Comments on: Best Civil War Regiment History Books?

By: Duceman

Duceman — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 21:10:41 +0000

I should have spent more time on this. I read every Regimental History that I can get. Here is my top 10..
1. Co.Aytch- Sam Watkins and 1st Tenn. Must be read.
2. All for the Union-Elijah Hunt Rhodes and 2nd RI- must read on Union side.
3. Scythe of Fire-8th Georgia
4. The Twentieth Maine(Stand Firm is also good but I like this one better.)
5. Harvards Civil War- 20th Mass
6. The Last Full Measure- 1st Minnesotta
7. My Brave Boys- 5th NH
8. 6th Wisonsin- Rufus Dawes- this isnt the name of the book. I can’t remember.
9. Covered with Glory-26th NC- mostly at Gettysburg
10. Orphan Brigade- Rebel Kentuckians

Other Civil War books I reccomend:
Not
Patrick Cleburne
From Ashby to Andersonville- 21st Mass
18th Mass
Mother may you never see the sights I have seen-57th Massachusetts
Far From Home-9th Florida
War Like the Thunderbolt- Atlanta Campaign
Team of Rivals- Lincoln- one of the best books I ever read.

This is all I can remember off the top of my head. Anyone else has any reccomendations, I’m all ears man.
Hope this helps.
Duceman.

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:24:18 +0000

Duceman, very impressive list and several I have not read! But I will!

Chris

By: Duceman

Duceman — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:39:36 +0000

All of the above are good. There are other less well known Regimental histories that I think are excellent. Here are my top 5..

1. Scythe of Fire- The 8th Georgia
2. 6th Wisconsin- by Rufus Dawes- best Iron Brigade book that I i have read. One of the best Regimental histories i have read.
3. My Brave Boys- Col. Cross and the 5th NH
4. The Orphan Brigade- Story of Confederate Kentucky Brigade
5. Lee’s Tigers – Lee’s Lousinana brigade.

Also, I don’t see it mentioned above but Co. Aytch Sam Watkins and the First Tennessee is the best of all time. Hope this helps..

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:30:47 +0000

Ted I look forward to Miller’s new book, send me a review copy!?

By: Theodore P. Savas

Theodore P. Savas — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:45:30 +0000

We published it long ago, but I still love James Gannon’s Irish Rebels, Confederate Tigers/ 6th Louisiana Infantry.

BTW, Richard Miller, of Harvard’s Civil War, has a new book coming out next June called Fighting Words: Persuasive Strategies for War and Politics (Savas Beatie).

Best,

tps

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:32:21 +0000

Will, excellent choice! I have “The Last Full Measure” on my bookshelf and greatly enjoyed it as well.

Gerald, thank you for posting, I have not read Tobie’s book but when I get a chance I will get a copy, thanks again!

Chris

By: Gerald Todd

Gerald Todd — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:28:25 +0000

Edward Tobie’s “The History First Maine Cavalry 1861-1865″
Probably the best contemporary regimental history there is.
For someone reenacting the 1st Maine, this book has been a bible.

By: Will Hickox

Will Hickox — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:46:00 +0000

I second the nomination of “Harvard’s Civil War,” but my favorite regimental history is “The Last Full Measure,” by Richard Moe, about the 1st Minnesota. The men of this regiment were very descriptive writers, and Moe does an excellent job bringing their war to life with many primary sources. In the introduction, Moe talks about growing up in Minnesota surrounded by reminders of the state’s heroic Civil War contributions. I think this gives the book a special quality and helps us to imagine the tough westerners of the 1st as people we might know.

By: Craig

Craig — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:12:16 +0000

I like “Harvard’s Civil War: The History of the Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry” by Richard Miller.