If You Could

[Scribe]

Supposin' you had the time, resources, and inclination to research and write a book on an underexplored battle, campaign, commander, et al of the Civil War, who or what would you write about?

If it has anything to do with Gettysburg... never mind. <g>

[ole]

Hit a hot button there, Scribe. I'll believe that very nearly every member of this board has thoughts of having at least one book somewhere in there.

Mine will be fiction. There's much too much work involved in factual. As I am no longer young and eager to to do great things, the effort required for something factual boggles.

ole

[OpnDownfall]

I think I would like to delve in greater depth, the decision making process of the confederate gov't in Richmond, concerning sending reinforcements west from Lee's Army just before the ill-fated Pa. Invasion and the existence of the direct rail link between Petersburg and Chattanooga through Knoxville in E. Tn.

[Baggage Handler #2]

I would find a 90 day regiment that saw some action, or at most a 9 month, then retrace their path from mustering in to mustering out.

No automobiles.
By train if accurate, by boat if on the Ohio or Tennessee (or other), but by my own power otherwise.
Realistically, however, I'm not going to walk 20 miles per day, so maybe use a bike, and use the extra time to find and interview locals.

If that succeeded, and a good story came of it, then do it again, only for two regiments that squared off against each other and for which reminiscences exist. Off the top of my head, Sam Watkins' 1st TN and probably some Midwestern unit, from Shiloh to Nashville - the long way.

Actually there are dozens that could be done on that theme, but the daily pictures and sentiments interwoven with the historical record and first person histories might be compelling - to my knowledge it would be something new.

[rivrrat]

Sterling Price's 1864 invasion of Missouri.

[matthew mckeon]

The goings on in England between Confederates trying to get the Laird rams, commerce raiders and other goodies, and the Federals, led by Ambassador Charles Francis Adams, trying to stop them.

[richard]

There are so many very interesting areas of the war that have not been discussed. The real problem is that only so much information can be uncovered.

This past weekend I had the pleasure in talking to the author of "Blue Lightining" the story of Wilders Bragaide. He just last year published a revised addition of this very interesting book. In it he added 10000 more words and a lot of new photographs. All of this new information came to him after people discovered it their family record or atics of relatives homes.

Agood example is that just last month, a trash collector found a journal that contained a list of every POW that was sent to Camp Morton in Indianapolis.

If you talk to authors you will find for example Eric who wrote the new book on Franklin. He spent 10 years digging for information. The information comes slowly at times and sometimes it never comes.

I have spent three years off and on researching just one officer, and I still have not found much over a third of what I want to find. I am sure that there are letters or other information that the family of this officer has in their possession but will not release.

If you wish to write a book, by all means do so. The research is the fun part of it. It is also the most flustrating part. Even if you never write or publish the book that you want to, your personal knowledge of that event will be able to help others understand that part of the war. The information that you give to others will help future generations understand what happened and why.

But what ever you do please share the information you get with others.

[M E Wolf]

Dear Scribe and List Members,

I would wish to write and put the quiet movement of the Union forces that went across the Long Bridge at Washington that crossed into Northern Virginia. It was rather a quiet invasion per se-- The Union forces then took Lee's Arlington Mansion and it's heights; to which Union correspondences would identify the location as 'Arlington' or 'Arlington Heights, Virginia.' I would then work on how taking these positions were necessary for the Defense of Washington. Not much resistance was offered by the Confederacy. The only effort was by General Longstreet and General JEB Stuart in the shelling of Bailey's Crossroads also known as Bailey's Corners.

I would also feature how the Union rather quietly entered into the town of Alexandria, Virginia--to which only skirmishes took place but, more superior arms and forces overwhelmed the 'Old Dominion Rifles' a militia. Captain Corse would not be able to defend Alexandria, as his official report showed how poorly armed and man power lacking, could only escape and join a larger force. And, I would also bring more focus on Colonel Ellsworth, of the New York Fire Zouaves. His story is very interesting in of itself. I will note, that although the Fort Ward is open to the public and features Colonel Ellsworth's possessions; a bit of the story of his death--his pre war life is, to me just as important. A graduate of West Point; he studied the "French Zouaves" and created a group and drilled them so finely in both US Infantry and Zouave tactics; that it caused great interest--to include President-elect Lincoln and General Sumner. He was considered the "Father of the Zouave” Ellsworth had done tours all around Illinois but, when the Civil War broke, he was drawn to the bravery of the New York Fire Department. I believe this same sense of bravery existed then as they have done during September 11 and, created the “New York Fire Zouave” unit. He was detailed for a time to guard Lincoln and was so keen on tactics that he perhaps acted more like the present day US Secret Service’s uniform division. His death was so premature and think if he lived, his training in the tactics of the French Zouave would have enhanced the US Military. I will mention though, the Confederates also had Zouave units.

I would also present the death of the first Confederate officer killed in Virginia, at Fairfax Court House; to which the death occurred before the Battle of Bull Run/Manassas. Captain John Marr.


Although this area is famous for the many raids by Colonel John S. Mosby (CSA) ranger, who reported directly to General JEB Stuart; I would also like to visit other Generals of influence over the now Union occupied northeastern portion of Northern Virginia. I would enjoy bringing Colonel William Gamble back into focus. After Gettysburg, he was assigned to the defenses of Alexandria and outer Washington City. He would be brevet Brigadier General to which he would be involved from his assignment to not only the defenses of Alexandria but, the remount station for the cavalry at Camp Stoneman--Giesborough Point, which Boiling Air Force Base now occupies. It served as a fortification as well as a remount station. Gamble would be assigned to track John Wilkes Booth after the assassination of President Lincoln and would be also assigned as a cavalry escort for President Lincoln’s remains and also the organization of a cavalry escort once in Illinois. There are several relatively unknown Generals to which I would like to present for public consumption -- Brig. General Robert O. Tyler, Brig. General Michael Corcoran, General S. Williams, General Rufus King, Brig. General W. B. Franklin, Brig. General Louis Blenker, Major General C. C. Augur, Brig. General J. D. Cox, General Cowdin, Brig. General J. J. Abercrombie and Major General S. P. Heintzelman.

I would also like to present the Excelsior Brigade, the 1st Regular NJ Volunteers, 1st NY Cavalry, 1st NY Volunteer Cavalry aka Lincoln Cavalry, 16th NY Volunteer Cavalry and 1st District Cavalry (DC); Brig. General Edwin H. Stoughton’s 2nd Brigade and the Scott’s Nine-hundred unit and any other units that may have been guardians of these areas.

I would also like to include the railroads that served in this area-- Alexandria, Loudoun and Hampshire Railroad (which would end as the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad in 1968), Manassas Gap Railroad as well as Alexandria and Orange Railroad. The attacks on the railroad stations of these railroads are quite enlightening.

I would also like to bring history of these roads that have existed and many a hoof and or foot traveled on going to and from the major battlefields.

In addition, I would like to offer street addresses for some of these important locations during the Civil War, such as headquarters and other departmental offices, perhaps hospitals for the wounded.

I would also inform about the wagons, weight, dimensions, ability of horses, regulations involving wagons, loads, the wagon train and it’s cavalry escorts, some information that helps grasp the reader of the effort involved. And, I will add the Official Reports as well as manuals to add to the correctness of the information.

Now, if I was writing fiction--or novel based on some of these characters; I could picture myself writing a rather interesting book based on my equestrian training under a former Cavalry Officer, as well as driving horses. Perhaps… the life and times of a known Cavalry officer or one of the Cavalry units, to which I would be thrilled to have Gamble as the General -- in his reports he was --well, in modern terms--had a hint of humor/mischief and darn smart; that was assigned to this area and under Gamble; since I know the ground rather well. General Buford was assigned for a short while around this area as well before his health went down the tubes and died in Washington at General Stoneman’s home.


I hope someone wills me some money to get these ideas to print. [Grins]

Thank you Scribe for provoking some thought.

Respectfully submitted for consideration,
M. E. Wolf

[blue_zouave]

Originally Posted by ole

Mine will be fiction. There's much too much work involved in factual.
ole

LOL, Ole, I write fiction and it still involves a lot of work... you gotta get all the little nitpicky things right!

If I had unlimited time/resources I'd write a really good biography of William Starke Rosecrans, including his long postwar career.

Zou

[Cpt. Steinhauer]

i'd go with what happened in Texas. but motly Palmetto Ranch, the last battle of the whole Civil War