Chasing Mosby, Killing Booth: The 16th New York Volunteer Cavalry

by James Carson

Overview

Near the end of the Civil War, Army Chief of Staff Henry W. Halleck described the 16th New York Volunteer Cavalry as "cowed and useless" after they were "cut up" by Confederate Colonel John Mosby's Rangers. The following April the New Yorkers made their place in history when 26 men led by Lieutenant Edward P. Doherty captured and killed John Wilkes Booth.

An amalgam of three partially formed regiments, the 16th was plagued by early desertions, poor leadership and a near mutiny as its First Battalion prepared to march to northern Virginia to bolster the outer defenses of Washington in October 1863. The regiment spent most of the remainder of the war chasing Mosby's cavalry. They won a few tactical victories but were mainly confounded by the Confederate guerrillas.

Drawing on personal letters, diaries and memoirs by men of the 16th, and the recollections of Mosby's men, this deeply researched history provides fresh perspective on Mosby's exploits and the hunt for Booth.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476663296
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	06/09/2017
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

James Carson, a retired CIA and Army officer, has more than thirty years of experience as a military intelligence analyst, manager, and educator. He lives in Ashburn, Virginia.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
One: A Regiment Is Formed
Two: Colonel Lazelle Joins His Regiment
Three: The Spring 1864 Campaign
Four: July–August 1864: More Challenges, More Losses
Five: September–October 1864: More and More Losses
Six: A New Colonel and Brigade Reorganization
Seven: Victory and Tragedy
Eight: At War’s End
Nine: ­Postwar Fortunes and Failures
Appendix A: Roster of Officers and Sergeants
Appendix B: Regimental Deaths in Andersonville and Other Prisons
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

A thorough history.... Assiduously researched and packed with detail...insightful.... Carson brings honor to this illustrious regiment with an honest assessment of its courageous actions under fire”—Civil War News; “Carson’s study of the Sixteenth New York Volunteer Cavalry sheds light on a unit that experienced frequent failures throughout the war. By tracing the history of the regiment, Carson acknowledges that many military units were composed of both heroic and flawed individuals...takes an interesting look at a unit that unexpectedly gained national attention.”—The Journal of Southern History.

From the Publisher