IN THE FIRST LINE OF BATTLE: THE 12TH ILLINOIS CALVARY IN THE CIVIL WAR [Hardcover]

SAMUEL BLACKWELL (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2001

From its first major engagement at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, to the campaigns against Confederates in the swamps of occupied Louisiana, the 12th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry fought more than twenty battles in three theaters of combat. So great was the regiment's contribution to the Union victory that a monument at Gettysburg honors the unit for its place "in the first line of battle."

The campaigns of the 12th Illinois reflect the larger shape of the war. In 1862 and early 1863, the 12th Illinois defended Union supply lines against the lightning raids of J. E. B. Stuart's Confederate Cavalry in Virginia and Maryland. In 1863, it helped to turn back the tide of the Confederate advance at Gettysburg. And in 1864–1865 the unit went on the offensive and raided deep into the Southern heartland as the Union pursued a strategy of "hard war."

Drawing upon firsthand accounts from letters, diaries, memoirs, and official service records, Blackwell brings the soldiers of the 12th Illinois to life. As with other militia units in the heady first months of the war, the 12th Illinois assembled quickly, and its officers had at best only rudimentary military training. They were little prepared for the rigors of leading men into war or coping with desertions and horrific casualties.

In the First Line of Battle tells the story of how the 12th Illinois Cavalry came through the war with its colors intact. Tracking the regiment from its first muster early in 1862 through its service in Texas during Reconstruction, Blackwell shows readers the war as it was lived by men who fought across the length and breadth of the Confederacy. Tracing the path of the 12th Illinois, he sheds new light on the role of the Union cavalry in the Civil War.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A genuine contribution to the history of the Union cavalry."—Michigan Historical Review

"Blackwell's research and care of the subject is great.... One realizes and appreciates the efforts of the real-life men in the glorious, mundane, and fearful aspects of the war"—Journal of Illinois History

About the Author

Samuel M. Blackwell Jr. is visiting Assistant Professor of History at Northern Illinois University.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Northern Illinois University Press; 1 edition (December 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0875802796
• ISBN-13: 978-0875802794
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #508,809 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Admiration for the 12th Illinois, March 31, 2002

By 

William Harshbarger (Arcola,, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: IN THE FIRST LINE OF BATTLE: THE 12TH ILLINOIS CALVARY IN THE CIVIL WAR (Hardcover)

Sam Blackwell, Jr., tells the story of the 12th Illinois Cavalry. The work is illuminated with the kind of detail that comes from personal visits to the battle sites and close attention to the documents. At every page there is evidence of a masterful grasp of the daily concerns of the men and their responsibilities in combat. The story covers the length of the Civil War. The 12th Illinois was fighting in 1862 and 1863 in Virginia and Maryland. They fought in the first engagement at Gettysburg. They finished the war and continued with their duties in 1865 in Texas.

While carefully documenting his facts, Blackwell still manages to communicate a sense of drama in the story. The siege at Harpers Ferry and the daring nighttime escape by 12th Illinois is the kind of adventure that makes history exciting. The description of the of Captains Mitchell and Houck discovering and then thoughtfully ignoring a freshly wounded confederate captain disguised as an old woman at home with his wife is heartwarming. Without comment Blackwell lets the men tell their stories. Charles Rose, for example, wrote to his father after they finished a raid searching for bushwhackers in Louisiana, that "every man got a silver 50- or 25-cent piece. Some got Meerschaum pipes, some splendid boots, clothing and razors," from captured soldiers.

As with all good writing, the details tell the story. Blackwell lets us discover the men, the horses, the weapons, the carnage, and the battlefield conditions where the 12th Illinois touched the war. Each reader must make his own assessment of the significance of the regiment, but most will gradually come to admire the 12th Illinois Cavalry.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great original work, January 2, 2002

By 

Timothy Mccune (Arlington, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: IN THE FIRST LINE OF BATTLE: THE 12TH ILLINOIS CALVARY IN THE CIVIL WAR (Hardcover)

It was my great pleasure as an Illinois native to read this very interesting and rare account of one of my home state units in action. Many important works on the Civil War have focused -- quite rightly -- on the actions of units raised in East and South, but this book chronicles a significant contribution made by this citizens of this state as the war dragged on.

The 12th Illinois Cavalry was a good selection of a unit to follow. Brought into action after illusions on both sides of a quick victory had vanished, the 12th made small but important contributions in actions ranging from Antietam to Gettysburg. Quite conscious of the reputation of Confederate cavalry units, the 12th eagerly proved itself against its battle-hardened opponents.

The book was researched meticulously mostly from primary sources. Secondary sources add color to the account, such as describing history and effectiveness of the Spencer and Burnside carbines. The writing is even and interesting, providing an enjoyable way to see much of the war through the perspective of this unit. A very good read and a great addition to any Civil War library.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What the Doctor ordered!, February 22, 2002

By 

Hal Swanson (Denver, Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: IN THE FIRST LINE OF BATTLE: THE 12TH ILLINOIS CALVARY IN THE CIVIL WAR (Hardcover)

It had been traditional that a member of a military regiment take on the task of recording and writing a regimental history. With the passage of nearly one hundred and forty years since our nation was split in a civil war, it is apparent that one was not written for the 12th Illinois Cavalry. Or quite possibly such a journal may have been lost on the battle field. Sam Blackwell's book "In the First Line of Battle, The 12th Illinois Cavalry in the Civil War" is a credible resource with plenty of detail. It will become respected as a primary source for an authentic view of the U. S. Cavalry in the Civil War, and more particularly as a regimental record of the 12th Illinois Cavalry. The comprehensive bibliography is invaluable and supports the theme of this research.

It has been difficult to research and assemble information of an Ohio ancestor who fled Ohio to enlist in the Union forces in Illiniois. He served two terms of duty with the 12th Illinois Cavalry. Sam Blackwell Jr.'s book "In the First Line of Battle, The 12th Illinois Cavalry in the Civil War"is just what the doctor ordered. From the day of enlistment to the day of discharge, my ancestor's day to day history lies before me. I now sit at my desk, while following the sentences with one hand and a pen in the other hand, busily transcribing information and tracing movements of the 12th on a map of Virginia and Maryland. Events from military records obtained through the National Archives are supported "to the letter" by this book and are an now placed in a chronological order. "Between the lines" information is easily assimilated from the many pages filled with meaningful accounts of the 12th. Blackwell takes few liberties in "interpreting" what might have happened and instead presents information that is supported with many citations and quotations. The importance of this book to those with an interest in the Civil War and the 12th Regiment will be reaffirmed each time it is referenced for information contained within its covers. This book is not just pieces of a puzzle but is instead the entire assembled puzzle. The 12th Illinois Cavalry now has its regimental history.