Kelly
Publisher : Cumberland House Publishing
Page : 436 pages
File Size : 54,8 Mb
Release : 2000
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 1581821166

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Best Little Ironies, Oddities, and Mysteries of the Civil War by C. Brian Kelly Pdf

Collects 114 stories showing the twists and turns of fate that occured in the time surrounding the Civil War, including the question of who fired the first shot and the tale of Union color-bearer Kady Brownell.

The College of William and Mary in the Civil War

Sean M. Heuvel,Lisa L. Heuvel
The College of William and Mary in the Civil War Book PDF

Author : Sean M. Heuvel,Lisa L. Heuvel
Publisher : McFarland
Page : 233 pages
File Size : 48,9 Mb
Release : 2013-06-18
Category : Education
ISBN : 9781476603674

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The College of William and Mary in the Civil War by Sean M. Heuvel,Lisa L. Heuvel Pdf

America's second oldest higher education institution experienced the full violence of the Civil War, with a wartime destiny of destruction compounded by its strategic location in Virginia's Tidewater region between Union and Confederate lines. This book describes the fate of the College and also explores in-depth the war service of the College's students, faculty, and alumni, ranging from little-known individuals to historically prominent figures such as Winfield Scott, John Tyler, and John J. Crittenden. The College's many contributions to the Civil War and its role in shaping pre- and post-war higher education in the South are fully revealed.

The First Battle of Manassas

John J. Hennessy
The First Battle of Manassas Book PDF

Author : John J. Hennessy
Publisher : Stackpole Books
Page : 224 pages
File Size : 48,8 Mb
Release : 2015-12-15
Category : History
ISBN : 9780811715911

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The First Battle of Manassas by John J. Hennessy Pdf

On July 21, 1861, near a Virginia railroad junction twenty-five miles from Washington, DC, the Union and Confederate armies clashed in the first major battle of the Civil War. This revised edition of Hennessy's classic is the premier tactical account of First Manassas/Bull Run. • Combines narrative, analysis, and interpretation into a clear, easy-to-follow account of the battle's unfolding • Features commanders who would later become legendary, such as William T. Sherman and Thomas J. Jackson, who earned his "Stonewall" nickname at First Manassas

The Early Morning of War

Edward G. Longacre
The Early Morning of War Book PDF

Author : Edward G. Longacre
Publisher : University of Oklahoma Press
Page : 603 pages
File Size : 54,9 Mb
Release : 2014-10-22
Category : History
ISBN : 9780806147604

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The Early Morning of War by Edward G. Longacre Pdf

When Union and Confederate forces squared off along Bull Run on July 21, 1861, the Federals expected this first major military campaign would bring an early end to the Civil War. But when Confederate troops launched a strong counterattack, both sides realized the war would be longer and costlier than anticipated. First Bull Run, or First Manassas, set the stage for four years of bloody conflict that forever changed the political, social, and economic fabric of the nation. It also introduced the commanders, tactics, and weaponry that would define the American way of war through the turn of the twentieth century. This crucial campaign receives its most complete and comprehensive treatment in Edward G. Longacre’s The Early Morning of War. A magisterial work by a veteran historian, The Early Morning of War blends narrative and analysis to convey the full scope of the campaign of First Bull Run—its drama and suspense as well as its practical and tactical underpinnings and ramifications. Also woven throughout are biographical sketches detailing the backgrounds and personalities of the leading commanders and other actors in the unfolding conflict. Longacre has combed previously unpublished primary sources, including correspondence, diaries, and memoirs of more than four hundred participants and observers, from ranking commanders to common soldiers and civilians affected by the fighting. In weighing all the evidence, Longacre finds correctives to long-held theories about campaign strategy and battle tactics and questions sacrosanct beliefs—such as whether the Manassas Gap Railroad was essential to the Confederate victory. Longacre shears away the myths and persuasively examines the long-term repercussions of the Union’s defeat at Bull Run, while analyzing whether the Confederates really had a chance of ending the war in July 1861 by seizing Washington, D.C. Brilliant moves, avoidable blunders, accidents, historical forces, personal foibles: all are within Longacre’s compass in this deftly written work that is sure to become the standard history of the first, critical campaign of the Civil War.

Journey to Armageddon

Kevin A. Campbell
Journey to Armageddon Book PDF

Author : Kevin A. Campbell
Publisher : Xlibris Corporation
Page : 659 pages
File Size : 55,7 Mb
Release : 2021-10-26
Category : History
ISBN : 9781664189447

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Journey to Armageddon by Kevin A. Campbell Pdf

The information about the book is not available as of this time.

Friendly Fire in the Civil War

Webb Garrison
Friendly Fire in the Civil War Book PDF

Author : Webb Garrison
Publisher : Thomas Nelson
Page : 240 pages
File Size : 54,9 Mb
Release : 1999-04-12
Category : History
ISBN : 9781418530686

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Friendly Fire in the Civil War by Webb Garrison Pdf

More than 100 true stories of comrade killing comrade: defective ammunition accidental shootings blinding smoke deliberate fire upon comrade mistaken uniforms inexperienced troops unknown passwords On May 2, 1863, Stonewall Jackson was on the verge of the greatest victory of his career. Shortly before 10 P.M. he rode through the woods near Chancellorsville, Virginia, to find where the Federals had established their line. As he returned, his own men, in the noise and confusion, opened fire, woulding Jackson several times. One of the Civil War's first heroes died eight days later. Stonewall Jackson's death is but one example of Confederate killing Confederate or Yankee killing Yankee. No war was as intense and chaotic as the American Civil War. Author Webb Garrison has brought together Jackson's story and 150 other instances of friendly fire in this unique book that strips away the romanticism of the Civil War. "[With] night setting in, it was difficult to distinguish friend from foe. Several of our own command were killed by our own friends." ?Ambrose Wright at Malvern Hill "I thought it better to kill a Union man or two than to lose the effect of my moral suasion." ?Union Officer Louis M. Goldsborough "Whilst in this position my regiment was shelled by our own artillery. The officer in command should be made to pay the penalty for this criminal conduct." ?Confederate Col. Edward Willis, speaking of a battle at Gettysburg "Seemingly not content with the speed that the enemy were slaughtering us, one of our own batteries commenced a heavy and destructive fire on us." ?Union Maj. Thomas S. Tate, speaking of Tupelo, Mississippi

Mary Chesnut's Civil War

Mary Boykin Miller Chesnut
Mary Chesnut s Civil War Book PDF

Author : Mary Boykin Miller Chesnut
Publisher : Yale University Press
Page : 964 pages
File Size : 54,6 Mb
Release : 1981-01-01
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 0300029799

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Mary Chesnut's Civil War by Mary Boykin Miller Chesnut Pdf

An authorized account of the Civil War, drawn from the diaries of a Southern aristocrat, records the disintegration and final destruction of the Confederacy

Pennsylvania Civil War Trails

Tom Huntington
Pennsylvania Civil War Trails Book PDF

Author : Tom Huntington
Publisher : Stackpole Books
Page : 160 pages
File Size : 53,9 Mb
Release : 2007-02-20
Category : History
ISBN : 9780811749572

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Pennsylvania Civil War Trails by Tom Huntington Pdf

Official companion guide to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Civil War Trails initiative.

From Arlington to Appomattox

Charles R. Knight
From Arlington to Appomattox Book PDF

Author : Charles R. Knight
Publisher : Savas Beatie
Page : 610 pages
File Size : 42,5 Mb
Release : 2021-06-15
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 9781611215038

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From Arlington to Appomattox by Charles R. Knight Pdf

“Brilliant . . . really gives one a sense of what it took to both lead and run an army in the Civil War. . . . Superb.” —Chris Kolakowski, author of The Virginia Campaigns: March–August 1862 In From Arlington to Appomattox, Charles Knight does for Robert E. Lee and students of the Civil War what E. B. Long’s Civil War Day by Day did for our understanding of the conflict as a whole. This is not another Lee biography, but it is every bit as valuable as one. We know Lee rode out to meet the survivors of Pickett’s Charge and accept blame for the defeat, that he tried to lead the Texas Brigade in a counterattack to save the day at the Wilderness, and took a tearful ride from Wilmer McLean’s house at Appomattox. But where was Lee and what was he doing when the spotlight of history failed to illuminate him? Focusing on what he was doing day by day offers an entirely different appreciation for Lee. Readers will come away with a fresh sense of his struggles, both personal and professional, and discover many things about Lee for the first time through his own correspondence and papers. From Arlington to Appomattox is a tremendous contribution to the literature of the Civil War. “Knight’s study will become the standard reference work on Lee’s daily wartime experiences.” —R. E. L. Krick, author of Staff Officers in Gray “A staggering work of scholarship.” —Jeffry D. Wert, author of A Glorious Army: Robert E. Lee’s Triumph, 1862–1863 "A pleasure to read.” —Michael C. Hardy, author of General Lee’s Immortals “Keeps the reader engaged.” —Journal of America's Military Past

Targeted Tracks

Scott L. Mingus,Cooper H. Wingert
Targeted Tracks Book PDF

Author : Scott L. Mingus,Cooper H. Wingert
Publisher : Casemate Publishers
Page : 345 pages
File Size : 50,6 Mb
Release : 2019-03-05
Category : History
ISBN : 9781611214628

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Targeted Tracks by Scott L. Mingus,Cooper H. Wingert Pdf

“Anyone who is interested in Civil War logistics, wartime railroads, and the Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania needs to read this study.” —Eric J. Wittenberg, award-winning historian and author The Civil War was the first conflict in which railroads played a major role. Although much has been written about their role in general, little has been written about specific lines. The Cumberland Valley Railroad, for example, played an important strategic role by connecting Hagerstown, Maryland to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Its location enhanced its importance during some of the Civil War’s most critical campaigns. Because of its proximity to major cities in the Eastern Theater, the Cumberland Valley Railroad was an enticing target for Confederate leaders and an invaluable resource for the Union Army. In October 1859, abolitionist John Brown used the CVRR in his fateful Harpers Ferry raid. The line was under direct threat by invading Confederates during the Antietam Campaign, and the following summer suffered serious damage during the Gettysburg Campaign. In 1864, Rebel raiders burned much of its headquarters town, Chambersburg, including the homes of many CVRR employees. The railroad was as vital to residents of the bustling and fertile Cumberland Valley as it was to the Union war effort. Targeted Tracks is grounded on the railway’s voluminous reports, the letters and diaries of local residents and Union and Confederate soldiers, official reports, and newspaper accounts. The primary sources, combined with the expertise of the authors, bring this largely untold story to life. “Mingus and Wingert have done a splendid job telling the story of the industrial, economic, social, and military history of the CVRR . . . engaging.” —Ted Alexander, chief historian (ret.), Antietam National Battlefield

Unsung Patriots

Eugene DeFriest Bétit
Unsung Patriots Book PDF

Author : Eugene DeFriest Bétit
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
Page : 399 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2023-03-01
Category : History
ISBN : 9780811772358

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Unsung Patriots by Eugene DeFriest Bétit Pdf

It’s one of the last overlooked parts of American military history: the significant role African Americans played in the wars of America. Their story is more than just the 54th Massachusetts in the Civil War, more than just a tank battalion in World War II: African Americans contributed to every war in American history. Gene Bétit tells this important story with verve and gusto, as well as respect. By their brave deeds, African Americans have secured a place in American military history, and Bétit makes sure they receive their due. In the colonial wars, the Revolution, and the War of 1812, African Americans served as seamen, gunners, and marine sharpshooters in the Navy and served as 15 percent of the Continental Army. During the Civil War, blacks constituted nearly 200,000 soldiers of the Union Army and served in some of the war’s most celebrated regiments and toughest battles, and their service inspired the farthest-reaching of the Union’s emancipation policies. In the decades after the Civil War, Black soldiers formed an important part of the U.S. Army, fighting as Buffalo Soldiers in the Indian Wars of the 1870s, up through the Spanish-American War. In World War I, the segregated 92nd and 93rd Divisions fought hard and received the Croix de Guerre from France. In World War II, more than one million Blacks served the United States—and more than a hundred thousand were assigned to combat duty, not only in the Black Panther tank battalion and the Tuskegee Airmen, but in other combat units and units that kept the American war effort supplied. In the years since World War II, Truman integrated the military during the Korean War, but the African-American soldiers remain a class apart—during Korea, during Vietnam, and beyond. This is a story with importance not only for military history, but for all of American history. And Gene Bétit does it careful, exciting justice.