TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog

Category: Military History

  • Review: Shenandoah 1862: Stonewall Jackson’s Valley Campaign

    Update: Welcome to TOCWOC for those of you who have found this page through a Google Search!  If you enjoy what you’re about to read below, feel free to Subscribe to TOCWOC’s RSS feed.  Be sure to check out the Civil War Book Reviews which have been posted here and browse through TOCWOC founder Brett […]

  • How the Union Cavalry Transformed into a Viable Force

    The many problems faced by the Union cavalry before it became a viable force have long been debated. Even Winfield Scott felt that cavalry would not play a major role in the battle between the states. His feeling was that the hilly and woody terrain in the east, and the accuracy improvements in side arms and […]

  • Dominating the Skirmish Line

    I see that Brett is offering a free copy of Earl Hess’s book on the rifle musket, so it might be a good time to revisit a controversy raised therein, namely did the ANV’s sharpshooter battalions punch above their weight in Virginia? I would say they did, and base this as much as anything on […]

  • Review: One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, July 4-14, 1863

    Eric J. Wittenberg, J. David Petruzzi, and Michael F. Nugent. One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, July 4-14, 1863. New York: Savas Beatie LLC (June 2008). 576 pages, notes, bibliography, index, 16 maps. ISBN: 978-1932714432 $34.95 (Hardcover w/DJ). Who knows anything about Lee’s retreat from […]

  • New Home Page for the Military History Carnival

    Gavin Robinson of Investigations of a Dog has decided to no longer host the Military History Carnival.  Luckily, TJ Linzy of Battlefield Biker has decided to step up and host the carnival through the end of 2009.  I’ve updated the Military History Carnival link on the right side of this page to reflect the change.  […]

  • War and Landscape

    I’ve been reading Matthew Spring’s new book on the British Army in the Revolutionary War, With Zeal and Bayonets Only. It’s an excellent look at how the British actually fought during that conflict, and I may do a full review in the future. One thing that Spring does very well is to analyze how the […]

  • Review: Shepherdstown: Last Clash of the Antietam Campaign, September 19-20, 1862

    Shepherdstown: Last Clash of the Antietam Campaign, September 19-20, 1862 by Thomas A. McGrath Product Details Hardcover: 256 pages Publisher: Schroeder Publications (December 3, 2007) Language: English ISBN-10: 1889246395 ISBN-13: 978-1889246390 Small battle books are a joy!  I have many reasons for making this statement and this book illustrates most of them. They allow us […]