NF Judson Kilpatrick

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Judson Kilpatrick's personal papers were burned after his death and he was a very unreliable source.

Kill-Cavalry: The Life of Union General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick by Samuel J. Martin (Stackpole Books, 2000) seems to be the only biography about him. Reviews seem to be lukewarm, describing extensive research but a writer of limited talent who had an openly strong dislike for his subject.

There is at least one unpublished thesis: "General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick in the American Civil War" by John Edward Pierce (Pennsylvania State University, 1983).

Do any books about battles involving Kilpatrick (I know @Eric Wittenberg has written several) go into any depth about his overall career, or is their biographical information fairly limited? I know sometimes campaign studies will devote an entire chapter to the commanding generals on each side.

 

[Pollaco]

James Moore wrote "Kilpatrick and Our Cavalry" but I really don't know that much about it.

 

[Cavalier]

Recently finished the book Small But Important Riots: The Cavalry Battles of Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville by Robert F. O'Neill. That gave what I though was a pretty objective view of Kilpatrick's performance in those battles.

I would not say it goes into depth about his overall career however I thought it was a great book.

Personally, I think he could use a little re accessment but that's probably not a popularly held opinion.

John

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

Judson Kilpatrick's personal papers were burned after his death and he was a very unreliable source.

Kill-Cavalry: The Life of Union General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick by Samuel J. Martin (Stackpole Books, 2000) seems to be the only biography about him. Reviews seem to be lukewarm, describing extensive research but a writer of limited talent who had an openly strong dislike for his subject.

There is at least one unpublished thesis: "General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick in the American Civil War" by John Edward Pierce (Pennsylvania State University, 1983).

Do any books about battles involving Kilpatrick (I know @Eric Wittenberg has written several) go into any depth about his overall career, or is their biographical information fairly limited? I know sometimes campaign studies will devote an entire chapter to the commanding generals on each side.

I am aware that someone is working on a new bio of Kil, but I'm not sure what the status of that project is.

The Martin book is the only one specifically dedicated to him, but the criticisms you cite are all very valid. Mostly, it's how I have addressed him in my work.