From the Shelves of the Paco Library

The American Civil War represented the twilight of the cavalry service in the United States, and though frequently romanticized, this branch of the army did indeed have some glorious achievements. Covering the Southern side of the war, William R. Brooksher and David K. Snider collaborated in writing Glory at a Gallop: Tales of the Confederate Cavalry, a colorful review of some of the more notable exploits of the mounted men in gray.

The book begins with an account of J.E.B. Stuart’s amazing ride around General George B. McClellan’s 100,000-strong Army of the Potomac in the late spring of 1862. McClellan – much beloved by his men, but fatally cautious – had been closing in on Richmond and was preparing to deliver a decisive blow against the capital of the Confederacy. The new commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, Robert E. Lee, had a few ideas of his own, however, and planned an attack against McClellan. His strategy involved marching up the Shenandoah Valley and combining his forces with Stonewall Jackson’s army, then launching a surprise attack on McClellan’s right and rolling it up. To accomplish this daring maneuver, he needed reliable intelligence about the strength of McClellan’s right wing. Enter J.E.B. Stuart, who not only reconnoitered McClellan’s right, but swept around his entire army, capturing Union soldiers and supplies, burning wagon trains, and generally creating confusion and panic in the Army of the Potomac. Lee, assured that McClellan’s right was “in the air”, carried out his attack and won a smashing victory at Cold Harbor.

Inspired by Stuart’s ride, another Confederate officer champed at the bit to accomplish a similar feat in Kentucky

The significance of Jeb Stuart’s ride around the army of the Potomac was not lost on other Confederate cavalry leaders eager to add to their laurels. None was more eager than the transplanted Alabamian who commanded a portion of Maj. Gen. E. Kirby Smith’s cavalry guarding the Cumberland Gap, Col. John Hunt Morgan. In many ways, Morgan was cut from the same cloth as his Virginia counterpart. Like Stuart, this six-footer was a flashy dresser and always superbly mounted, studiously presenting the air and manner of a gentleman…Morgan was such a staunch advocate of developing a plan for invading Kentucky that he stubbornly and aggressively pushed for it at every opportunity…Pointing out that Stuart had just impudently ridden around Maj. Gen. Gerorge B. McClellan’s entire army, he sarcastically noted that “…it was a slur on the Blue grass, the finest horse country in the world, to leave great riding to Virginia!”

Finally given permission to conduct an extensive raid, Morgan assembled his force, consisting of his own Second Kentucky Cavalry, and a grab-bag of volunteers from Texas and Georgia units, totaling 867 men. Over the next 24 days, Morgan’s men raided in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana. By the end of their campaign, they had “ridden over one thousand miles, captured seventeen towns, and destroyed hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of Union supplies and arms. Over fifteen hundred Home Guards had been scattered, twelve hundred Regulars captured and paroled, and three hundred recruits added to Rebel roles.” And along the way, Morgan periodically tapped into telegraph lines to send flippant messages to General Jeremiah Boyle, the hapless commander of Union forces in Kentucky, among which is this farewell: “Good morning, Jerry! This telegraph is a great institution. You should destroy it, as it keeps me too well posted. My friend Elsworth has all your dispatches since July 10 on file. Do you wish copies?”

Also included here are accounts of Mosby’s capture of a Union general, Bedford Forrest’s brilliant victory at Brice’s Crossroads, and Wade Hampton’s cattle-rustling mission (which was the basis for a movie, Alvarez Kelly, starring William Holden and Richard Widmark). Glory at a Gallop is a fine historical page-turner, enjoyable as well as instructive.