Customer Reviews

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

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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.

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.

"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.

I have read all four of Noah Andre Trudeau's
Civil War histories, and have been engrossed
and enlightened by each one. "Like Men of
War" is superb in it's depth and humanity.
I am constantly amazed at Trudeau's research.
He manages to find material that eludes others.
Here, by using quotes from "colored" papers
and Pension files, he manages to give
the black soldier an authentic, moving voice
I highly recommend this book.
--Robert Malesky

There is a horrific undercurrent to the book the publisher and even author seem to miss--the relentless, Bosnian-war like brutality of the Southern Soldiers towards black soldiers. Never again will I be decived in any way by those who speak of the Romance of the Lost cause. In virtually every battle in which blacks were involved, Southerners murdered African-American prisoners without cause or excuse. Every single one. From now on, whenever anyone wants to put a Confederate flag in a public place, this book should be sent out. It reveals the Confederate cause as the truly nightmarish, evil, disgusting force it was. The author doesn't seem to mean to do it; he doesn't even discuss the repeated, ceaseless massacres in his introduction. But the reality is there: no honor. Just slimeballs shooting unarmed men, or burning down buildings full of wounded.

This proves to be quite an interesting book about the black troops during the Civil War. Its definitely is a military history of those troops instead of social or political history. The author appears to know his stuff and I supposed for many neo-Confederates out there, this book will sound very politically incorrect since it shows the brave soldiers of the south murdering defenseless black POWs after some battles. Of course, I am sure the black troops did some paid back as well which in the face of war, was only proper. This seem to distract many readers but overall, this book is about the black troops of the war and how they fought, performed and conducted themselves. All was not glory for them but in hindsight, they did quite well considering the situation they were in.

Your knowlege of the Civil war will never be complete without reading this book. This book takes you there........

The book does a masterful job of curing a case of historical amnesia concerning the contributions of the blacks in the Union army. The book's only drawbacks are the ponderousness of the size combined with the neglect of black Confederates (there were many who DID fight for the south against the U.S.C.T.)

"Like Men of War" is a good book that details the overlooked exploits the United States Colored Troops from the Civil War. Most battles and skirmishes in which black troops took part are mentioned here. The book's only faults are its ponderous length, its discounting of massacres committed by the U.S.C.T. against Confederates, and its discounting of the contributions of blacks to the Southern cause. (Unknown to many, there were blacks who sided with the CSA and did shoulder arms for it.) Otherwise, this book is good primer on a part of the Union army that at the end of the war was 10% of the Union's total force.

"Like Men of War" is a good book that details the overlooked exploits the United States Colored Troops from the Civil War. The only faults in the book is its sometimes ponderous length, its discounting of massacres committed by the U.S.C.T. against Confederates, and its discounting of the contributions of blacks to the Southern cause.