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"The Bloody Fifth" Vol. 1: Secession to the Suffolk Campaign
Vol. 1: Secession to the Suffolk Campaign
The 5th Texas Infantry--"The Bloody Fifth"--was one of only three Texas regiments to fight with Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. The 5th Texas established an exceptional combat record in an army known for its fighting capabilities.
The regiment took part in 38 engagements, including nearly every significant battle in the Eastern Theater, as well as the Chickamauga, Chattanooga, and Knoxville campaigns in the Western Theater, before laying down its arms forever at Appomattox. "The Bloody Fifth," in a pair of magnificent volumes, is the first full-length study to document this fabled regimental command.
The first installment, Secession to the Suffolk Campaign, opens the regiment's rich history from the withdrawal of the Lone Star State from the Union and the organization of ten independent east and central Texas companies, through the spring of 1863 and its complex and often-misunderstood mission around Suffolk, Virginia. The 5th's battlefield prowess was demonstrated early in its inaugural fighting on the Virginia peninsula in early 1862, but it was at Second Manassas later that year where the regiment earned its enduring nickname by attacking and crushing the 5th New York Zouaves. Flushed with victory, the Texans pushed through the disintegrating Federal lines and outdistanced not only the remainder of the brigade but the rest of the Confederate army. The 5th Texas, boasted Gen. John Bell Hood in his official report, had "slipped the bridle." The undying sobriquet "The Bloody Fifth" was now part of American military history.
Schmutz's definitive study is based upon years of archival battlefield research that uncovered hundreds of primary sources, many never before used. The result is a lively account of not only the regiment's marches and battles but also a personal look into the lives of these Texans as they struggled to survive a vicious war 2,000 miles from home. The second installment, Gettysburg to Appomattox, will complete the history.
"The Bloody Fifth"--The 5th Texas Infantry, Hood's Texas Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia, with photos, original maps, explanatory footnotes, and important and useful appendices, is a significant contribution to the history of Texas and the American Civil War.
The 5th Texas Infantry--"The Bloody Fifth"--was one of only three Texas regiments to fight with Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. The 5th Texas established an exceptional combat record in an army known for its fighting capabilities.
The regiment took part in 38 engagements, including nearly every significant battle in the Eastern Theater, as well as the Chickamauga, Chattanooga, and Knoxville campaigns in the Western Theater, before laying down its arms forever at Appomattox. "The Bloody Fifth," in a pair of magnificent volumes, is the first full-length study to document this fabled regimental command.
The first installment, Secession to the Suffolk Campaign, opens the regiment's rich history from the withdrawal of the Lone Star State from the Union and the organization of ten independent east and central Texas companies, through the spring of 1863 and its complex and often-misunderstood mission around Suffolk, Virginia. The 5th's battlefield prowess was demonstrated early in its inaugural fighting on the Virginia peninsula in early 1862, but it was at Second Manassas later that year where the regiment earned its enduring nickname by attacking and crushing the 5th New York Zouaves. Flushed with victory, the Texans pushed through the disintegrating Federal lines and outdistanced not only the remainder of the brigade but the rest of the Confederate army. The 5th Texas, boasted Gen. John Bell Hood in his official report, had "slipped the bridle." The undying sobriquet "The Bloody Fifth" was now part of American military history.
Schmutz's definitive study is based upon years of archival battlefield research that uncovered hundreds of primary sources, many never before used. The result is a lively account of not only the regiment's marches and battles but also a personal look into the lives of these Texans as they struggled to survive a vicious war 2,000 miles from home. The second installment, Gettysburg to Appomattox, will complete the history.
"The Bloody Fifth"--The 5th Texas Infantry, Hood's Texas Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia, with photos, original maps, explanatory footnotes, and important and useful appendices, is a significant contribution to the history of Texas and the American Civil War.
489 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 19, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 26, 2017
The War in the East during the Civil War held many of the great battles we know and remember. It overshadows the War in the West in terms of scholarly works written about the conflict and general knowledge about the eastern war is higher than the west. Many are left to wonder if there is more that Civil War authors can write about and the answer is yes. John F. Schmutz has written “The Bloody Fifth,” a regimental history on the 5th Texas Infantry which was one of only three Texas regiments to fight in Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. This regimental history will be separated into volumes, the first taking the regiment from secession to the Suffolk Campaign.
John F. Schmutz is a veteran of the United States Army and hails from Oneida, New York. He has had a successful career as a corporate attorney; while during his career, he had a lifelong passion for the Civil War. His first book was The Battle of the Crater: A Complete History which was published in 2009.
One of the highlights about “The Bloody Fifth” was the incredible amount of information within the pages. As I was reading, I could tell the painstaking research Mr. Schmutz has put into this regiment. The stories of the men who served during the war with this unit are fascinating. The book is wonderfully organized into the sections which this volume is handling from the organization of the unit to the Suffolk Campaign. One of the points this book offers which I find fascinating was the telling of the events themselves. For example, in the chapter of Fredericksburg, most regimental histories would delve into the actions of the regiment instead of the overall event. Here, Mr. Schmutz tells the readers about the event as a whole which lends more to the understanding of the battles. It also gives a greater understanding of the actions of the regiment as the battle was waning on. In the account on the Battle of Fredericksburg, another interesting point in the book, was the action in which the 5th Texas took part in. The usual stories we read about that battle are in the form of the attack on Mayre’s Heights. But the 5th Texas was about the attack between Meade and Jackson, which is not wholly covered in many books. Lastly, one of the appendices which I appreciated was not only the organization by company of the regiment, but the listing of the important people throughout the regiment’s history.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in regimental histories. This is how a regimental history should be written. Properly organized and researched fully without any question, Mr. Schmutz has done his due diligence. The narrative flows quite well always keeping the interest of the reader intact and with the appendices to aid the text made the book even more valuable. Aided with well drawn maps and photographs, I eagerly await the next volume in this fine series. Highly recommended.
Matthew Bartlett
John F. Schmutz is a veteran of the United States Army and hails from Oneida, New York. He has had a successful career as a corporate attorney; while during his career, he had a lifelong passion for the Civil War. His first book was The Battle of the Crater: A Complete History which was published in 2009.
One of the highlights about “The Bloody Fifth” was the incredible amount of information within the pages. As I was reading, I could tell the painstaking research Mr. Schmutz has put into this regiment. The stories of the men who served during the war with this unit are fascinating. The book is wonderfully organized into the sections which this volume is handling from the organization of the unit to the Suffolk Campaign. One of the points this book offers which I find fascinating was the telling of the events themselves. For example, in the chapter of Fredericksburg, most regimental histories would delve into the actions of the regiment instead of the overall event. Here, Mr. Schmutz tells the readers about the event as a whole which lends more to the understanding of the battles. It also gives a greater understanding of the actions of the regiment as the battle was waning on. In the account on the Battle of Fredericksburg, another interesting point in the book, was the action in which the 5th Texas took part in. The usual stories we read about that battle are in the form of the attack on Mayre’s Heights. But the 5th Texas was about the attack between Meade and Jackson, which is not wholly covered in many books. Lastly, one of the appendices which I appreciated was not only the organization by company of the regiment, but the listing of the important people throughout the regiment’s history.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in regimental histories. This is how a regimental history should be written. Properly organized and researched fully without any question, Mr. Schmutz has done his due diligence. The narrative flows quite well always keeping the interest of the reader intact and with the appendices to aid the text made the book even more valuable. Aided with well drawn maps and photographs, I eagerly await the next volume in this fine series. Highly recommended.
Matthew Bartlett
September 30, 2020
Positives: Gave a good account of the specific "Texas" qualities of the unit, as well as the perception by other Southerners of their uniqueness and combat quality. Good coverage of the unit's combat operations, and provided a good feel for the daily camp life. But there was too much background, general information on campaigns that should have been presumed in an audience that would select a unit history from the war. There was also lacking a certain sympathetic portrayal of specific figures. The best unit histories are almost like a novel in the development of the characters; there did not seem to be many such familiar characters developed through first person accounts in this book. Perhaps first person letters and diaries were not as extensive.
October 1, 2019
This is a great review of the Texans in the Civil War. It covers the beginning of the war and focuses on the most famous of Texan troops during the Civil War.
September 12, 2016
The Bloody Fifth is a good regimental history of the American Civil War's Fifth Texas Infantry which served in Hood's Brigade. It covers recruitment and initial outfitting in Texas as well as the journey to Virginia where it fought during the entire war. There is detailed descriptions of the battles it participated through Appomattox and the final surrender. The Appendix contains brief biographies of the companies of the Fifth Texas Infantry as well as of some individuals. While there is no bibliography, the work is well footnoted with citations.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews