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With a Flash of His Sword: The Writings of Major Holman S. Melcher 20th Maine Infantry
Book by Melcher, Holman S., Styple, William B.
331 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 1994
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July 13, 2020
This is a series of letters from Holman to his brother in Maine during the war, as well as many accounts from the field by other officers and soldiers, newspaper accounts and also reminicences from Holman's units as they gathered many times after the war. Many of the account are attempts to straighten out what happened esp. during the Battle of Gettysburg. It is not a biography per se as his youth and post civil war life are not mentioned. There is no narrative.
The book does provide a clear sense of what the war was like, lots of marching, lots of long muddy encampments, grisly wounds and some ferocious battle scenes. Holman was a legitimate hero as clear from several accounts from Gettysburg he initiated a charge from Little Round Top that stunned the confederates and led to the capture of many. Other battles are noted but none with the detail of Gettysburg.
I read this as Holman is my 2nd great grand uncle so I have a personal interest.
The book does provide a clear sense of what the war was like, lots of marching, lots of long muddy encampments, grisly wounds and some ferocious battle scenes. Holman was a legitimate hero as clear from several accounts from Gettysburg he initiated a charge from Little Round Top that stunned the confederates and led to the capture of many. Other battles are noted but none with the detail of Gettysburg.
I read this as Holman is my 2nd great grand uncle so I have a personal interest.
Displaying 1 of 1 review