Book Review: Courage Under Fire: Profiles in Bravery from the Battlefields of the Civil War.

Courage Under Fire: Profiles in Bravery from the Battlefields of the Civil War. By Wiley Sword.

The Civil War Gazette gives Sword’s new book four cannisters.

I’m recently finished reading Wiley Sword’s new book and I have really enjoyed it.

He focuses on the subject of courage (or lack thereof) during the Civil War on the part of the common soldier, and even some officers and Generals. He equally gives treatment to northern and southern stories. His personal collection of Civil War letters is the main resource he draws from for many of the letters he profiles, which only makes me salivate, wishing I owned a tenth of the quality of letters he does.

For those interested in or from the middle Tennessee area (i.e., Nashville, Franklin, Spring Hill, etc.,) one will find many examples from this book to read about.

From the book description:

Through diaries and letter written on the battlefield, in camps, and on the deathbeds of soldiers from north and south, Wiley Sword, writes about more than the Civil War. He writes of the complex working of a soldier’s mind coming to grips with life and death in a time when his country was at war with itself. On Aug. 3, 1864, Illinois Lieutenant Frank Curtiss was ordered by his commander to take the 127th Illinois Infantry into a charge of the fortified Rebel lines. He knew certain death was in store for him and his men. He also knew little tactical superiority would be gained for lives lost and refused to do it. Confederate Brigadier General Patrick Cleburne, one of the South’s greatest military tacticians, left diaries showing he was striving to refine his methods to save lives while winning battles. And then there is the Rhode Island Regiment’s Major Sullivan Ballou who, in 1861 on the eve of the battle of Bull Run who wrote of courage and dedication to his cause. Wiley Sword constructs a picture of the military mind that still resonates in today’s wars.

6th Ohio Cav soldier letter

Orleane Sept 2nd / 63

Writing my letter yestarday probly saved me from going to Hell or Dixie.  So 50 of our boys wer to a Surprise Party in which 14 of our Co. wer engaged.  They came to me to go but I had been busy all day on Co. business and had not finished my letters so the Lieut told me to stay and write if I wanted to.  So I did but not thinking anything would happen As we had been making Patrols on the same road to Barber Cross roads for the last week.  But White Guerrila [?] took the advantage that all such small parties throw themselves liable to be surprised and wer surprised By about 300 Rebes dismounted in the woods.  They fired a volly into our boys and then charged into our Rear to cut them off which they succeed in doing to some extent.  their force was so heavy our[s] stood no chance so they chased our boys about 5 miles.  And made the best Hell they ever got from the 6 Ohio  the Casualities wer as follows

Killed one (Ford of Co. B)

Wounded Major Cryer in the Knee severely

Sert. Frank Shafer shot through from side to side  will Probley die.  he was wounded at Aldie and went home on 30 day furlough  had just Returned to the Regt.  he lives in Houland

Sergt. Wm Barrett in Shoulder badley

Lacky of Co B. Badly wounded also

Captured in all as near as I can learn at this time about 30.  Co. G wer all taken but “Jo Bowers” (all that was out I mean)  Co. D lost 7 men  Among the Rest is Robert Lowy and Geo Hayes  Also Charles Tucker Norman Brown Pat Cox Wm. Davison L.P. White.

Later G. lost 15. B lost 9. D 7  31 total

Sergt Shafer is dead

I have got to send this out immediately as the mail goes out now  I am sory for Bob and George.  George was not very well  Ford was striped of all his clothes but shirt and drawers and left in the road as he fell  the wounded men wer robed of all the money they had

Yours in haste   ARF

Albinus R. Fell of the Ohio Volunteer Cavalary 6th Regiment Company D.

eBay item # 250217820563   (Feb 2008)