Suggested Reading

[volcav]

I'm just finishing up reading Hard Tack and Coffee for the second time. It's a great book about daily life in the Army of the Potomac from a privates point of view. I'm interested to know what some of you veteran campaigners think should be required reading for new troopers.

[Utley]

Re: Suggested Reading

Jerry,

A good start for the CS side, and some US, would be many of the first hand accounts that are listed on Kenn Knopp's site, Confederate Saddles and Horse Equipment. The link is in the banner ads or links section of this website. There is a long list of good books on there. I have purchased several and read them and am working my way through the list!

[Chris Stewart]

Re: Suggested Reading

Great question ! Here goes my picks : "Four Years a Dragoon "by Percival Lowe, "Hancocks Diary: History of the 2nd Tenn Cavalry "by R. Hancock, "Story of a Cavalry Regement: History of the 4th Iowa Cavalry "by Scott, "History of the 72nd Indiana Vol Infantry of the Mounted Lightning Brigade "by Magee, "Grierson's Raid" by D. Brown.
Last but not least : "Confederate Saddles and Horse Equipment" , and " Made in the the CSA: Saddle Makers of the Confederacy" ,both by our own Ken Knopp.

Chris Stewart
7th Tenn Cavalry, Co D

[Pvt. Sanders]

Re: Suggested Reading

Everyone's favorite,

Company Aytch or A Side Show of the Big Show by: Sam Watkins

Also, four others I really enjoy,

The Life of Billy Yank
The Life of Johnny Reb both by: Bell I. Wiley

General Lee's Army From Victory to Collapse by: Joseph Glatthaar

Rebel Private: Front and Rear by:William A. Fletcher

[TexCavly]

Re: Suggested Reading

I don't think anyone has said "Rebel Private Front and Rear" by William Fletcher, yet. This guy was in the 5th Tx. infantry was wounded twice and transferred to 8th Tx. Cavalry for the rest of the war. He's got a lot of funny stories and it's interesting how he describes Being wounded.

[Pvt. Sanders]

Re: Suggested Reading

Opps, got excited about talking books , missed that the Camp Instruction was Cavalry , well at least one of my suggestions fits.

My apologies

[Chris Stewart]

Re: Suggested Reading

Kyle , The books you mentioned are fine books.
One that I forgot to mention is by Bob McLendon titled " History of the 53 Reg't Alabama Vol Cavalry and M.W. Hannons Cavalry Brigade". It's 559 pages filled with 1st person accounts covering the 53rd's time in North AL with Roddy thru Atlanta thru fighting Sherman in NC.

Chris Stewart
7th TENN Cavalry, Co D

[Philip cav]

Re: Suggested Reading

Some I don't think anyone has mentioned is Echoes of Glory (Confederate and Union), Columbia Rifles Research Companion (I or II), Life In Civil War America,US pattern Book, and diaries and letters from the original cast. Sorry not allot of info on the cavalry, but these are what I recommend for new recruits. But still good info.

[Outrider]

Re: Suggested Reading

Cracker Cavaliers : The 2nd Georgia Cavalry Under Wheeler and Forrest

An excellent and insightful account of life in a western theater confederate cavalry unit. Enjoy!

[woolhat1864]

Re: Suggested Reading

Here a few of my favorites.

Three Years with the 92d Illinois, the diary of John M. King

We Have it Damn Hard Out Here, The letters of Sgt. Thomas W. Smith 6th Penn. Cavalry

Sherman's Horsemen by David Evans

Blue Lighting by Richard Baumgartner

My all time favorite, yes it is Infantry and sort of fictional, but it is a really good read and written by a fella who was there, Corporal Si Klegg and his Pard by Wilbur F. Hinman. Hinman also wrote The Story of the Sherman Brigade, another excellent read if you can find a copy.

Tommy Jackson

[volcav]

Re: Suggested Reading

Here are some more that I've found to be interesting and or helpful;

Cavalry Tactics: or Regulations for the Instruction, Formations, and Movements of the Cavalry by Phillip St. George Cooke, I got my copy from Dixie Gunworks.

Glory Gone Forgotten, the Untold Story of the 12th Kentucky Cavalry by Barry d. Goodall Jr. Barry's GGGrandad rode with my GGGrandad in the 12th Ky Volunteer Cav U.S.

Union Cavalryman 1861-1865 by Philip Katcher and Richard Hook this one has lots of drawings, paintings, and photos.

Civil War Era Etiquette a combination of Arthur Martine's Handbook etiquette first published in 1866 and some other period references.

The Union Cavalry in the Civil War Volumes 1, 2, and 3 by Stephen Starr.

You may notice a Yankee slant to my choice of reading material.

The Civil War Reenactor's Blackpowder Guide by David T. Smith

[Ken Knopp]

Re: Suggested Reading

This is an excellent thread!!!

For a list of my favorites I would be typing quite a long time. However, they would include several infantry reads though cavalry would naturally dominate.
For a good listing I might echo with some detail what Chris Utley posted regarding the list on my web site. Go to.... http://confederatesaddles.com/cswp/?page_id=752
It is a pretty comprehensive list of cavalry diaries and reminiscences (D & R's). Over the years I have read, I believe, every one of them and for most, I have included a short review. For those interested in regimental specific D & R's I tried to note the regiment or command in the review as well as the theater of war, etc. so as to provide some good reference options. Most of these are excellent, some are hard to find being out of print but many are readily available online somewhere (try GOOGLE) or via AMAZON and quite inexpensive (i.e. "cheap").
A number of them are obscure and only found in university archives, private collections, etc. The only way to access the university ones is to go online to view a specific university collection lisitng- then contact the university library to see if you can get a photo copy. I have been quite successful in this. Interestingly, while many of the best D & R's have been published at some time the more obscure, unplublished D & R's are quite good. I just finished reading the diary of J.A. Bigger, 2nd Miss. Cav, Armstrong Brigade. and the diary of Jesse R Sparkman from the Jeff Davis Legion ANV cavalry- both from the University of Mississippi and both pretty good.
The list crashed on me once and I lost alot of data but I think I have recouped most of it although I need to add a few. In any event, take a look at the list I think most will find it a good place to start for your winter reading.


Ken R Knopp

https://www.confederatesaddles.com

[Mark Choate]

Re: Suggested Reading

Well, I went trail riding yesterday morning in Buck Snort, TN., and when I got home, I got hit with stomach/intestinal flu............so, I am just coming back into the world of the living and was elated to see this thread. Some great listings and books. I see that Tommy mentioned one of my favorites in "Sherman's Horsemen". A few others that I would recommend would be:

a) "A History of Morgan's Cavalry" by Basil Duke

b) "The Campaigns of Gen'l. N. B. Forrest and Forrest's Cavalry" by Jordan and Pryor

c) "They Died by Two's and Ten's" by Kenneth Hafendorfer (This is a wonderful read about many of the small engagements in KY and TN by the cavalry that in many cases are lost to history. It is out of print and very hard to find. Grab one if you find it.)

[Forrestcavalryman]

Re: Suggested Reading

Oh fun! Some of my favorites include:
1) "The Campaigns of Gen'l. N. B. Forrest and Forrest's Cavalry" by Jordan and Pryor

2)History of the Seventh Tennessee Cavalry-J.P. Young

3) Confederate Saddles and Horse Equipment- can't remember the author's name......HA!

4) Company Aytch-Sam Watkins (not cavalry but still a good'n)

[SUVSCV]

Re: Suggested Reading

I'd have to go with Si Klegg and His Pard, a classic Union infantry tome!

Stan Buckles