Colonels in Blue: Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee
Author: Roger D. Hunt
TOCWOC’s Take:
Colonels in Blue: Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee is the fifth volume in Roger D. Hunt’s invaluable research series covering Union colonels of the Civil War. Hunt aims to collect as much information on each Federal colonel as possible, including photographs and other images. The following format is typically used for each man, with headings not applicable to a given soldier omitted for his particular entry:
- Name
- Rank, Unit and Service History
- Born
- Died
- Other Wars
- Education
- Occupation
- Offices/Honors
- Miscellaneous
- Buried
- References
This volume is a worthy addition to the series as a whole, though the paperback-only availability may mean some collectors/researchers may wish to buy two copies. The first three volumes were hardcover, though the first two covering the New England states and New York are of more solid construction than the third covering the mid-Atlantic states.
The fourth volume in the series, covering Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia, was a paperback also released by McFarland.
I wanted to take a moment to cover a few aspects of this book. The author utilized 217 different postwar newspapers to collect information on the colonels found in the book. Many of the entries contain images of the colonel in question, and it’s obvious the author left no stone unturned to find them. This series is clearly a labor of love, stretching over five volumes and three publishers. The two constants are Hunt and his Northern colonels. Let’s hope he sees this project through to completion. It should prove to be a valuable research source going forward.
Civil War researchers and writers whose topics include Union colonels covering these three states will want to own this book. McFarland typically charges exorbitant prices for paperback books, though this is one book where the price is fully worth what you get in return. The book focuses on colonels of regiments from these three states, NOT where the colonels were originally from. Keep this in mind if you want to purchase this book to look for specific individuals.
Book Info from McFarland Web Site:
About the Book
This biographical dictionary documents the Union army colonels who commanded regiments from Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. Entries are arranged first by state and then by regiment, and provide a biographical sketch of each colonel focusing on his Civil War service. Many of the colonels covered herein never rose above that rank, failing to win promotion to brigadier general or brevet brigadier general, and have therefore received very little scholarly attention prior to this work.
About the Author
Roger D. Hunt, a retired software engineer, has published works on Union colonels from the New England states, New York, Pennsylvania, the Mid-Atlantic states, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. He lives in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Other Book(s) by Roger D. Hunt Available from McFarland:
Click here to read more at the McFarland web site…
Buy the Book Online
ISBN: 978-0-7864-7318-2
Publisher: McFarland & Company (http://www.mcfarlandpub.com/)
Release Date: November 2013
Price: $39.95
Order Line: 800-253-2187
Other Info: 332 photos, bibliography, index 260 pp. softcover (7 x 10) 2013
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