4 comments about Tramping With the Legion: A Carolina Rebel's Story.

1. With the help of his older relatives, Gene Scruggs has gathered together the oral history left by his great grandfather, Sergeant Judson Scruggs, who served in South Carolina's Holcombe Legion during most of the Civil War.
   
   Almost nothing has been written about this effective fighting unit which was organized early in the war by Peter F. Stevens, a former superintendent of The Citadel. 'Shanks' Evans, whose brigade included the infantry regiment of the Holcombe Legion, regarded it as his best fighting unit. During Lee's 1862 campaign, the accomplished Stevens often led Evans' entire brigade on the many occasions when Evans was posted to the divisional level.
   
   In his stories, Judson recalls training camps around Charleston, the battles of Malvern Hill, Rappahannock Station, Second Manassas, Lee's First Maryland Campaign, Kinston (NC), and Jackson (MS). In the summer of 1864, the Holcombe Legion was detailed to guard the Petersburg & Weldon Railroad and (luckily) was not with Evans' Brigade at the Battle of the Crater. However, Judson was captured while guarding the Stoney Creek (VA) station and bridge and sent to the infamous Elmyra (NY) Prison. Perhaps Judson's most interesting stories recount his tunnelling out of prison in October 1864 and his experiences of running, hiding, and working his way home by late May of 1865.
   
   Gene Scruggs includes glimpses of the daily lives of his Spartanburg District ancestors as he fashions the war stories as if his great-grandfather was telling them to his grandchildren in nightly installations. This is a "good read" for anyone interested in this troubled time in American history.



2. I thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Scruggs' book. It is written in such a manner that it draws the reader into the family circle while providing an amazing amount of detail into the history of the Legion and the personal recollections of Jud, the author's great grandfather.



3. Eugene Scruggs has made a valuable contribution to the history of the War Between the States with his account of the exploits of his great grandfather, Judson Puryear Scruggs, as an enlisted man in the Holcombe Legion, South Carolina Volunteers. To be sure, Scrugg's book is another in the "Johnny Reb and Billy Yank" tradition of oral history accounts from the point of view of the ordinary foot soldier. However, it is given context by a body of historical research, and a truly insightful introduction to some of this conflict's enduring themes. For many readers, the most interesting parts of the narrative will be those about life under horrible conditions in the POW camp at Elmira, NY, Judson's resourceful escape therefrom, and his traverse through enemy territory to Virginia.
   In my opinion, however, as an avid student of the conflict rather than a professional historian, Scrugg's finest achievement was in his reconstruction of Judson's narrative within a quasi-fictional framework, in which he recreates not only the voice of his great-grandfather, but also that of the grandchildren who are auditors of the story. This teachnique not only creates a sense of immediacy in the flow of the narrative, but instills a kind of novelistic suspense which makes it enjoyable for the reader. This approach also permits Scruggs to render narrative as a truly "oral history," in that he has recreated the language of the period --- the regional dialect of 19th century Southerner. His handling of the artistic problem of the use of "eye dialect," moreover, is deftly handled: instead of generating pages of mangled orthography, Scruggs includes only occasional phonetic spellings, opting instead for the dialectal phrase, the idiom, and the speech rhythmns of his people. Professional historians may take issue with Scrugg's decision to treat his material in this way; other readers may enjoy it as thoroughly as I did.
   
   Roger Cole
   January 29, 2007



4. I enjoyed reading Grandpa Scruggs' account of his experiences in Company K, Holcombe Legion of South Carolinians fighting for their state's freedom from the tyranny of the Union. The format of night time stories told by Grandpa Scruggs to his grandchildren kept a dramatic tension in the book that helped keep me reading. We learn about the courage and commitment of Judd and other soldiers to their cause. We learn of the hardships, boredom,and horror of life as a foot soldier. The ways captured soldiers were treated changed as the war progressed. Judd experienced both ways. Because of the personal focus of this book, we also learn how the war caught up extended families and effected them. We also get glimpses of life back at home while the men were at war. I highly recommend Eugene Scruggs' book.

No comments about A Medic's Story: An Autobiography of Experiences During World War II.

4 comments about For Honor, Flag, And Family: Civil War Major General Samuel W. Crawford, 1827-1892.

1. This is a very interesting and well written account of the life and career of General Samuel Crawford. Crawford began his career as a Surgeon in the U.S. army and evolved to an officer in the infantry. He was one of only two Officers who served from day one at Fort Sumpter through the final surrender of Lee at Appomattox.
   
   12 years of research went into compiling this biography.
   
   The account of the events leading up to the firing on Fort Sumpter is especially interesting. He led in action at Gettysburg, Antitem and many of the other major battles of the Civil War. A very worth while read about the Civil War. I recommend it if you enjoy history.



2. Major General Samuel W. Crawford, a native of Franklin County, PA, was one of two Yankee General Officers who served in every major battle in the NorthEast/Mid-Atlantic...Ft Sumter, The Shenendoah Valley Campaign of 1862, Cedar Mountain, The Wilderness, Sharpsburg, Gettysburg, Spotsylvania, Five Forks and Petersburg. The biography, written in a simple, straight forward, folksey manner, surpasses other such biographies in that the author took a military officer and included the general's cultural. sociological, religious and econonic climates to present a complete picture of the man. It was an enlightening, informative, passionate and entertaining easy to read book which deserves literary and historical appreciation from the thoughtful reader.



3. Richard Wagner has provided a great service to the citizens of Franklin County,PA and Civil War buffs countrywide for his book on General Crawford. The local history on his family's and his residence in Fayetteville is little known and a delight to read. The Civil War history is well researched and will appeal to all readers of this era.



4. For Honor, Flag, and Family: Civil War Major General Samuel W. Crawford, 1827-1892 is a biography of General Samuel Wylie Crawford, who served in the United States Army during the Civil War from Fort Sumter through Appomattox, involved in major battles of the Eastern Theater. He was promoted to brigadier general in 1862; his brigade suffered the loss of half its strength in an engagement at Cedar Mountain; and he personally suffered a grievous wound at Antietam. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this extensively researched portrait of a true fighting leader, who remained in the United States Army until his retirement in 1873. Notes, a bibliography, and an index round out this welcome addition to Civil War biography shelves.

1 comments about Highway to Hell: Dispatches from a Mercenary in Iraq.

1. I Tried to get this book for at least a year and wasnt dissapointed. Well written gunns for hire, feel like your there , rideing in the seat with the gun pointing at the door!!

1 comments about Fiddlers And Whores: The Candid Memoirs of a Surgeon in Nelson's Fleet.

1. It's not really about fiddlers and whores, despite the title. It is an extended letter from Dr. Lowry to his brother explaining to him what he did while he was away from home for 7 years. Lowry left his home in Ireland to go to medical school in Scotland. Upon graduation, just as physicians do today, he needed further training before being able to set up his own practice. Not being able to find a mentor to take him in, he joined the navy as an assistant surgeon...and the adventure begins! What follows is a fascinating description of life in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars from the perspective of a young officer, including commentary on the other cultures he encounters in the Mediterranean, navy life, health, war, medical training, and (ah, yes) his attempts to meet women. He also describes his adventures as a tourist and amature naturalist, including his tour of a Roman house of pleasure in the newly-excavated Herculaneum, and his attempt to keep an ostrich on board the ship. His writing style pulls you along through his adventures, and his observations are astute and witty. I absolutely loved this book, and I particularly recommend it for any Aubrey-Maturin fan suffering from Patrick O'Brian withdrawal syndrome.

2 comments about Trench Knives and Mustard Gas: With the 42nd Rainbow Division in France (C. A. Brannen Series, No. 6).

1. Trench Knives And Mustard Gas: With The 42nd Rainbow Division In France by historian Hugh S. Thompson consists of his personal memoirs of fighting in the trenches of World War I. Informed and informative, this is the story of a young man who entered the U.S. Army in 1918 as an officer and served with the 42nd Rainbow Division -- which was one of the first units to secure a sector of the line along the Western Front and experience the horror of mustard gas attacks by the Germans. Thompson barely survived the lethal battles of Lorraine, Champagne, and St. Mithiel, suffering severe wounds to the arm, leg, and back on three separate occasions. He was eventually awarded the Silver Star, the French Legion of Merit, and the Purple Heart with three Oak Leaf Clusters. Ably written with a personal intensity and realism, this battlefield memoir was originally published in 1934 in the "Chattanooga Times". This new edition from Texas A&M University Press has been enhanced with a superb introduction by historian, academician, and World War I expert Robert H. Ferrell. Vivid, insightful, and very strongly recommended reading, this memoir (Thompson died in 1961) is an enduring tribute to the hardships and horrors, comraderie and dedication, that were so characteristics of life and death on the western battlefields of World War I.



2. This book came very highly recommended from Amazon readers but I disagree. The writing is hard to understand, 1918 was'nt that long ago,there's no need for the hard to understand language. Also he does'nt describe other characters well, More confusion! mediocre story about a topic that doesn't have nearly as much written about it as ww2.

1 comments about A Marine Remembers Iwo Jima: Dog Company, 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines, Fifth Marine Division.

1. This is an outstanding transcript of one Marines personal account of the many men who fought on IWO JIMA. The Author Patrick Caruso more importantly wishes the reader to draw their on conclusions from these personal accounts. The history of these events is depicted in the most accurate rendition, more importantly the writer wants the reader to understand these events as they unfold from that standpoint

2 comments about Inside the Battle of the Bulge: A Private Comes of Age.

1. "Inside The Battle Of The Bulge", by Roscoe C. Blunt, Jr. Westport, CT, Praeger, 1994.

   If you are looking for a book that tells the story of the Battle of the Bulge, (Dec, 1944), without listing a lot of movements of this numbered division against that Panzer group, and if you are looking for a more personal and human history of the battle, then Private Blount's memoirs are for you. The sub-title of this book is, "A Private Comes Of Age". The author traces not only his march across Europe, from the logistical landing at Normandy (after the battle) up to the 84th Infantry Division's reaching the Elbe River, but also the lessons he learned about man's inhumanity to man. He grew up in the European campaign.

   Unlike similar personal history books, the author presents an extra added attraction: records of the reactions of German soldiers and civilians. Young Blount had learned German in high school, so this personal memoir, written from notes he had made fifty years ago, is filled with comments from German soldiers and civilians. For example, there are some entertaining memories such as a short and chubby German woman who berated the advancing American troops, until Blount smacked her on the behind with the stock of his M-1. On the serious side, Private Blount describes in vivid detail the wounds suffered by both American and German soldiers, and how it was possible to become insensitive to such suffering. His description, however, of the concentration camp victims at "Nord Stalag III, Ohrdruf, is heart rending, on pages 173-174.

   The author pulls no punches in describing the officers of the American army. In fact, his account of some incidents, such as the lieutenant being awarded a Bronze Star, while not even mentioning the efforts of Pvt. Blount in destroying an enemy tank , makes you wonder if the country should shut down West Point. Further, his narrative of his court martial for fraternization with the Germans (since he was able to speak German) makes you wonder about the commonsense of some of the officers of the time.

   Over the last fifty or so years, Roscoe Blount has been "an award winning investigative journalist", (according to the back flap of the book cover), so the writing in this book is excellent. I would recommend this book to any one seeking a glimpse of how it was in the American army in Europe during the last crucial year of the war.




2. Inside the Battle of the Bulge is a must read for any one interested in personal accounts of WWII veterans. Blunt provides an honest first hand account of his days as a front line soldier fighting in the final months of the war. His recollections are vivid and touching. He is able to relate relative highs and unimaginable lows in a very, very impressive fashion. His accounts of passing through Belgian cities once occupied by Nazi forces are breathtaking. His memoirs of passing through the Nazi deathcamps is gut wrenching. This is really just a terrific read of a momentous and historical event.

No comments about To Tilt at Windmills: A Memoir of the Spanish Civil War.

5 comments about Yale English Monarchs - William the Conqueror (The English Monarchs Series).

1. David C. Douglas does an excellent job in his attempt to portray the events of William the Conqueror's life. He performs the task of drawing the many aspects of his life together in a very precise manner. The only drawback is that in some places the book's readability suffers from dense information. The amount of research done had to be tremendous considering all the information you come across in the book. I found the descriptions of the ecclesiastical revival in Normandy and subsequently England to be very fascinating. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the life behind the legend that is William the Conqueror.



2. William the Conqueror overcame enormous odds and political challenges to succeed his father as Duke of Normandy and his cousin, Edward the Confessor, as King of England. Only by defeating the upstart Harold Godwinson in 1066 at the battle of Hastings was William able to claim his throne. From the moment he attained his majority to the time of his death, William was forced to defend his realm in both Normandy and England from multiple opponents. Despite this rather pressing distraction, William is credited with many non-military achievements, not the least of which is the eager and successful sponsorship of ecclesiastical reform and the completion of the remarkably extensive social survey, Domesday Book.
   
   David C. Douglas has presented a substantial volume detailing the life and times of the Conqueror in admirable style. Discussing social, economic, ecclesiastical, cultural and military events with equal aplomb, Douglas brings the reader an in-depth, nearly digestable account of an epic era in european history. As can be expected of any comprehensive attempt at such a biography, recitation of the names, titles, landholdings and shifting objectives of various and sundry aristocrats, both clerical and lay, can send the reader into a bit of a fog. However, this happens seldom enough to allow this book's excellent formulation and pace to shine through. 4 stars.



3. Sure, it's like, forty years old, but it still sets the standard in William the Conqueror scholarship. Here are answers, or at least well-phrased hedges about the most important questions surrounding William's life and conquests: Did William introduce feudalism to England or adapt existing social structures? Was his victory in the Battle of Hastings attributable more to the exhaustion of the English after fighting off the Norwegians or more to William's superior conquest? and so forth.
   
   Douglas has read the primary sources in English and French (and Latin, and Italian, etc), he has read the secondary sources, he has, in short, done his homework. I mean, how many books have you read that have quotes from reviewers on the back that say, "the author has set about to self conciously create a masterpiece on the subject... and he has succeded."
   
   The funny thing about this book is that even though it is supremely scholarly, it is also suitable for the general reader. Provided: that reader has either taken an undergraduate course in Midevial history or has done reading on his/her own on the subject. If you only read one book before this one I would recommend either Feudal Society vol. I by Bloch or the Making of the Middle Ages by Southern.



4. This book on the life of William the Conqueror (ca 1028 - 1086 AD) was a college textbook for me. (...Which I read much longer ago than I'd care to admit.) I recently read it again, with a much greater appreciation of the quality and depth of Douglas's research and writing.
   
   This work is a readable, well presented and interesting analysis of Duke William of Normandy's life from his early childhood as the bastard son of the murdered Duke Robert of Normandy, living precariously under the protection of various noblemen loyal to his father; through to the zenith of his career as the most powerful and successful ruler in all of Western Europe: noting the challenges he faced as he fought to maintain his position and power in his later years, and ending with his death and the impact he had upon England, France and most of the rest of Western Europe.
   
   You will come away from readng this book with a much greater appreciation of William, and how his intelligence, courage, military and political leadership and ruthlessness enabled him to attain the pinnacle of European society and politics of the time, and forge a legacy that endures down to the present time. You will see how his success had a huge impact upon the development of Feudal society and institutions throughout Western Europe and England. You will understand the complexities of the political, social and religious institutions and relationships of the time, and will have a solid understanding of William's influence upon the leaders and personalities who helped create and lead those same institutions.
   
   It's clear that Professor Douglas is equally comfortable with researching and explaining events and circumstances on both sides of the English Channel. He carefully avoids biasing the reader either for or against the English or French points of view on the life of this controversial man, and succeeds in providing a holistic view of William's life and the world in which he lived.
   
   I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book a second time, and was impressed with Douglas's encyclopedic knowledge and careful use of original sources from not only in England and France, but Denmark, Germany, Rome and elsewhere in Europe.
   
   My one reservation about the text is the lack of maps. Near the end of the book there is good map of Normandy and another showing Normandy and England. Yet, maps would have been helpful within the main text to give more detail about spatial relationships and movements at the scenes of battles or major events. Given that the book was written about 45 years ago, having two maps would be about average for that time, so I guess I won't put too much emphasis on this point. The charts showing the familial relationships and lines of descent of the Duke and his contemporaries in France, England and Denmark, and various other appendices, were very helpful and interesting.
   
   Any student of History looking to learn more about the life of William and other great rulers of the time, seeking to learn about development of Feudal society and culture, or interested in learning about the foundations of Anglo-Norman society and impact of the Normans upon Anglo-Saxon England (following William's victory over Harold at Hastings in 1066), will find this book to be very informative and useful. On that basis; given the quality of Douglas's writing and research; and this book's enduring reputation within this field, I have no hesitation in rating this book as 5 stars: well worth reading!



5. Well, I'm reading the other reviews and I can't agree that this is a good book. The author conducted quite a lot of research, but it's not very readable. My theory is that "history" is (or should be) everything that ever happened with the boring bits cut out. In an attempt to try something interesting, this author cut out the exciting parts (the actual victory against and death of England's king passes like an afterthought, as does the description of an attempt on William's life where his attendant was killed in Williams bedroom right before his eyes) and includes a long list of places and names as if he was trying to outdo the "begats" of the old Testament. Human elements are lost amid long discussions of land charters. There's no description of language, foods, clothing, personality, or anything that makes a story human. It simultaneously tells us too much and not enough. I don't feel like I know the people at all. I read David Howarth's 1066 at the same time and even though that book was less scholarly, I learned more from it. This author talks to hear himself speak. It's useful if you already know all about William and want to hear MORE, but it's almost useless as an introduction.