The Real Horse Soldiers

“This epic account is as thrilling and fast-paced as the raid itself and will quickly rival, if not surpass, Dee Brown’s Grierson’s Raid as the standard.” —Terrence J. Winschel, historian (ret.), Vicksburg National Military Park Winner, Operational/Battle History, Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Book Award Winner, Fletcher Pratt Literary Award, Civil War Round Table of New York There were other simultaneous operations to distract Confederate attention from the real threat posed by U. S. Grant’s Army of the Tennessee. Benjamin Grierson’s operation, however, mainly conducted with two Illinois cavalry regiments, has become the most famous, and for good reason: For 16 days (April 17 to May 2) Grierson led Confederate pursuers on a high-stakes chase through the entire state of Mississippi, entering the northern border with Tennessee and exiting its southern border with Louisiana. Throughout, he displayed outstanding leadership and cunning, destroyed railroad tracks, burned trestles and bridges, freed slaves, and created as much damage and chaos as possible. Grierson’s Raid broke a vital Confederate rail line at Newton Station that supplied Vicksburg and, perhaps most importantly, consumed the attention of the Confederate high command. While Confederate Lt. Gen. John Pemberton at Vicksburg and other Southern leaders looked in the wrong directions, Grant moved his entire Army of the Tennessee across the Mississippi River below Vicksburg, spelling the doom of that city, the Confederate chances of holding the river, and perhaps the Confederacy itself. Based upon years of research and presented in gripping, fast-paced prose, Timothy B. Smith’s The Real Horse Soldiers captures the high drama and tension of the 1863 horse soldiers in a modern, comprehensive, academic study. Readers will find it fills a wide void in Civil War literature.

Now a major motion picture from Jerry Bruckheimer starring Chris Hemsworth and Michael Shannon! “A thrilling action ride of a book” (The New York Times Book Review)—the New York Times bestselling, true-life account of a US Special Forces team deployed to dangerous, war-ridden Afghanistan in the weeks following 9/11. In the weeks following the attacks of September 11, a small band of Special Forces soldiers secretly entered Afghanistan. Riding on horseback, they pursued the Taliban over the stark and mountainous Afghanistan terrain. After a series of intense battles, they captured the strategically essential city of Mazar-i-Sharif. The bone-weary American soldiers were welcomed as liberators as they rode into the city, and the streets thronged with Afghans overjoyed that the Taliban regime had been overthrown. Then the action took a wholly unexpected turn. During a surrender of six hundred Taliban troops, the Horse Soldiers were ambushed by the would-be POWs. Dangerously overpowered, they fought for their lives in the city’s immense fortress, Qala-i-Jangi, or the House of War. At risk were the military gains of the entire campaign: if the soldiers perished or were captured, the entire effort to outmaneuver the Taliban was likely doomed. Previously published as Horse Soldiers, 12 Strong “is not just a battle story—it’s also about the home front. An important book” (the TODAY show). A thrilling, inspiring tale of a group of men on horses who did the impossible and an incredible account of real life bravery and heroism in the face of insurmountable odds.

Fictional account of Grierson's Raid.

This volume documents Robert Taft's first term in the United States Senate and marks his entrance onto the national political and policymaking stage.

Many accounts of the Civil War battles, armies, and key figures have been written over the years, but none have looked at the bloodiest war in our nation's history through the eyes of the cavalry. The horse soldiers in the Civil War are often referred to as the last of the cavaliers, men who valued their honor as much as their cause. In this sweeping saga George Walsh brings to life anew the gallant horse soldiers of the North and South, showing in dramatic detail how their raids and expeditions affected the outcome of the war and how their fortunes waxed and waned. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

The greatest Union cavalry raid of the Civil War During the American Civil War in 1863, Union army commander, General U. S. Grant ordered Colonel Benjamin Grierson, of the 6th Illinois Cavalry, to embark on a raid into and through Confederate held territory to disrupt the enemy's lines of communication. Grierson departed from La Grange, Tennessee in command of 1,700 men-a brigade of the 6th and 7th Illinois and 2nd Iowa Cavalry regiments. In the course of a 17 day, 800 mile march Grierson's command fought numerous engagements, disabled two railroads, destroyed thousands of dollars-worth of vital war material and took both horses and prisoners before arriving in Baton Rouge. More importantly the raid broke lines of communication between the Confederate command of the eastern theatre and Vicksburg which diverted enemy attention form Grant's main thrust. Union general, W. T. Sherman declared this achievement, 'the most brilliant expedition of the war, ' and the following month Grierson was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general. Modern readers who are not completely unfamiliar with the history of the raid may recognise that it was upon these actual events that John Ford's famous film starring John Wayne, 'The Horse Soldiers, ' is based. This book was written by a soldier who served under Grierson and so benefits from the authenticity of a first hand account. This text was originally published with the unrelated recollections of a Union army scout, these have been removed from this edition (but are published separately by Leonaur) to allow greater focus on these pivotal events. Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.

A young horse cavalry officer is rudely dismounted and transferred to the engineers. He then learns modern warfare in a hurry and is instrumental in preventing a catastrophe to American and British troops!