“Help[s] readers to examine this period in history with a more cultural perspective than other books have . . . clear, concise, and crisp . . . fascinating” (San Francisco Book Review). • During the final days of the war, some Richmond citizens would throw “Starvation Parties,” soirees at which elegantly attired guests gathered amid the finest silver and crystal tableware, though there were usually no refreshments except water. • Union Rear-Admiral Goldsborough was nicknamed “Old Guts,” not so much for his combativeness as for his heft—weighing about three hundred pounds, he was described as “a huge mass of inert matter.” • 30.6 percent of the 425 Confederate generals, but only 21.6 percent of the 583 Union generals, had been lawyers before the war. • In 1861, J.P. Morgan made a huge profit by buying five thousand condemned US Army carbines and selling them back to another arsenal—taking the army to court when they tried to refuse to pay for the faulty weapons. • Major General Loring was reputed to have so rich a vocabulary that one of the men remarked he could “curse a cannon up hill without horses.” • Many militia units had a favorite drink—the Charleston Light Dragoons’ punch took around a week to make, while the Chatham Artillery required a pound of green tea leaves be steeped overnight. • There were five living former presidents when the Civil War began, and seven veterans of the war, plus one draft dodger, went on to serve as president. These stories and many more can be found in this treasury of anecdotes, essays, trivia, and much more—including numerous illustrations—that bring this historical period to vivid life.

Much of Civil War history emphasizes generalship (or the lack of it) as the key factor in analyzing why battles were won or lost. Taking an innovative approach, this book focuses on six elements of victory in nine important Western Theater engagements during 1862--a year when the North had not yet fully mobilized for war. With increasing complexity on the battlefield and the enormous growth of American armies, winning or losing depended upon achieving as many of these six critical goals as possible: a clear objective; mobilization of effective lieutenants; a competent staff; seizing and holding initiative; deploying all available resources; and realizing a successful strategic outcome. The more goals achieved, the greater the victory.

The 112th New York Infantry Regiment served 1,017 days during the Civil War, from 1862 to 1865. They campaigned in four states, fought in 16 battles and lost 324 men, including two regimental commanders. This unit history is based on the personal papers of Chaplain William Lyman Hyde, including his war diary, journals, reports and letters to his wife. A prolific writer, Hyde's remarkable story of service to God and country is told in his own words, providing vivid depictions of camp life, combat and its aftermath and the daily trials faced by the "Chautauqua Regiment."

Committee Serial No. 4. Considers H.R. 4413, to revise Navy and Marine Corps officer promotion standards for large numbers of WWII era personnel by providing additional promotion opportunities for these officers.