Richard L. Armstrong

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Comments:

Updated 1/18/06 The entries in the Virginia Battles & Leaders Series run the gamut from good to pretty bad. This particular entry was not one of the best, but it did have some redeeming qualities. First, it is the only book written on the Battle of McDowell. It will have to do until something better on the battle comes along. Second, the book does go down to the regimental level as far as unit strengths go. This makes it especially valuable for wargamers. Third, the maps go down to the regimental level in most cases as well. Lastly, the book has some nice pictures of the McDowell Battlefield from varying eras. Now I need to get to the lesser parts. First, the text had quite a few typos in it. This was not debilitating, but it was certainly annoying. Second, the main overview map of the area is at the very back of the book. It would have made much more sense to place it near the front somewhere in the first chapter. Third, the story was told in a slightly unclear manner. I had a hard time understanding what was going on in some cases, and the text does not fit well with the maps. All in all, I would recommend the book because it is the only monograph on the battle, and because I feel the positives outweigh the negatives. While this is not what can be called a definitive study of the battle of McDowell, it is a book worth owning until said study is written.

122 pp., 9 maps