The 24th Wisconsin Infantry in the Civil War: The Biography of a Regiment [Hardcover]

William J. K. Beaudot (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2003

Winner of Milwaukee County Historical Society's coveted Gambrinus Prize for the best book-length contribution to Milwaukee historiography in 2003

Profiles the courageous 24th Wisconsin Infantry and features the personal stories of members of the 24th, including Arthur McArthur, the father of Gen. Douglas MacArthur

Utilizes hundreds of primary sources--letters, diaries, and contemporary newspaper articles

Formed in the summer of 1862, the 24th Wisconsin Infantry participated in many major battles of the Western theater, earning a reputation as a brave, hard-fighting unit. Unlike other unit histories, this book makes no attempt, as the author freely admits, to provide "an objective history" of the regiment. Rather, the book digs deeper, following the personal stories of the soldiers themselves, providing hundreds of individual vignettes that, taken together, paint a vivid picture of the life of a Union soldier.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

William J. K. Beaudot is the co-author of two books of Civil War history: In the Bloody Railroad Cut at Gettysburg and An Irishman in the Iron Brigade. He has also written several articles on the Civil War for publication.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Stackpole Books; 1 edition (January 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811708942
• ISBN-13: 978-0811708944
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,575,255 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellant!, April 4, 2003

By 

Christopher Slocombe (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The 24th Wisconsin Infantry in the Civil War: The Biography of a Regiment (Hardcover)

What a great book! Detailed, yet easy to read, this book covers all that anyone would desire to know about the 24th Wisconsin. As a regimental history, it ranks among the top that I've read. This book shows above all else the personal side of the regiment and the war. Beaudot shows how soldiers are tied to home in a much better way than have past regimental historians. As Beaudot was describing the 24th's final battle, the Battle of Nashville, I literally gasped as he told of the last man ever to be killed in the regiment. My story here tells of how much Beaudot depicted the personal side of the story. Readers become truly in touch with the men that make up this brave regiment from Milwaukee. This book is worthy to be on every Civil War buffs bookshelf.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-balanced and highly readable., January 6, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The 24th Wisconsin Infantry in the Civil War: The Biography of a Regiment (Hardcover)

Writing a good regimental history is a complex task. While the foremost concern for any regimental author is to tell a story, it is also important to put that regiment into a proper context and offer something more to the reader than just the regiment "fought here" or "charged there." Noted historian of Wisconsin regiments, William J. K. Beaudot has succeeded admirably at presenting a well-balanced and highly readable regimental history in The 24th Wisconsin Infantry in the Civil War: The Biography of a Regiment.
The 24th Wisconsin, often times referred to as "The Milwaukee Regiment," has never before had its story told. Until now many only know the regiment because one of its members was Arthur McArthur - father of the famed commander of operations in the Pacific during World War II.
Drawing on an array of sources, which includes a sizeable body of published primary and archival collections Beaudot presents a history that would most certainly please the veterans of that regiment. The book is not only valuable to individuals with an interest in Wisconsin regiments, but is highly valuable to scholars and arm chair historians alike who seek to learn more about the oft-forgotten western theater and the life of the common soldier. -- Jonathan A. Noyalas, The Skirmish Line.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 24th Wisconsin, February 7, 2003

By 

Wm. J. K. Beaudot (Milwaukee, WI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The 24th Wisconsin Infantry in the Civil War: The Biography of a Regiment (Hardcover)

This is a powerful book, ably researched and clearly written. The craftsmanship causes the reader to feel a part of the action. The treatment of the events at Stones River and Franklin reminded the reader of the costs of war. The book is a significant addition to the history of Milwaukee, of Wisconsin and the nation. --Frank P. Zeidler, former mayor of Milwaukee.