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Tom_DeFranco
Posted July 13, 2011
For Civil War buffs of various different levels, this recent book (initially published in 11/2010) offers an excellent study of what made the battle of Chickamauga a "barren victory" for the Confederates.
This is author David Powell's second book (the first being Maps Of Chickamauga) and it goes even further to demonstrate his expertise about the 1863 campaigns that occurred in middle Tennessee and northwest Georgia. Dave is probably one of three people who could honestly be referred to as an "expert" on the subject. Along with his recent entry into writing, he had designed three games on the subject and co-leads an annual tour (in mid-March) at the Chickamauga/Chattanooga National Military Park. He has concentrated his studies of the abovementioned campaign for well over a decade now.
There is a myth of Southern superiority throughout the Civil War regarding their horsemen, especially their leaders. Ironically in their only victory in a large battle in the western theater of the Civil War, Confederate cavalry was found seriously wanting. Failure In The Saddle reveals the mistakes that were made by Confederate cavalry leaders during the Tullahoma and Chickamauga campaigns. One of the leading characters in the drama was the much celebrated Confederate cavalry raider, Nathan Bedford Forrest, who to many in the South is above reproach. These operations marked the first time that Forrest commanded a corps of cavalry and his unfamiliarity with the position led to several glaring mistakes throughout the campaign and battle. Even more suspect in the series of errors committed by Confederate cavalry during the campaign was Joseph Wheeler the Army of Tennessee's other cavalry corps commander. Where General Forrest's mistakes were honest missteps committed by a man new to higher command within a larger organizational structure, many of Wheeler's mistakes seemed like pure sloth and insubordination.
Included in the book are fourteen maps, five appendices (including a driving tour with GPS coordinates, a list of Confederate cavalry casualties during the campaign, a Confederate inspector general's report of Wheeler's cavalry during the 1864 Georgia Campaign, an analysis of a legendary, and probably embellished confrontation between Forrest and army commander Braxton Bragg and an interview with the author).
In short, the book is a fact filled, but fast paced, eye opening read about the Confederate cavalry during one of their less than spectacular moments.
Tom_DeFranco
Posted July 12, 2011
For Civil War buffs of various different levels, this recent book (initially published in 11/2010) offers an excellent study of what made the battle of Chickamauga a "barren victory" for the Confederates.
This is author David Powell's second book (the first being Maps Of Chickamauga) and it goes even further to demonstrate his expertise about the 1863 campaigns that occurred in middle Tennessee and northwest Georgia. Dave is probably one of three people who could honestly be referred to as an "expert" on the subject. Along with his recent entry into writing, he had designed three games on the subject and co-leads an annual tour (in mid-March) at the Chickamauga/Chattanooga National Military Park. He has concentrated his studies of the abovementioned campaign for well over a decade now.
There is a myth of Southern superiority throughout the Civil War regarding their horsemen, especially their leaders. Ironically in their only victory in a large battle in the western theater of the Civil War, Confederate cavalry was found seriously wanting. Failure In The Saddle reveals the mistakes that were made by Confederate cavalry leaders during the Tullahoma and Chickamauga campaigns. One of the leading characters in the drama was the much celebrated Confedrate cavalry raider, Nathan Bedford Forrest, who to many in the South is above reproach. These operations marked the first time that Forrest commanded a corps of cavalry and his unfamiliarity with the position led to several glaring mistakes throughout the campaign and battle. Even more suspect in the series of errors committed by Confederate cavalry during the campaign was Joseph Wheeler the Army of Tennessee's other cavalry corps commander. Where General Forrest's mistakes were honest missteps committed by a man new to higher command within a larger organizational structure, many of Wheeler's mistakes seemed like pure sloth and insubordination.
Included in the book are fourteen maps, five appendices (including a driving tour with GPS coordinates, a list of Confederate cavalry casualties during the campaign, a Confederate inspector general's report of Wheeler's cavalry during the 1864 Georgia Campaign, an analysis of a legendary, and probably embellished confrontation between Forrest and army commander Braxton Bragg and an interview with the author).
In short, the book is a fact filled, but fast paced, eye opening read about the Confederate cavalry during one of their less than spectacular moments.
Anonymous
Posted July 2, 2011
No text was provided for this review.
