Wilson's Cavalry Corps: Union Campaigns in the Western Theatre, October 1864 through Spring 1865

by Jerry Keenan

Overview

The famed fighting force of Union General William T. Sherman was plagued by a lack of first-rate cavalry--mostly because of Sherman's belief, after some bad experiences, that the cavalry was largely a waste of good horses. The man Grant sent to change Sherman's mind was James Harrison Wilson, a bright, ambitious, and outspoken young officer with a penchant for organization.

Wilson proved the perfect man for the job, transforming a collection of independent regiments and brigades into a fiercely effective mounted unit. Wilson's Cavalry, as it came to be known, played a major role in thwarting Confederate General Hood's 1864 invasion of Tennessee, then moved south for the celebrated capture of Selma, Montgomery, and Columbus. Despite such success, it is this book that is the first overall history of the Cavalry Corps. In addition to meticulous description of military actions, the book affords particular attention to Wilson's outstanding achievement in creating an infrastructure for his corps, even as he covered the Federal flanks in the withdrawal to Franklin and Nashville.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476609065
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	08/13/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	271
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Jerry Keenan has written for America’s Civil War, Wild West and Journal of the West. Retired from the publishing industry, he lives in Longmont, Colorado.
Jerry Keenan has written for America's Civil War, Wild West and Journal of the West. Retired from the publishing industry, he lives in Longmont, Colorado.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments     
Preface     
Introduction     

1. The Foal Is Sired     
2. The Reins of Command     
3. Prelude     
4. Florence to Columbia     
5. Columbia to Franklin     
6. Franklin     
7. Hood’s Dilemma     
8. Interlude     
9. Nashville     
10. Pursuit     
11. “Lyon Was an Illusive Cuss”     
12. Winter Quarters     
13. In the Confederate Camp     
14. South to Selma     
15. Selma to Montgomery     
16. Montgomery to Columbus     
17. Columbus to Macon     
18. Croxton’s Odyssey     
19. The Pursuit and Capture of Jefferson Davis     
20. Epilogue     

Notes     
Bibliography     
Index     

Editorial Reviews

Although Union General Tecumseh Sherman was skeptical of the utility of the cavalry corps, James Harrison Wilson took command of that unit in the fourth and final year of the Civil War and transformed it into an efficient and deadly fighting unit. Tracing the corps' battles and marches in that decisive year, Keenan (who has written for America's Civil War, Wild West, and the Journal of the West) demonstrates how and why Wilson was effective. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Booknews

comprehensive...detailed...the author should be commended for the fine prose...well-illustrated with photographs of the major participants and maps detailing the scene of action...an outstanding contribution to our understanding of cavalry operations in the western theater...belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in the mounted army during the Civil War”—Civil War History; “this book is a gem, cut, polished and faceted perfectly to let a terrific story gleam through...well-researched, fanatically footnoted, brilliantly readable”—Civil War Interactive; “the great merit of Keenan’s study...is that it shows why Wilson began badly and why he finished superbly”—Crossfire; “the first overall history of the Cavalry Corps…detailed description of military actions”—Heliogram of Council on America’s Military Past; “comprehensively covers the battles and troop movements of the final stages of the Civil War...provides insight into the personalities of Wilson, Thomas, Hood, and Forrest...professionally illustrated...well indexed and shows diligent research and documentation”—Colorado Libraries.

From the Publisher