Southwest Virginia in the Civil War: The Battles for Saltville (Virginia Civil War Battles and Leaders Series) (Hardcover)

by William Maravel (Author), William Marvel (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: H.E. Howard Inc. (December 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561900265
• ISBN-13: 978-1561900268
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,833,697 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Coverage of the Small but Critical Battle , May 30, 2005

By	Daniel Hurley (Chesapeake, VA.) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Marvell does an excellent job writing of this small but critical battle for Saltville located in western Virginia. The salt works here supplied the confederacy with much needed salt for preserving food as well as a dietary supplement. This was during a desperate time in late 1864 and the book actually covers several battles in the campaign such as Cloyds Mountain outside of Dublin (Crook versus Jenkins). The climax of the book is Stoneman's raid on Satlville and Breckenridge's rushed efforts to concentrate and repel the Union raiders who were intent on destroying the salt works and neighboring lead works.
As Marvel points out the efforts of the Confederates were desperate and results in loss but the damage to Saltville was tardy for any long range effect by the Union. The dark side pf the book is an appropriate analysis of the mistreatment of wounded black cavalry soildiers that were left behind. Marvel provides an interesting discussion on whether it was a massacre or obvious mistreatment. A side that many historians do not cover but certianly appropriate to give this sad event full coverage. Stoneman today is still considered a scurge among the people of the southwest Virginia as Sheridan is in the valley or Sherman in Georgia or Columbia.