NF Does every regiment deserve a book?

[Marc Storch]

Through years of working with regiments, orders of battles, etc., I managed to accidentally memorize the basic regimental histories of every ACW unit. Many upsides to this, but also many downsides -- the greatest of these being that no, not every regiment is very interesting. For instance:

• The 5th, 6th, 7th, and 9th Delaware never saw combat
• The 67th-71st, 132nd-136th, 138th, 139th, 141st, 144th, and 145th-156th Illinois never saw combat
• The 102nd-114th Indiana and most of the 130, 140, and 150s never saw combat
• The 41st-48th Iowa never saw combat
• The 30th Michigan, as @Kurtlg mentioned, never saw combat
• The 11th Minnesota never saw combat
• Over half of all Missouri regiments (infantry, cavalry, and artillery) never left the state and/or saw combat
• I believe only seven of the forty-one Ohio National Guard units saw combat, and most of the 180s and 190s never saw combat
• Most of Wisconsin's 40-series regiments never saw combat

However, what I've seen is that this only goes for Union units -- every Confederate unit raised saw combat or special duty in some shape or form. Every Confederate regiment deserves a history, but not all Union units deserve a history; I'd limit it to those that saw combat.

Just a clarification on the comment regarding Wisconsin regiments. Of the 52 (2 units, the 53rd and 54th were never really formed), 13 artillery batteries and four cavalry regiments, the infantry regiments 1st -12th, 14th-29th, 31st-33rd, 35th-38th did see combat. Of the others, which were often short duration units, several were in skirmishes or were not engaged such as in the attack on Memphis. Of the artillery, the 1st, 3rd - 10th and 12th all saw combat and all four of the cavalry regiments were engaged in either battles or in contention with irregular forces in the deep south. Just wanted to set the record straight.

 

[lupaglupa]

My husband and I created a free website about his mother's family. We put a few articles up and then got distracted with other projects. It's been there, largely untouched, for ten years. We can see the statistics for usage and it gets 2 or 3 visitors A WEEK. About once a year someone contacts us using the form on the website. We've had distant family reach out. Once we heard from a museum curator asking for help (one family member was a noted artist). The whole thing costs us nothing and we do feel it helps get some information out there that otherwise might be lost.

 

[Bryce]

What's the best way to commemorate that regiment you've been researching - especially the ones that aren't really exciting? "My" three year regiment (the 6th New York Heavy Artillery) mustered in Sept. 1862, but doesn't make Fox's fighting 300 list. It didn't spend a whole lot of time in the front lines and missed all the '62 and '63 battles. It didn't fight until the Overland Campaign, and even then was mostly on the periphery being shuttled around as a reserve unit. It did have a few active days in combat (Harris Farms, Bethesda Church, Petersburg, and a disaster at Cedar's Creek, but not really a decisive role in any of those). There are some good, unpublished sources but these mostly talk about the day-to-day issues common to every regiment: training, picket duty, a lot of sickness, complaints about pay, officers backstabbing and bickering over promotions, etc. Is anyone going to read a narrative of this regiment other than a few descendants and local history enthusiasts? Or is a website a better idea? Or something else? I'm struggling with what to do with all this material I've compiled.

I think you should write the book. I can help you. Email me at Street [email protected].

I might be able to find you a publisher

Bryce

 

[James Brenner]

It's too bad that more states don't subsidize a regimental series as Virginia once did. Granted they were almost formula books and some volumes were better than others, but at least each regiment had a record.

 

[DixieRifles]

You might consider writing an article for a local newspaper or historical society? The folks connected to the locale would surely be interested in publishing it - whether in print or on their webpage.

@huskerblitz
I agree. I took a course at our museum about how to research things you find interesting.
They pointed out 3 ways to publish your research: book, website or historical society periodical. I know some topics we study on the Civil War is too technical or too much detail for an article. Now it appears the Civil War magazines are disappearing.

I choose website for my story of my father's war. It allowed me to expand into small side stories and more in-depth topics.
I considered closing it down due to rise in cost to host the files but I found another host.

 

[DixieRifles]

Q: Does every regiment deserve a book?

My immediate response would be "No!".
I had a Gr-GrandUncle who served in the 26th Arkansas Regiment. All I found was they were part of an expedition and maybe a skirmish and then went into winter quarters when many died of disease.
However, I can think of many books Ive read about generals and leasers that seemed lame. The person may not have lead a charge, however, I did enjoy reading about his series of struggles and failures.
So every regiment has a story to tell. It may be a short one but, if it is researched and told right, it could be worth reading.
One example of a short-lived regiment that I always think about is the 13th Light Ohio Battery. They were placed too far in front of the line at Shiloh, they fled and ran at the first incoming rounds.

 

[huskerblitz]

@huskerblitz
I agree. I took a course at our museum about how to research things you find interesting.
They pointed out 3 ways to publish your research: book, website or historical society periodical. I know some topics we study on the Civil War is too technical or too much detail for an article. Now it appears the Civil War magazines are disappearing.

I choose website for my story of my father's war. It allowed me to expand into small side stories and more in-depth topics.
I considered closing it down due to rise in cost to host the files but I found another host.

Perhaps. If you gathered from my alias, I'm not a native Bluegrasser. It's interesting, however, I got more information from the Kentucky Military History Museum than the standard Historical Society. And in talking with the curator (at the time...no idea if it's the same person) there was some antagonistic attitudes between the two branches.

Nonetheless, it's a thought. Though my big concern is the information I would want to get out would be edited and shrank for publication. That would drive me nuts. I could rewrite my Masters thesis and send that to them and see what they think.

 

[Stryker65]

Just a clarification on the comment regarding Wisconsin regiments. Of the 52 (2 units, the 53rd and 54th were never really formed), 13 artillery batteries and four cavalry regiments, the infantry regiments 1st -12th, 14th-29th, 31st-33rd, 35th-38th did see combat. Of the others, which were often short duration units, several were in skirmishes or were not engaged such as in the attack on Memphis. Of the artillery, the 1st, 3rd - 10th and 12th all saw combat and all four of the cavalry regiments were engaged in either battles or in contention with irregular forces in the deep south. Just wanted to set the record straight.

You are of course correct, I did not mean to suggest that Wisconsin units did not fight in the war; by "40-series", I only meant those Wisconsin regiments numbered in the 40s (40th Wisconsin thru 49th Wisconsin).

 

[Stryker65]

It's too bad that more states don't subsidize a regimental series as Virginia once did. Granted they were almost formula books and some volumes were better than others, but at least each regiment had a record.

North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee at least had large compendiums of regimental histories made around the turn of the century (Moore/Clark, Seigler, and Tennesseeans in the Civil War).

 

[James Brenner]

Does every regiment deserve a book? Well, maybe not a book, but each regiment deserves at least some sort of printed history, even if it's only a paragraph or two. Walt Whitman wrote in "The Real War Will Never Get in Books", that the "typical events" of camp and field were in danger of being totally forgotten. And that may be the best reason for each regiment to have a history: so that soldiers' real war won't be forgotten.

 

[lupaglupa]

Does every regiment deserve a book? Well, maybe not a book, but each regiment deserves at least some sort of printed history, even if it's only a paragraph or two. Walt Whitman wrote in "The Real War Will Never Get in Books", that the "typical events" of camp and field were in danger of being totally forgotten. And that may be the best reason for each regiment to have a history: so that soldiers' real war won't be forgotten.

So often those "typical" events aren't captured in regimental histories though. They are best found in soldiers' diaries.

 

[James Brenner]

Totally agree. The original regimental histories tend to be listings of marches, battles, and campaigns. What anecdotes they do include are very tame, which makes sense. Many of the veterans don't want tales of their...um... faux pas made known. With letters and diaries, those "typical" events can be captured.

 

[Stryker65]

Totally agree. The original regimental histories tend to be listings of marches, battles, and campaigns. What anecdotes they do include are very tame, which makes sense. Many of the veterans don't want tales of their...um... faux pas made known. With letters and diaries, those "typical" events can be captured.

The Clark NC histories are the only histories I know that constantly include the Funny Stories.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

So often those "typical" events aren't captured in regimental histories though. They are best found in soldiers' diaries.

Yes, diaries are great, as are some of the first-person account books written by privates.

 

[WVV]

The short answer is yes, every regiment deserves a book. But, we write regimentals as a labor of love – just to get that story out there and see it preserved. No, they do not sell well. However, every little piece just adds to the overall picture. By the way, I've written regimentals (published) on the 37th North Carolina, 58th North Carolina, 39th Battalion Virginia Cavalry, and the Branch-Lane brigade. Let me know if I can help.

Mr Hardy: I really enjoyed your book on Branch Lane brigade (and your book on Hanover Ct House). Granted that the single-regiment histories don't sell well; did the Branch-Lane volume do better in terms of sales?

Keep up the good work

VV

 

[DRW]

As a corollary to my own question: I have received access to a privately-held collection of 340 letters: 160 written by a private in the 6th NY Heavy Artillery, and 180 written by his wife living in Westchester County NY, to each other, during the terms of this man's enlistment from the summer of 1862 through the summer of 1865. Portions of 40 of these letters were published in an article in an obscure history periodical in the 1960s that stopped publication after 4 issues. I've seen citations to this article in just a few places but only for social history - not military history purposes. The owner of the collection is generously giving me this access for my research purposes. I don't think she has concrete has plans about what to do with this collection and hasn't really had time to delve seriously into this collection I believe she inherited. The letters appear to be very well preserved and very readable. Any ideas on how to advise this owner on what to do with this collection?

 

[19thGeorgia]

...every Confederate unit raised saw combat or special duty in some shape or form. Every Confederate regiment deserves a history...

Not all...

There was a regiment of wealthy New Orleanians called the "Confederate Guards" (1861-62). They were a home guard bunch and nicknamed the "champagne and turkey bone" regiment. Well-armed and uniformed but spent most of their time eating sumptuous meals with the local commander. Never did any fighting.

 

[GFSnell3]

I think so!

 

[Stryker65]

Not all...

There was a regiment of wealthy New Orleanians called the "Confederate Guards" (1861-62). They were a home guard bunch and nicknamed the "champagne and turkey bone" regiment. Well-armed and uniformed but spent most of their time eating sumptuous meals with the local commander. Never did any fighting.

True, but that was a federalized militia regiment called into service for a brief period. Equivalent to the Union 90-day units, which I wouldn't count. There are few Confederate militia units that deserve a history, other than perhaps a couple of the Virginia militia, the 1864 South Carolina militia, the Georgia militia division, and maybe a few of the Mississippi state troops.

 

[lupaglupa]

As a corollary to my own question: I have received access to a privately-held collection of 340 letters: 160 written by a private in the 6th NY Heavy Artillery, and 180 written by his wife living in Westchester County NY, to each other, during the terms of this man's enlistment from the summer of 1862 through the summer of 1865. Portions of 40 of these letters were published in an article in an obscure history periodical in the 1960s that stopped publication after 4 issues. I've seen citations to this article in just a few places but only for social history - not military history purposes. The owner of the collection is generously giving me this access for my research purposes. I don't think she has concrete has plans about what to do with this collection and hasn't really had time to delve seriously into this collection I believe she inherited. The letters appear to be very well preserved and very readable. Any ideas on how to advise this owner on what to do with this collection?

The best thing would be to donate the letters to an archive. I'm certain the New York State Archives would want them, as would Westchester County. If the owner wants to keep them in the family, then creating legible copies and making them available to a local history organization would be a nice thing to do. There are always history students looking for projects and unstudied letters and diaries are perfect for that.