In Distant Bugles, Distant Drums, author Flint Whitlock conducts an in-depth analysis of the New Mexico campaign of 1862. Previous works have related primarily the Confederate viewpoint of the campaign, due in large part to the availability of primary source material from the campaign. Mr. Whitlock presents a more Union-centric approach, with a careful blend of primary accounts of both sides. The principal narrators of this story are the leaders and members of the 1st Colorado Volunteers. Through exhaustive research in the Colorado state archives, he has pieced together a narrative as enjoyable and accurate as it is compelling.

Too often in historical writing, accuracy and an enjoyable writing style are mutually exclusive. This is definitely not the case for this book. Whitlock provides a very lively and entertaining account of the campaign, from its roots to its culmination. He weaves firsthand accounts of the campaign into very accurate and coherent narration of the campaign’s skirmishes and battles. Unlike many books of this sort, there are actually enough maps to enable the reader to easily follow the action. Surprisingly, the author created them himself, and they greatly assist the reader to follow the individual engagements and the campaign as a whole.

This is far from a simple battle book, however. Whitlock develops his characters as well as many fiction writers, presenting them with both their strengths and foibles. The overwhelming majority of them are multi-faceted, with the possible exception of Henry H. Sibley. Although told from a primarily Union viewpoint, the author carefully blends in the situation and decisions of both sides as the campaign develops.

At the end of the campaign, Whitlock’s summary of the major players’ careers through the remainder of the war and modern descriptions of the locations of the book was both entertaining and enlightening. Given the depth of information about the 1st Colorado, a roster for the regiment would not have been out of place, but this was a campaign study and not a regimental history.

If I had one issue with this book, it would be that at times it seems a bit too 1st Colorado-centric. The efforts of the New Mexico volunteers are dismissed outright, and I would have liked to see more of the point of view of the Regular Army units and leaders. This may simply be due to the information available to the author, however, as official reports from the Official Records often don’t offer such insight. It is a minor issue that does not detract from the book, however. This is an excellent read, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in examining this generally poorly understood theater of the war.

Shenandoah Summer: The 1864 Valley Campaign, by Scott Patchan

University of Nebraska Press, 2009, paperback,408 pages

In Shenandoah Summer, author Scott Patchan provides the definitive examination of the Civil war actions in the Shenandoah Valley during the summer of 1864. While few works on the war to date provide even a chapter on the campaign, Mr. Patchan reveals a wealth of information and detail that is a delight to read.

Despite the title, I will admit that I purchased the book assuming that it would discuss Sheridan’s campaign in the Valley. In this I was very pleasantly surprised. Instead of Sheridan’s campaign, I was treated to a thorough examination of a campaign that I had previously known very little about. The majority of this book concerns the actions between Early’s raid on Washington and Sheridan’s Valley campaign of the fall. Instead of reading of the success of Sheridan’s campaign, the reader learns the reasons why Sheridan’s campaign had to take place.

Patchan skillfully blends the results of meticulous research with a vivid, readable writing style. His exhaustive research through previously unpublished works produces the detail readers hope for in this sort of book but all too seldom receive. His descriptions of individual actions and combat at the regimental level bring the action to life for the reader.

Despite the detail of his narrative, Patchan does a remarkable job of keeping the reader aware of the larger context within which the campaign takes place. Concurrent campaigns and elections had serious ramifications for actions in the Valley that summer. The difference in approach from the high commands on both sides I found particularly interesting. On the Confederate side, Lee seemed to support early as much as he could. On the Federal side, however, the “help” seemed to be in the form of pressure to make something happen instead of providing resources and assistance.

Early’s series of defeats in the Valley ultimately led to his dismissal, but Mr. Patchan depicts Early as a wily, opportunistic adversary who takes advantage of forces greatly outnumbering his own. He also objectively lays out the major difficulties facing his Union opponents, most notably division of responsibility and unity of command.

As is often the case with campaign studies, it would help if this book had a few more maps. A map of the retreat from Washington in particular would make the narration more understandable. There are a number of excellent maps and diagrams in the work, however, which greatly help readers follow the various maneuvering and battles of the campaign. Clearly Mr. Patchan has walked this ground and has an appreciation for terrain.

Overall, I found this book enjoyable and very enlightening on a previously obscure topic. Thorough research and clear prose make this a work any student of the Civil War will appreciate.

In Cavalryman of the Lost Cause, historian Jeffry Wert provides the first meaningful biography of James Ewell Brown Stuart in decades. While I have enjoyed previous biographies of Stuart, particularly those of Burke Davis and Emory Thomas, I think Wert’s book outshines them both. Combining a crisp, clear writing style with in-depth research into manuscript collections and other previously unpublished sources, Wert delivers a winner.

Wert’s treatment of Stuart is refreshingly objective, and I found the book an enjoyable read. Neither scathing nor fawning, the book covers his entire life, and not simply the Civil War period. Nor did this biography focus on the controversial two weeks of the Gettysburg campaign to the detriment of the rest of Stuart’s life. Wert’s well documented biography provides all of the references that could be asked for from anyone desiring to dig deeper into the cavalryman’s life.

The biography focuses on more than the military facet of Stuart’s life, and the author explores the complexities of Stuart’s personality. Relationships with both peers and subordinates are examined in a balanced manner, as is his affinity for publicity. He was a shameless self-promoter, but the same could be said of many leaders of this period. His look at relationships with his wife and lady friends are tastefully and tactfully conducted. The author portrays Stuart as a thoroughly professional and deeply religious man.

The only part of this book that could be improved is the period of his U.S. Army service during the years leading up to the Civil War, and this is admittedly a very difficult period to find references for.

I highly recommend this book. It deserves a place in the library of anyone interested in the Civil War, its leaders, or cavalry operations.

The Complete Gettysburg Guide: Walking and Driving Tours of the Battlefield, Town, Cemeteries, Field Hospital Sites, and other Topics of Historical Interest, by J. David Petruzzi and Steven Stanley. Savas Beatie Publishing, 306 pages, with maps, photographs and bibliography. $39.95.

I am generally skeptical of any work that claims the title of “complete guide.” In this case, however, I believe the title is well deserved. J.D. Petruzzi and Steven Stanley have combined to produce a work that may have redefined the standard for battlefield guides. After reading it cover to cover in two sittings and perusing it for several hours, I cannot think of an aspect of the battle that is not addressed in this guide.

This should be the one book carried by any visitor to the battlefield. Every aspect of the battle is addressed, and there is quite literally something for everyone inside its cover. Kids tired of looking at signs and cannons and statues? Turn them loose to look for the rock carvings detailed in a separate section of the book. Spouse tired of staring into empty fields trying to visualize historic charges and stands? Refer them to the detailed tour of the town itself.

This is a superior tour guide for several reasons. First, precise driving instructions that include warnings about traffic, parking areas and private property. Second, excellent color photos and maps that make it very easy for even a novice traveler to remain oriented on the battlefield. The maps provide much more detail than the black and white sort I am accustomed to seeing in battlefield guides. Third, it provides depth lacking in most guide books, with a wealth of human interest stories and other interesting tidbits. Finally, it provides the most comprehensive look at the battlefield and surrounding area that I have ever seen.

J.D. Petruzzi’s narrative is both readable and very informative. A wealth of detail is contained in the book, but it is packaged in such a manner that is not at all cumbersome to the reader. He uses many sidebars to highlight human interest stories from the battle to broaden the appeal of the book. For those who want to dig deeper into a given area, there are suggested sources for additional reading at the end of each section.

The maps are tremendous. Steven Stanley proves his justly deserved reputation as a Civil War mapmaking master, with maps that are clear and easy to use. Some of the maps portray skirmishes that I had never seen mapped before. The photos he has selected show the park during all seasons, illustrating how different the park appears at different times of the year.

The book is divided into several sections. The heart of the book is of course the 110 pages organized into 30 stops that cover the main battlefield. The other nearly 200 pages focus on outlying battlefields, the town itself, the cemeteries, field hospital sites, and even a section on rock carvings. Each section could stand nearly on its own as a separate book. My favorite section was the article on Fairfield, with the first maps of the skirmish I had ever seen. A close second was the rock carving section, which was organized to provide a ready made game of ‘find-it.’

The book is attractive enough for service as a coffee table book. Somewhat jaded after scores of ‘exciting’ (for me) new Civil War purchases, the first thing my wife said when I removed it from the package was, “What a beautiful book!” Savas Beatie has once again produced a very high quality (and adequately mapped!) book at a reasonable price. Nearly every one of the 300+ pages has a map, picture or sidebar, and often a combination of the three. Good binding and quality paper ensure this book will endure many visits to the park. The result is a work in which both the authors and the publisher should take a tremendous amount of pride.

The Complete Gettysburg Guide is a comprehensive volume on the battle. It is equally valuable as a historical overview of the battle, a tour guide, or a coffee table picture book. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the battle, from the first visit tourist to the experienced battlefield stomper.

Yes, yes, I know, less reading and more writing…..

I thought I’d posted this months ago. I discovered this morning that the post never went through. Rather delayed, here is a review of an excellent, groundbreaking new volume on the Gettysburg campaign. I apologize for the oversight. If you haven’t already taken a look at this book, do so today.

Don

One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, July 4-14, 1863. By Eric J. Wittenberg, J. David Petruzzi, and Michael F. Nugent.

One could fill a room with the books published on the Gettysburg campaign. Until recently, however, no single volume examined the tactical maneuvering following the battle itself as both armies maneuvered toward the Potomac. In most coverage of the campaign, scarcely a page covers the events between the end of the battle and the arrival of both armies at the Rappahannock River near Culpeper. This groundbreaking book finally provides just such an examination.

One Continuous Fight covers the nearly two dozen different engagements that took place during Lee’s retreat to the Potomac and Meade’s pursuit. While all three authors are recognized Civil War cavalry experts, this is a work for the sake of the cavalry. Cavalry units are simply the medium through which the majority of the story is told, as they were the principal players in the majority of the fighting. It was Confederate General Jeb Stuart’s task to protect the exposed columns of Lee’s army as it maneuvered toward the Potomac. The majority of the effort to intercept and disrupt these columns was assigned to Union general Alfred Pleasanton’s Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac. The army itself hurried in pursuit to complete the destruction of Lee’s army if brought to bay.

Many people think that Meade’s pursuit was simply a footrace for the Potomac by both sides, marked by little actual fighting. The authors do an excellent job of illustrating the continuous and desperate fighting that occurred throughout the pursuit. Noah Andre Trudeau wrote an extremely thought provoking essay on Meade vs. Lee that is an excellent set up for the authors’ narrative.

This book draws upon a truly massive array of sources, including letters, diaries, newspaper accounts, and published primary and secondary sources. Many of the primary sources are previously unpublished. These new resources enable the authors to carefully describe each engagement within the framework of the overall pursuit. While the tactical discussions are very detailed, they enhance rather than bog down the story. The authors do a masterful job of weaving primary sources and text into a captivating tapestry that is at once easy to read and nearly impossible to put down.

To my mind, this framework makes the book all the more valuable as a reference. Each engagement, analyzed in detail from both a tactical and strategic standpoint, is contained within in its own chapter. After reading the entire book, the reader is left in essence with an encyclopedia of the retreat and pursuit.

The authors were remarkably evenhanded in their treatment of the pursuit. Both Union and Confederate viewpoints and sources are utilized throughout the book. Both sides are equally praised and critiqued, as appropriate to the situation. Such objectivity is unfortunately rare.

The conclusions chapter is yet another illustration of this, and a major strength of the book. It provides a balanced look at the various controversies surrounding the retreat. They attempt to break down the questions concerning each one and answer them in the context of the personalities and information available at the time. Each is answered in detail, with the same evenhanded consideration to opposing schools of thought that characterizes the rest of the book. In the end, my impression was that Lee was very fortunate to get away with his army intact, and that it was a much narrower escape than previous reading had led me to believe.

Unlike many works, this book is complimented by excellent work from start to finish. The book is well-constructed, with a wonderful jacket and great printing and binding. Savas-Beattie is to be commended for the quality of the work. Eighteen maps greatly enhance the reader’s ability to visualize the engagements, and dozens of photos show the participants. Two comprehensive driving tours are included as appendices, including GPS coordinates for those who enjoy following the footsteps of those who fought. These are particularly important in this book, as many of the places mentioned are unmarked by historical markers. While there are some editing errors in the first edition of the book, they don’t detract from the overall excellence of the work and have reportedly been corrected in the second edition.

Overall, this is an excellent book, both as an entertaining read from the amateur, and a detailed study for the more discriminating historian. The authors have greatly enhanced the body of knowledge on Meade’s pursuit of Lee following the battle. It will appeal to anyone interested in the Civil War, and deserves a place on the shelf of any civil War historian’s library.