Few historical figures are as inextricably linked as Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee. But less than two decades before they faced each other as enemies at Appomattox, they had been brothers -- both West Point graduates, both wearing blue, and both fighting in the same cadre in the Mexican War. They were not alone: Sherman, Davis, Jackson nearly all of the Civil War's greatest soldiers had been forged in the heat of Vera Cruz and Monterrey. The Mexican War has faded from our national memory, but it was a struggle of enormous significance: the first U.S. war waged on foreign soil; and it nearly doubled our nation.
At this fascinating juncture of American history, a group of young men came together to fight as friends, only years later to fight as enemies. This is their story. Full of dramatic battles, daring rescues, secret missions, soaring triumphs and tragic losses, The Training Ground is history at its finest.
Martin Dugard is the New York Times bestselling author of such nonfiction titles as Chasing Lance, The Last Voyage of Columbus, Farther Than Any Man, Knockdown, and Into Africa. He has written for Esquire, Outside, Sports Illustrated, and GQ. Dugard lives in Orange County, California, with his wife and three sons.
Table of Contents
Author's Note Appomattox Prologue Book One: Line in the Sand One: Corpus Christi Two: Rio Grande Three: Rough and Ready Four: Fields of Fire Five: Call to Battle Six: Fort Texas Seven: Clash Eight: Resaca de la Palma Nine: Brown Bess Ten: Volunteers Eleven: Growing Up Book Two: Taylor's War Twelve: Camargo Thirteen: Star-Spangled Banner Fourteen: Eager for Action Fifteen: First Mississippi Sixteen: The Westerner Seventeen: The Rifles Eighteen: Supply Train Nineteen: Prelude Twenty: Monterrey, Day One Twenty-One: Monterrey, Day Two Twenty-Two: The Mortar Book Three: Politics and War Twenty-Three: Change of Command Twenty-Four: The Perils of Occupation Twenty-Five: Policy and Power Book Four: Scott's War Twenty-Six: Transfers Twenty-Seven: The Artillery Officer Twenty-Eight: One Step Closer Twenty-Nine: California Thirty: Taylor Stands Alone Thirty-One: The Hacienda Thirty-Two: Lobos Island Thirty-Three: Invasion Thirty-Four: National Road Thirty-Five: Twiggs's Dilemma Thirty-Six: Reconnaissance Thirty-Seven: Pressing the Advantage Book Five: The Aztec Club Thirty-Eight: "Nothing Can Stop This Army" Thirty-Nine: Old Glory Forty: Conquest Forty-One: Fourth of July Epilogue Acknowledgments Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Selected Notes and Biographies Selected Bibliography Index
