2 comments about Walt Whitman's Civil War (A Da Capo Paperback).

1. Whitman's book brings together his work from his journals and letters he wrote through out the entire war. As a nurse, Whitman tours hospitals and writes about the brutal realities of the war. His compassion for the wounded and sympathies radiates through out all of his work as he writes about various soldiers and his correspondence with them. With each chapter in the book we are treated to poems and scripture by Whitman that compliments his letters and journal entries. Whitman covers the entire war and it's easy to get a feel for his absolute care and love he had for the soldiers he tended to and visited. It's helpful for understanding just how horrible situations for many were and just what kind of man Whitman was. I highly recommend it.



2. Walt Whitman wrote many journals, letters and diaries during his years volunteering at the hospitals in Washington DC. There are many books out there which claim to combine all those elements into one book. This book does a great job keeping Whitman's actual writing--in other words, the entire passage is presented, including the date and location in which it was written. The major problem with this book is that the editor decided to break all of Whitman's work into Chapters with themes. There is a chapter about letter to his mother, about letters to soldiers, about observations of soldiers, etc. This means that the book is not chronological, meaning that in order to view all of Whitman's writing in the order he actually wrote it, you must jump all over this book. I am studying Whitman during the Civil War, and I use this book for most of my reference. But you should see how I have marked it, leaving notes all over the book to remind myself the order of the passages. There needs to be at least one book that has EVERYTHING in the order it was written. Despite this, this book is very good for anyone interested in getting a sense of what Whitman was doing during the Civil War. His language is easy to read and understand, and readers can skip to the chapters that interest them. I do recommend this book, but remember, the passages are not in order.

No comments about Invisible Hero: Patrick R. Cleburne.

5 comments about Churchill Wanted Dead Or Alive: Wanted Dead or Alive.

1. The author, Celia Sandys, is the subject's granddaughter. As such, she had access to papers, people, and places that few individuals have. She presents a view of the early Churchill (age 20-25) that gives one an objective glimpse of his early life, ambitions, and personality. She has done much field research by access to original papers, actual locations, and descendants of those who knew Churchill in his early 20s. Much of her research is centered in South Africa where the young Churchill had a yen for being where the action was in the Boer War, and having an inordinate amount of luck escaping death and danger. Additionally, she gives detailed maps of his movements, and tries to bridle some of his self-sustaining writings that could not be independently verified. This work should give any reader an understanding that Churchill's early years were a prelude to his more famous leadership role during the dark days of World War II. An excellent read.



2. This is the first book that I have ever read about Churchill, so I was very surprised to read example after example of his arrogance and his "at all times" sense of entitlement. His granddaughter (an obviously biased author) recited many of Churchill's actions during the Boer War as examples of his bravery and courage. I, however, interpreted these actions in quite a different manner. One example of Churchill's "bravery" was when his train was ambushed by Boer troops. The author described his behavior as brave and heroic, whereas I viewed his actions as a very calculated tactic for self-advacement. In fact, it was Churchill's fault that the train went so far into Boer territory in the first place--he wanted more information for his newspaper, and his subsequent actions only put the British troops in more danger. The book was also not well written or organized; it reminded me of reading a high school book report.



3. This time last year, appropriately enough, I was reading this book of Churchill's epic escape from the States Model School in Pretoria, an event that had happened 100 years earlier to the very day.The 12 December 1999 was also a day in which I lost a friend in a road accident, thus, the centennial anniversary date becomes etched with the personal. Churchill was clearly a larger-than-life figure all of his life as his grandaughter and author Celia Sandys clearly shows in this historical work in which she followed in his footsteps, visiting campsites, battlefields etc and speaking to descendants of friends and foes alike. Contrary to the assertions of some other reviewers it is a well written and enjoyable book. Some of the interesting vignettes include the detective work the author did on tracking down the gold watches that Churchill had sent to various people for their assistance in his escape from the Boers (or Afrikaners as they are known today). At the time of publication Mrs Sandys had located 6 of the 8 watches. Mrs Sandys is not afraid to challenge Churchill's assertions that he was captured by Gen. Louis Botha himself (later the Union's first Prime Minister, 1910-19)and she rightly dismisses talk that there was ever a romantic entanglement with Helen Botha , the General's daughter. The author is partly correct when she records that Churchill's "huge political ambitions demanded a wife who would be a political asset..." However, that would cut both ways, something Helen Botha alluded to 60 years later when she said it was unlikely that she could fall for him as she was "a Transvaaler." Her father and Churchill may have "got along famously" but it is the author who is disingenous, not Helen Botha, in considering that a personal political rapport could see the leader of the Afrikaner volk, or a member of his family, contemplate such a marriage -particularly after the deaths of some 26,000 Boer women and children in the world's first concentration camps - British concentration camps. Nevertheless, this is a good read about a remarkable soldier-stateman in his younger days. Enjoy.



4. This book presents several interesting vignettes relating to Churchill's life and activities during the South African "Boer" war, but overall I was disappointed, and finished wanting more. Overall, I thought this was rather superficial, and I didn't feel as tho I had gained any substantial insight into the life of one of the giants of the late 19th/early 20th century.



5. I am a great admirer of Sir Winston Spencer Churchill, and so being I read nearly every book that is published. As I write this Mr. Churchill was on the cover of one of our National Magazines last week, and the title was "The Last Hero". A man who is completing another biography of Mr. Churchill's life wrote the story inside.

   A book by his Granddaughter Celia Sandys could be easily dismissed as a biased treatment, a work lacking objectivity. I believe The Authoress did a remarkable job of adding to the Historical Record without being a revisionist in her Grandfather's favor or to his detriment.

   I have read Churchill's own accounts of the adventures contained in this book, and many other books written about this amazing story and I still would recommend it be added to any existing collection of Churchill books.

   Mrs. Sandys manages to bring to light new bits of information that at times reinforce the contemporary accounts, and at other moments confirm what might have been an Historical Embellishment passed down through the years. She portrays her Grandfather with candor, and shares the information she collected while reconstructing herself the trip that her Grandfather made so many years ago.

   Sir Winston Spencer Churchill M.P. has already taken his place in History. He was a man who seemed to know what destiny held for him, and also what History would say. He once said, "I know how History will remember me, as I shall write it." He once described the human race in the following terms, "We are all worms, but I believe I am a glow worm."

   A well written, balanced account of a small part of a life that was full of momentous moments. Mr. Churchill is unique as he is not just part of our History, he is History. That he is still quoted almost daily, new books continue to be written, and a College is to be built confirm this is true.

   When confronted with "if you were my Husband I would put poison in your soup", the retort, "if you were my wife I would eat it." Oh to be at that dinner.

   Thank you Mrs. Sandys.

1 comments about Lancaster Target.

1. What can I say, awesome, captivating, fantastic. We owe a debt to Jack Currie for recording this terrifying part of history. We also owe a debt to Goodall publishing and Airdata for still printing it !....

No comments about Combat Infantryman Badge.

5 comments about Quantrill of Missouri: The Making of a Guerrilla Warrior--The Man, the Myth, the Soldier.

1. My wife bought me two new books for Christmas. They are:
   
   Petersen, Paul R -- Quantrill of Missouri : the making of a guerilla warrior : the man, the myth, the soldier; and
   
   O'Flaherty, Daniel -- General Jo Shelby : undefeated rebel.
   
   I just finished reading Petersen's book last night. I had heard a lot about the book before from Missouri Civil War online discussion groups to which I belong. Due to my family history, I have a very personal interest in Quantrill. Events in my life have led me to have a very emotional response to Petersen's book.
   
   Before getting into my personal reaction to the book, I would like to say that it is very well written and very well researched. The only other book I have read about Quantrill was Edward E Leslie's: "The Devil Knows How to Ride : The True Story of William Clarke Quantrill and His Confederate Raiders." If one reads one of these books, it might be a good idea to read the other to get a more balanced view. If you haven't seen "Ride With the Devil", it might be worth your time to watch it.
   
   Petersen gives much more detail then Leslie. He has clearly read many sources and accounts of the career of Captain Quantrill. Quantrill's career is surrounded by controversy. Petersen resolutely takes one side. I tend to believe that no one can ever know "the truth" about Quantrill.
   
   I tend to doubt his claim that he had only been a Jayhawker to get revenge against Jayhawkers who had attacked him and killed his "brother." My view of Quantrill was that he was attracted to the life of a partisan, and the side made little difference. His story makes much more sense if it is seen as a way to gain the trust and confidence of the Bushwhackers he later joined and led. Petersen consistently refers to "Colonel" Quantrill, although that title is very much in question.
   
   One of my reasons for reading this book was to get more information about the lives of my ancestors who lived through the events. My McFerrin and Porter ancestors lived in Cass County, about ten miles east of Harrisonville. The Porter's lived near Dayton, which was burnt by Jennison's Jayhawkers, led by Susan B Anthony's brother, early in The War. The McFerrin's lived on Eight Mile Creek. Three couples of McFerrin and Porter children married each other. They also lived in the area. Samuel Burton McFerrin, on whom my SCV membership is based, served first in the 8th Battalion Missouri Infantry (State Guard). He and his father were at Lone Jack. Burton later served in the 9th Missouri Confederate Infantry, against Banks on the Red River, and against Steele in the Camden Expedition.
   
   My Deay and Vitt ancestors lived about fifty miles away in Eudora, Kansas, about seven miles west of Lawrence. Some of them enlisted in Kansas regiments after Quantrill's raid on Lawrence. During that raid, Quantrill sent a company to Eudora. The farmers in Eudora had heard the sounds of the battle. They were armed when Quantrill's raiders attacked, and turned them away. The children of William H Musick, on whom my SUV membership is based, married into the Deay and Vitt families. Members of William's regiment served under Steele in the Camden Expedition. My great-great-grandmother, Lena Vogel, was born in 1863 in Macon, Missouri, about thirty miles north of Centralia.
   
   Due to these family connections, I have a very personal interest in the events of the Kansas/Missouri War. I received my Master of Divinity degree from Thomas Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley, California. This is a Unitarian Universalist seminary. Starr King was a Universalist. He is credited with keeping California in the Union. He was a colleague of Theodore Parker, the Unitarian minister who agitated for war against the South. Parker was a member of "The Secret Six" who raised money for John Brown. My deep personal feelings against Parker may be the main reason I did not pursue a Unitarian ministry.
   
   Unlike Paul Petersen, I cannot make a hero of Quantrill or Bill Anderson. I place these two in the same group with James H Lane, Charles Jennison, and Theodore Parker. These are people who chose War and killing as a way to advance their personal agendas. I do not see any of these as being the "protectors" of either branch of my family. I see them as being the reason that my family's lives were terrorized. I very much blame both Quantrill and Jennison for the fact that my ancestors' homes were burnt to the ground, and that they were forced into exile or concentration camps.



2. If you want to know what William Clarke Quantrill was really like, then this is THE book for you. Petersen really did his homework, questioned all the assumptions closely and paid attention to the answers he got back. This is the story of the War Between the States from the Missouri Point of View. Quantrill is shown for the hero he was instead of the psychopath his detractors have painted him to be (without substantiation, I might add.)



3. The author seems bent on tipping the balance from the negative portrayal of previous biographers such as Connelly to the extreme opposite. Indeed, this weighty tome seems to be not much more than a response to Connelly's biography at the expense of objectivity. William Quantrill may not have been the devil incarnate but he was also no saint. The author seems to put a lot of stock into "God-fearing people" who followed Quantrill as if to impute their righteousness to him - instead of guilt by association it is the equally unjustified righteousness by association. In the end we are given not an historical biography but an idolatrous apologetic of the Confederate guerrilla leader.
   
   As a biography, this portrayal in an attitude of deep reverance for the subject only perpetuates the neo-Confederate myth. The same fault makes it untrustworthy as a political or military history. Perhaps the value is in it's adoption and example of the Confederate apologetic method. Truly the Confederate side of the history has been vilified to an unfair degree outside the context of the times. But countering the vilification with the opposite extreme does not provide balance. It only makes the Confederate side seem ludicrous and makes one question the purpose for their fight altogether rather than explaining the background of the conflict.
   
   The fact that the text seems a response only to anti-Confederate biographers is evidenced further by little mention of more balanced biographies such as _The Devil Knows How to Ride_ by Edward Leslie. I would highly recommend that book for a more balanced approach. I was pleased to find that many of the works of Mr. Donald Hale and Ms. Joanne Eakin are identified as sources since I have found their work very helpful in my own study of the guerrilla war in Missouri. Their research has led them to gather many of the primary and secondary sources into collections for publication into single volumes. It is a labor of love for them that will help current and future researchers immensely in this study.
   
   In contrast to the portrayal given in the text, the photographs and maps provided are first rate and help to place the reader in the context of the time.



4. I have done extensive reading and research on this topic over the last decade and this is the most well researched, complete, and accurate account that exists today. If you are looking for a book that just re-enforces your already preconceived notions - then try something much shorter and less well done. Otherwise I would highly recommend it to those looking for a complete, accurate, and well researched account. It is probably much more of a neutral view than a souther view. Since most of the related history that I have found has been an extreme "slant" on history by Northen side of the war, who got to control how history was recorded, this may appear to be a southern view. If you have researched this topic as much as I have done, it will appear as probably one of the few attempts at accurately recording this most difficult time in the history of the mid-west.



5. From a woman's point of view this book was fascinating reading. Mr. Petersen's book is by far the best book yet written about William Clarke Quantrill. Not only his new insights but his understanding and experience as a combat veteran enables Petersen to give the reader a clear understanding why guerrillas fought so desperately. For the first time a complete account has been compiled written in a clear and easy-to-read style professionally edited and produced by a leading publisher. Reviews by critics who claim their self ascribed knowledge, is immaterial compared to someone who has done years of research and has tangible proof to show for it. Critics who once lamblasted Quantrill's men were labeled as unqualified and irresponsible. Modern reviewers lacking education or credentials are still critical of anything not demonizing Quantrill by showing their bitterness and mean-spiritness in what Petersen has expertly portrayed in his new book. One man with courage makes a majority and I'm glad Petersen had the determination and fortitude to see this work put into print. It should set a new standard for books about the border war in Missouri.

4 comments about Tirailleurs: A History of The 4th Louisiana and The Acadians of Company H.

1. It is about time someone published a book about this State-loyal Southern regiment. This is a very interesting book for those wishing to follow a Confederate regiment raised outside of Virginia, and fighting in the Civil War in armies other than in the Army of Virginia. Yes, many, many battles were fought outside of Virginia and the men involved on both sides fought just as hard, bled just as much and died just as hard as in the Virginia battles.
   
   My only concern about this book is the inclusion of non-documented or foot-noted quotes and actions attributed to some of the participants. Many footnotes, when the source is reviewed relate to the over-all fact of a battle, but they don't relate to a particular described action or to what is said. While these activities or sayings certainly may have happened (they do add excitement to the scene), it would be ideal to include a source reference.



2. The author has carefully researched and presented a history of the Confederate Fourth Louisiana Regiment and its Company H, comprised mostly of Acadians from West Baton Rouge Parish. He focuses primarily on Company H but does not neglect the larger context of the regiment's concurrent experiences.
   
   Company H, a Civil War infantry unit of about 100 men, organized initially as the Tirailleurs, (pronounced TEE-ray-your), was mostly Acadians. That is a distinct social class in antebellum south Louisiana derived from French extract Canadians driven out of Nova Scotia (Acadia) around 1755. The Tirailleurs and 4th Louisiana were Southerners to the core. Young patriots who at the war's beginning were itching to sally forth and obtain glory for themselves and the cause while defending hearth and home from Yankees.
   
   The intrinsic value of this work is in revealing the daily life of at least one Confederate infantry unit, complete with their ruminations on the war, emotional swings, victories and disappointments. I particularly liked the way author Richey eventually traces the arc of each man's life and death from the company's inception to their demise on the battlefield or beyond. None of them are left out. That alone may offer lines of research for someone tracing a particular genealogy but more than that you get to know these young men and are affected by their experiences.
   
   Another reason to follow this particular unit is that they happened to be at some of the more famous locations familiar to Civil War buffs, such as the Hornet's Nest, Shiloh Church, the first siege of Vicksburg and the battles around Atlanta. The Tirailleurs had guard and provost duty at less illuminated places such as Mobile and Baton Rouge, from which the Civil War student can glean additional bits.
   
   If you are familiar with south Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia, you will be interested in the level of detail that Richey provides about familiar landscapes, locations, sights and sounds. There are many gems found in the details.
   
   Overall the book is fairly well written. Unfortunately the author tends to be tied to a clipped sentence style that is linear and chronological like reading a diary. To some degree Richey uses reflection, first person narrative and omniscience to flesh out the story but generally it's like reading a diary. I found several editorial mistakes that typically occur in self published or cottage books. A severe criticism is the hand drawn maps and hand drawn pictures of generals mentioned in the book. There are some historical photos, such as that of Sgt. Trasimond Landry, a central figure of Company H but it is as if the author ran out of funds or permission to use available photos and decided to trace the picture instead. Very crude. However, the appendices are helpful.
   
   The alert reader may find a half dozen or so instances where the author belies his personal Confederate sympathies and if inclined might be offended at the anti-Yankee or anti-Lincoln bias that slips out. It didn't bother me and doesn't detract from the book's value because it doesn't change the veracity of the narrative. The book is interesting and a real accomplishment of research at the company and regimental level. I will especially use it to fill in the gaps around divisional movements in big battles and to get a feel for the single soldier's experience.



3. I've just begun reading this book, and it should prove very interesting for anyone who has some ancestry from the West Baton Rouge Parish. Although there are sources sited for much of this book, I found some information regarding my family that does not reference what sources were used. I'd like to know how to contact the author and find the sources that were used for this specific information.



4. Dr. Richey has assembled a great amount of information here that really brings the subtle nuances of the day to day operations of the 4th Louisiana to light. As a disclaimer, Dr. Richey is my father in law, but that shouldn't dissuade any serious scholar of the battles fought by the 4th or anyone looking for geneological history from the region from checking out this book. The bibliography alone is worth the price of admission.

5 comments about Eugene Bullard: Black Expatriate in Jazz-Age Paris.

1. Eugene Bullard- Black Expatriate in Jazz Age Paris
   
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   Eugene Bullard was born in Columbus, Georgia, the son of a former slave, on October 9, 1895. By the time he was twelve years old he had run away from the plantation his family sharecropped, stowing away on a ship bound for Europe. Historian Craig Lloyd, professor emeritus at Columbus State University does a masterful job of explaining the era and circumstances in which Bullard was born and takes the reader along for his journey. Arriving first in England, the young boy is amazed to discover the color of his skin does not define his place in the world. He became a minstrel show performer, and much to his delight Eugene learns that in Europe, unlike the South, when the music ends he is welcome to live where and how he chooses.
   
   So begins Craig Lloyds brilliant biography of one of histories most enigmatic figures. While many early aviation enthusiasts might be able to recall that the Lafayette Escadrille squadron of American pilots who flew for France included a young African American, few would be able to tell the full tale in as vivid a detail. By his late teens Eugene Bullard has formed ties with a community of expatriate African Americans who have discovered a place with little of the prejudice found at home. He is befriended by a well known boxer called the Dixie Kid, another expat, and taught to box. Winning many of his bouts he relocates to Paris and is a well known figure when the First World War erupts in 1914.
   
   By then Bullard has grown into as a man determined to live on his own terms. He is fluent in a couple of languages, and while he seldom starts a brawl he never backs away from one either if insulted. Bullard immediately joins the Foreign Legion and after training is thrown into the caldron of trench warfare. A machine gunner, he is wounded twice at Verdun. On convalescent leave a French officer recommends him for aviation training. Bullard passes through the difficult course and makes fast friends with several American pilots, including future ace Ted Parsons. But Eugene Bullards flying career however is shortlived. He flies only twenty combat missions for his adopted homeland before encountering the same Jim Crow ear racism he tried to leave behind.
   
   Dr. Edmund Gros, one of the key organizers of the Lafayette Flying Corps has been given the task of vetting French serving American pilots as they are merged into the US Air Service. Lloyd's account tells of Dr. Gros' behind the scenes blocking of Bullard's transfer, and how the 'patriotic' American doctor gave false testimony against Bullard to French officials that described the 22 year old pilot as a undisciplined assailant and a person of poor character. Gros letters recommended he be returned to the trenches and Bullard never flew again. Gros' prejudice against a young man he met only a handful of times is explained by Professor Lloyd as he describes newly arrived American officers aghast people of color welcomed in France and white French women freely dancing and drinking with African American men.
   
   When the Lafayette Flying Corps reunion groups snubbed him for several years after the war, his flying became point of pride for him, but Eugene Bullard's life postwar was even more fascinating than his flying days. He married, had children and ran a series of night clubs in Paris that introduced jazz to post war Paris. When American musicians traveled to France, Eugene Bullard was someone they turned to for both his language fluency and his understanding of French society. When Germany invaded in 1940 the 45 year old Bullard rushed to rejoin his old unit and after being wounded again, made a harrowing escape to America, settling down in New York.
   
   Never one to shy away from a struggle against injustice, in his latter years Eugene Bullard became involved in the early civil rights movement. He also finally enjoyed some recognition for his unique place in early aviation. More than just a footnote in history, Eugene Bullard's story is about an individuals daily battle for respect and freedom. Craig Lloyd's compelling biography of this true individual and the time he lived in, reminds the reader that sometimes that struggle is life itself.



2. A must read for any aviation buff who's ever wondered if there was a black pilot in WWI, and how he lived that life is truly an extraordinary saga.



3. This book gives you the opportunity to get a feeling of what your life may have been like living in the Jim Crow era of Georgia. My name is Bullard and I am a white genealogist. Eugene Bullard was the son of ex-slaves that were owned by a family named Bullard.
   
   It is fabulous to see a black person rise out of impossible circumstances to become an expatriate combat pilot in the French Air Force during World War I. Jazz and Blues is what I listen to every day and the Jazz story in this book is very interesting to me.



4. Eugene Bullard was an African American man who was born in 1895 in Columbus, Georgia, and lived a really fascinating live. After leaving the U.S. in 1912 to escape the existing suffocating racist oppression, he stayed first in Britain, and then settled in France where he lived as a boxer, entertainer, jazz drummer, was a war hero in the trenches in Verdun, and become the first African American combat pilot in 1917 (in French service: the U.S. would allow black combat pilots only in 1941...). After the war, like so many other African Americans, he remained in Europe. He become a well known entrepeneur in the Parisian night club life during the 20s and 30s. At the German invasion in 1940, and after a brief stint in the French army, he went back to the U.S. where he died in New York in 1961. Revered in France as a national hero during is life, and completely unknown in his country until more than twenty years after his death, the life of this extraordinary man has in this book a much deserved homage and, probably, its definitive biography.



5. A very well documented biography on a genuine American and French hero. Unfortunately he was born during the Jim Crow era in the south (even though the constitution which was written over 100 years before his birth mentions "all men are created equal", this did not include any non-caucasian's or women, did it? Did not use the word minority since it denotes less than some majority, there are more non-caucasian's in the world anyway and what is really meant by that word is just that, non-caucasian. I find it odd that the USA was founded by European descendants like the English, French and even though the country prided itself on it's progresive nature, it did not include equality, even though Europe itself did not practice racial discrimination). He was born the seventh child of a large family and his father always had a premonition of a very distinguished future for him and let it be known to him when he was young. Talks about his travel through the south after he left home and was told early by his father of a country (France) where all men are truly free. This had a profound effect on him because he eventually made it to France via England first.

   He began his livelyhood as a theatre performer and boxer; two opposing and similar avocations. He joined the military and became the first Black American and Black Frenchman aviator and was awarded medals for his bravery, dedication and skills. Very well liked, he had a contagious personality and started working at a famous Paris club later in life and eventually became a club owner himself. He met the famous of the day like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Langston Hughes, Bricktop and many others. This biography also got me interested in Jazz age Paris to request both autobiographies of Hughes and Bricktop.

   Slowly (too slowly) more is being known about this man and his acomplishments and contributions to the human race.

   You won't be able to put it down. Jack Johnson's autobiography "In the Ring and Out" is another good bio of that era too.

2 comments about Sea Wolf of the Confederacy: The Daring Civil War Raids of Naval Lt. Charles W. Read.

1. Charles W. Read was an inept student, he graduated last in his class at Annapolis in 1860 just before he re-signed his commission in the US Navy. What he showed (just like US Grant and a lot of other military minds) was that some people do best by doing, not studying. Having lost his steam ram in a battle on the Mississippi River near Vicksburg. He is called to work on a "Raider" out of Mobile Bay.
   
   Once on the open ocean "Florida" sailed into the Caribbean where they attacked Union commerce and merchant marine. Taking a captured ship "Tacony" with one howitzer and some fake (Quaker) wood guns, Read proceeds to damage over twenty ships on his way up to Portland Maine where they are caught but only after they steal a US Revenue Cutter and blow it up. The story is a lot like that of the "Shenandoah" which had two books about it published in 2005; more interesting from an historical point of view but not that thrilling. (How exciting can it be to read about the capture and burning of fishing Schooners?)



2. Although a life-long Civil War buff I had never heard of this attempt by a young Confederate Naval officer to take the war to the seas off New England. Lt. Charles A. Read had previously served on the ironclad "Arkansas" and the commerce raider "Florida" and had seen a lot of hard fighting - which he seemed to relish. In February, of 1863, the "Florida" captured a Union merchant vessel and Read was given permission to take over and convert this captured ship into another commerce raider. Read promptly sailed to the North and with only one small cannon on board began to wreak havoc on the New England fishing industry. The Northern states then began beseeching Washington for more protection - threatening to divert resources from the bloackade of Southern ports. Shipping insurance rates started rising, too.
   
   Shaw skillfully interweaves the two sides of the story - the motives and actions of the protagonist, Read, and his antagonist, Union Secretary of Navy Gideon Welles. The author may have a Northern bias but it does not ruin the story. There are many good accounts of Civil War naval actions - we can add this one to the list.

5 comments about Jefferson Davis: The Man and His Hour.

1. rHE AUTHOR WILLIAM C. DAVIS HAS WRITTEN MANY BOOKS ON THE CIVIL WAR AND THIS PERIOD OF OUR HISTORY. FOR A LONG TIME HE WAS EDITOR OF THE MAGAZINE CIVIL WAR ILLUSTRATED. SOME OF HIS BOOKS BELONG MORE IN THIS MAGAZINE THAN IN BOOK FORM. THISIS ONE OF HIS BEST, COMPARABLE TO HIS FINE WORK ON BRECKENRIDGE AND LIKE THAT EARLIER BOOK THIS OFFERS US A GOOD READ ABOUT THE POLITICS OF THE TIME BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH. IT IS A GOOD READ IN THE SENSE THAT THEE AUTHOR HAS GIVEN A GREAT DEAL OF TIME TO RESEARCH AND THINKING ON HIS SUBJECT. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT AS WELL WRITTEN AS SOME OTHER BIOS OF JEFF DAVIS.
   WM. DAVIS ATTEMPS TO BE FAIR IN HIS ASSESSMENT OF DAVIS, NEITHER PRO NOR CON TO A GREAT EXTENT AND THIS SEEKING FOR FAIRNESS TAKES SOME OF THE EXCITEMENT FROM THE SUBJECT. ON THE WHOLE IT IS A WORTHY BOOK FOR ANY READER--PROFESSIONAL OR BUFF.



2. Davis presents casual readers and historians with an excellent bio of Davis and his tenure as president of the short-lived Confederate nation. His meticulous research is evident in this interesting account of the man AND his motivations. I had the privilege of hearing Mr. Davis address a Civil War Round Table shortly after the publication of this book. His other works, especially "The Deep Waters of the Proud" are also highly recommended



3. William Davis has written many has written many wonderful books about the Civil War and quite frankly he has come a long way as a writer since he wrote this book. In this book all too often his sentence structure is poor and I had to read some sentences two or three times to see what he meant. There are also a few typos in this edition but that is hardly Davis' fault. On the other hand there is a reference in the book about Bedford Forrest being from Alabama which is hard to explain. Overall though this book is well written and will certainly hold the reader's attention.

   All in all, this is an excellent biography of Jefferson Davis. I would suggest that anyone who reads this book also read William Cooper's biography of Davis because the two authors take different approaches to their subject and together they offer a great insight into the life of President Davis.

   This biography tends to delve more into the personality quirks that made Davis who he was and is sometimes very critical of these quirks. In fact, this book is sometimes much more critical of Davis than is Cooper but on the other hand there is plenty of praise for the subject also. The author tends to focus on Davis as commander in chief and generally on his relationship with his generals, especially Joe Johnston, Beauregard and Bragg. These three relationships Davis argues were devastating to the Confederacy and were examples of Jefferson Davis at his worst. Full credit is given to Davis however for realizing what he had in Robert E. Lee and for doing all he could to support his best general through good times and bad.

   After all is said and done the author reaches what seems like a sound conclusion. Jefferson Davis probably did as well or better than any of the other possible choices the South could have picked as their leader. He made mistakes but it was he who set up the structure that kept the armies in the field for four years. Davis was the one who persuaded Congress to pass the laws that sent the armies men and food, Davis chose Lee for command when "Granny Lee" was not at all popular, and Davis dealt with the obstinate Governors who tried to keep men and arms to themselves when they were desperately needed elsewhere. In short, Davis held the new nation together longer than most any other Southern leader could have.

   Finally, the author deals quite well with the process that brought Davis to near sainthood in the South after the war. It was a process that started with his imprisonment in Fort Monroe and ended with one of the largest funerals in Southern history. Together, Cooper and Davis cover most every aspect of the life of Jefferson Davis and the two books compliment each other quite well. What Davis misses, Cooper takes care of and what Cooper only touches upon, Davis completes. These two books will serve as the most complete biographies of Jefferson Davis for years to come, and they may never be surpassed.




4. WC Davis writes a thorough bio on one of the most unique icons in our history. Jeff Davis is shown from his youth, painful first marriage, through his political and military rise, to the senate and to the Chief Executive position in the Confederacy. WC's bio helps explain why Davis was so unwilling to give up to the point of unrealistic dreams during the final month of the war particularly when Lee's army collapsed. WC notes the sad loss of Jeff Davis' first wife that left him a social cripple for several years to his slow rebirth. His success in the Mexican war seemed to lead him to conclude that he was a superior military man and his role as the Secretary of Defense perhaps encouraged his perspective. More a man of criticism than bright ideas in the senate, he seemed to hold his perception of honor above all else. WC does a great job describing Jeff's relations with his generals particularly Lee who seems to placate Davis' need for detail unlike Johnson and Beauregard. At the end, Jeff Davis seems to hold the Confederacy by himself and his only last political hurrah may have been allowing Alexander Stephens to make his futile effort at peace in March 65. In the end, WC notes that Jeff Davis seems to rebound with the southern public aided by his cruel treatment at Fort Monroe by his captors; however, his two-volume book seems a disaster of disorganization. One has to respect Davis for holding the Confederacy together in spite of his true desire to be a general and particularly because of his ill health and fractured political support. The book answers the question of how Davis could ever imagine that the Confederacy could survive as he was riding with a small protective band through Georgia in his last hours acting more like a fugitive than the President of a country that could still rally.



5. Once more, William C. Davis have provided us Civil War readers with another pure winner. Of all the biographies I have read on Jefferson Davis, this book definitely proves to be the best. It highly readable, interesting as well as entertaining and after you finished with the last page, you actually feel like you know something about Jefferson Davis, his talents which was outweighted by his weaknesses. The biography paint a rather tragic figure of man who was so devoted to his cause but yet, did so much to defeat it. The irony will proves to be unforgettable to anyone who read the book. I would considered this book to be one of these so called "must read" book by anyone who have a slightest interest in the Civil War.