Book of the Year: The Fight For the Old North State at Civil War Books and Authors

I learned today that The Fight For the Old North State was picked as the Book of the Year at the Civil War Books and Authors. Andrew Wagenhoffer, who publishes this excellent blog, reviewed the book earlier this year. I'm happy and honored at the recognition. I want to thank the University Press of Kansas and everyone who helped out with this project.

The Time is At Hand: Robert E. Lee's Plan To Attack New Bern

On January 2, 1864, Robert E. Lee wrote: “The time is at hand when, if an attempt can be made to capture the enemy’s forces at New Berne, it should be done. I can now spare troops for the purpose, which will not be the case as spring approaches.” 

Lee's proposal led to a large expedition against New Bern led by General George Pickett, an operation detailed in The Fight For the Old North State (Univ. Press of Kansas, 2019).  Lee believed success at New Bern would alleviate the supply crisis plaguing his army and quell an emerging peace movement. As N.C. Supreme Court Justice Walter A. Montgomery later wrote:  "A great majority of the people . . . thought that the time had arrived when the question of peace with the United States government should be considered. It was thought that the contest was hopeless after the surrender of Vicksburg and the defeat . . . at Gettysburg, and that the further effusion of blood and destruction of property should cease.” These developments spurred Confederate leaders to focus on military efforts in North Carolina.

Though the New Bern expedition in February failed, Lee’s plan triggered one of the last successful Confederate offensives, culminating in the capture of Plymouth in April. The Fight for the Old North State captures the full scope, as well as the dramatic details of this struggle for North Carolina.

Some recent review excerpts from The Fight For the Old North State:

"... an excellent history of an understudied late-war offensive ... Highly recommended." - Civil War Books and Authors blog

  "... meticulously researched and confidently written new monograph ...." - America's Civil War

"... a detailed, fact-filled journey through joint land and water operations by the Federals and Confederates in their struggle for North Carolina during the early part of 1864 ... recommended." - Joan Wenner, Civil War News

"Well-researched, well-written, balanced, and well-illustrated, if this book doesn't win some awards, people simply aren't paying attention." - Civil War Navy, the History Profession, and Other Historical Musings blog

Holiday Sales! The Fight For the Old North State and Richmond Must Fall

The Fight For the Old North State and Richmond Must Fall are both temporarily sold out at Amazon. But fear not. During the Holidays, you can get them at a great discount straight from the publishers (order details below). If you've already bought either of these through Amazon (and you are not my mother, etc.), feel free to leave a customer review there - always appreciated.

Order The Fight For the Old North State at 30% off and free shipping direct from the University Press of Kansas until December 16. Use code GIFT30 at: https://kansaspress.ku.edu/978-0-7006-274

Order Richmond Must Fall through the the Kent State University Press for 25% off until December 31. Use code HOLIDAY19 at: http://www.kentstateuniversitypress.com/2011/richmond-must-fall/

Civil War Monitor Best Books of 2019: The Fight For the Old North State

"Best Civil War Books of  2019"

Very happy to share that The Fight For the Old North State will be recognized by The Civil War Monitor magazine as one of The Best Civil War Books of 2019 in the upcoming December issue. Over on Twitter (@hamptonnewsome), the editors at the magazine previewed this year's list and spilled the beans. I want to thank everyone who helped with the book, especially Joyce Harrison and the great staff at University Press of Kansas.

Updated Speaking Schedule

Updates to my upcoming speaking calendar. 

New Bern Historical Society -  January 19, 2020
Old Baldy CWRT of Philadelphia - April 7, 2020
Wilmington (Delaware) CWRT - May 6, 2020
Raleigh CWRT - June 15, 2020
Seattle CWRT - Fall 2020

If your group is looking to fill a spot, feel free to contact me. 

 

Thanks to the Petersburg CWRT

Thanks so much to Tim Talbott and the Petersburg Civil War Roundtable. I had a great time on Thursday speaking to this relatively new group about Richmond Must Fall: The Richmond-Petersburg Campaign, October 1864. If you live anywhere near Petersburg, you should really check it out. Next meeting is Dec. 5 (Stephen Davis will be speaking about the Atlanta Campaign).

The Fight For the Old North State at Arlington Library

A donated copy of The Fight For the Old North State is now on the shelves at the Arlington Public Library. Happy to support this great public library. The staff has been so helpful through years of research. And happy to make the book available to my Arlington friends.

Signal Hill Battery vs. The James River Squadron: October 22, 1864

Excerpt from Map of Bermuda Hundred by N. Michler (LOC)

ON THIS DAY, 1864.  

Early on Sunday morning, October 22, 1864, two Union batteries, including seven heavy Parrott guns in a new work along Signal Hill, opened fire on the Confederate James River Squadron resting within easy range. Placed during the night, the guns surprised the crews of the thin-skinned gunboats, which steamed out of danger, tucking under the river bank at Chaffin’s Bluff. The ironclads also sought cover and, for a time, hid under the bank downstream from the Union guns. The shelling blew a hole in the Fredericksburg’s smokestack, which protruded from the river bank’s cover. The wood splinters from a shattered screen wounded five men aboard. The ironclads eventually escaped upstream, out of range. Across the river, Confederate shore batteries joined in, but the boats engagement soon ended. Discussed in Chapter 7 of Richmond Must Fall: The Richmond-Petersburg Campaign, October 1864 (Kent State Press, 2013).

Interview on Civil War Talk Radio: The Fight For the Old North State

I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to talk with Gerry Prokopowicz on Civil War Talk Radio on October 16. We discussed my new book, The Fight for the Old North State: The Civil War in North Carolina, January-May 1864.

You can listen to the recorded program at the Impediments of War website or the Civil War Talk Radio podcast.  

   

Fort Harrison: "The Most Destructive Single Shot of the War," September 29, 1864

On the anniversary of the Union attack on Fort Harrison, I've included some excerpts below from an account about the battle that appears (in full) in Civil War Talks: Further Reminiscences of George S. Bernard and His Fellow Veterans. This story was originally found in a handwritten note in the Bernard Collection at the Historical Society of Western Virginia in Roanoke, and can been seen online at the Historical Society's website.

The note contains a previously unknown account from Cornelius Tacitus Allen, a captain in the Lunenburg Light Artillery. During Grant’s fifth offensive of the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign in late September 1864, Union forces under General Benjamin Butler stormed Fort Harrison, a key position on the Confederate line protecting Richmond. Captain Allen and his men manned the "Iron Battery" on the James River near Fort Harrison but proceeded to Fort Harrison that morning with a few companies and two light artillery pieces.

Civil War Talks, which I edited along with John Horn and John Selby, contains dozens of previously unknown accounts like the one below from nearly every campaign in the east, including the Peninsula, Antietam, Gettysburg, the Overland Campaign, and Petersburg.

"Capture of Fort Harrison on the Chaffins Farm line of Works" by William Waud, LOC

Excerpts from Account of Captain Cornelius Tacitus Allen At Fort Harrison
 (September 29, 1864)

On the morning of the attack, Captain Allen commanded a "little six-pound" battery at a redoubt about 200 yards west of Fort Harrison. After sunrise on the 29th, he and his men could see the Union force advancing along the public road from the direction of Dutch Gap. His two guns had a "fair broadside" upon the enemy, who did not fire at all during their advance by his recollection.

"As soon as they came within 300 yards of my battery, I opened on them, and did some execution. I fired one shell at a cluster of horsemen, believing from the uniforms sabres, feathers in the hats &c. &c. that it was the Commanding General with his staff. I missed them by a scratch but they noticed that I had my guns on them and scattered. I was afterwards told by a prisoner that it was Gen’l B. F. Butler and his staff."

The Union column soon charged and the attackers crowded onto the Fort Harrison's parapet.

"I ordered the gunner to put in a double charge of “grape.” . . . Just as that time, the Federals on the parapet gave the shout of victory. I aimed the gun at that crowd and pulled the lanyard! The shot cut a swath through the crowd that was [approaching]. The gun “reared up” and fell backwards. I stooped beneath the smoke, saw the terrible effect of the shot, and then ran for dear life down the line of intrenchment to Fort Maury--where the line crossed the turnpike going to Richmond."

After the war, Allen met a Captain Fessenden (most likely Charles B. Fessenden of the 9th USCTs) from the Freedman's Bureau in Lunenburg County Virginia. After some discussion, Allen learned that Fessenden had witnessed that shot from Allen's battery during the battle.

"In answer to questions from me he said he was in the charge and gave an accurate description of its incidents, told how the men crowded on the parapet of the fort, and how destructive was the last shot from the neighboring battery. I then told him that I had charge of that battery and fired that last shot. He then said “Then, sir, you fired, in my opinion, the most destructive single shot of the war. It killed and wounded 32 men on the parapet.”