Like Men of War: Black Troops in the Civil War, 1862-1865 [Hardcover]

Noah Andre Trudeau (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1998

Noah Andre Trudeau's past three books garnered him recognition as one of America's most respected Civil War historians. Now, in Like Men of War, he focuses on African-American soldiers in the Union army. In all, more than 175,000 black soldiers taught in more than 400 battles. But once the war was won, their efforts were largely ignored or forgotten.

Drawing from the diaries and letters of these veterans, Trudeau vividly re-creates their experiences. At the outset, the white military believed that blacks were simply incapable of combat duty. But, as in the courageous assault on Fort Wagner (depicted in the film Glory), African Americans more than proved their mettle.

Thoroughly researched and copiously illustrated, Like Men of War illuminates the struggles of these courageous men and brings a fresh perspective to our understanding of the Civil War.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Like Men of War corrects a sad case of historical amnesia that began in the 1880s and continues, with only a few exceptions, into the present. Using letters, diaries, service records, and other contemporary material, Noah Andre Trudeau tells the story of the brave black men who fought and died for their freedom in the U.S. Civil War. The tale begins in 1862, when many in the Union opposed recruiting blacks as soldiers. The story ends after Reconstruction, with their hopes for equality dashed, as Federal troops ceded control of the South to Southerners. In addition to photographs, Like Men of War includes about 60 maps and accounts of many of the 449 engagements in which blacks fought.

From Library Journal

At last, the service of black soldiers in the Union Army during the Civil War is receiving the recognition it deserves. Building on Dudley T. Cornish's pioneering work in The Sable Arm (1956; Univ. Pr. of Kansas, 1987. reprint) and the detailed discussion of officer-soldier relations in Joseph T. Glatthaar's Forged in Battle (LJ 10/1/89), Trudeau, the author of a trilogy covering military operations during the last year of the war (e.g., Out of the Storm, LJ 3/1/94), presents the fullest study of the battlefield experiences of black Union regiments. Some 60 maps help the reader make sense of famous engagements (Fort Wagner and the Crater) and notorious incidents (Fort Pillow) in which black soldiers fought, as well as scores of lesser-known clashes. Rich archival research is integrated into a lively narrative that places the raising and deployment of black regiments in broader contexts. This book will become a basic source of information on the subject. Recommended for public and academic collections.?Brooks D. Simpson, Arizona State Univ., Tempe
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 548 pages
• Publisher: Little Brown & Co (T); 1 edition (February 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316853259
• ISBN-13: 978-0316853255
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,441,251 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting piece of Military History, July 11, 1998

By 

Aussie Reader ""Rick"" (Canberra, Australia) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Like Men of War: Black Troops in the Civil War, 1862-1865 (Hardcover)

Noah Trudeau is a great author of Civil War history and in this book he once again shows that he is a craftsman of his art. This is only one of two books I have every read that have showed the role that negroes played in the military history of the United States. I have read many books on the American Civil War and very few have ever mentioned U.S. Black Troops, at long last this gap in American history has been filled. The narrative is excellent and the author has researched his topic well, covering almost every major skirmish and action undertaken by these troops. Its a shame that these actions weren't in more detail & depth but I suppose the author had constraints on time and size (the book is 548 pages). He has placed each action in context within the war and the political feeling at the time. The author has used letters, diaries and after-action reports of the participants and others involved (reporters & politicians). Overall the book offers the reader a very good overview of the role of coloured troops during the Civil War.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Start!, October 18, 2005

By 

T. Jordan (Northern VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Like Men of War: Black Troops in the Civil War 1862-1865 (Paperback)

This book offers a history lesson of the Negro within the ranks of our great military, some ver positive and some very negative. It is well written and presents a good picture of the civil war and fighting as a black soldier. As a retired military officer, I thoroughly enjoyed this read and would like to see more research in this area.

Per Mr. Ford's (a write-in) comments on black soldiers and their inability to stand and fight, I will offer the following comments:

Some of the most important tenants in producing successful soldiers are training, discipline, leadership and morale. Not making excuses for any soldier of any racial background who flee any battlefield (or Mr. Fords comments), I think that if one properly researches the history of the black soldier during the civil war, one would find that they were not in many instances very well trained, disciplined, nor led. There primary function was to perform menial duties (grave diggers, personal aides, and other non combat related duties). In addition, to many white officers, it was considered a slap in the face to command black troops. So I oft wonder who trained them and how creditable was the training? In addition, who led these men and what were their qualifications to lead?

Although not a very appeasing statement, but American soldiers throughout history have been routed on the battlefield. This is demonstrated throughout the Civil War by both Union and Confederate soldiers. During the First Battle of Manassas, union soldiers ran after being routed by confederate forces. Also, during the battle at Gettysburg confederate soldiers fled the battlefield in the face of adversity and in some cases after poor leadership decisions.

More recently, American soldiers were routed during the Africa Campaign of WWII and also during Korea where many American soldiers fled the battlefield in the face of overwhelming odds, lack of leadership, proper training, decipline, morale, and proper logistics.

Although Mr. Ford commentary is truly eloquent, he should do a better job researching and clearly presenting the facts.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A needed history, June 29, 2006

By 

James W. Durney (Tampa Bay area) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Like Men of War (Hardcover)

"Like Men of War" has never received the exposure that it should have or I feel is entitled to. Trudeau is a prize winning Civil War author, who tackled some obscure subjects. We benefit from this by seeing parts of the war that just do not coverage. "Like Men of War" is an excellent history of the USCT, its' development and battles. This is not a small book but it reads well. A small book could not do the USCT justice.

I do not know if it is possible to understand the American Civil War or Black History without reading this book.