Four Years with the Army of the Potomac

by Régis de Trobriand, George K. Dauchy (Translator)

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

747 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1874

About the author

Major Philippe Régis Denis de Keredern de Trobriand (June 4, 1816 – July 15, 1897) was a French aristocrat, lawyer, poet, and novelist who, on a dare, emigrated in his 20s to the United States, settling first in New York City. During the American Civil War, he became naturalized, was commissioned and served in the Union Army, reaching the rank of general.

While serving as the commander of Fort Stevenson in Dakota Territory from 1867 to 1870, he was promoted to the brevet grade of brigadier general in the regular army in 1868. During Reconstruction, Trobriand was part of the occupation forces in Louisiana and was based in New Orleans, where he lived from 1875 on, retiring from the Army in 1879.

Reviews

[Bruce Hesselbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is THE book to have if you want to learn about the Northern perspective on the Civil War. In addition to being a brilliant general and a war hero in the battle of Gettysburg, de Trobriand is a polished and eloquent author.
His analysis of the conflict is both insightful and eloquent. He starts the book by saying: "The great American rebellion of 1861 had for its cause the maintenance and the perpetuation of slavery. From whatever point of view we study the development of the facts and the march of events which culminated in this great conflict, we find at bottom the question of slavery; all else is merely subsidiary."
On this point he is roundly seconded by General Grant who makes the same point in his autobiography. Of course the Southern writers do not agree, but that was their perspective.
The book, however, is not a dull analysis of opinion, but a vivid depiction of the day-to-day life of a soldier and an exciting description of numerous battles. When reading this book, you are transported into the time of the Civil War, and, with the author as your guide, you relive the strategies, the struggles, the fiascos, and the tragic bloodshed of this eventful era.