Bull'S-Eyes and Misfires: 50 People Whose Obscure Efforts Shaped the American Civil War

by Clint Johnson

You don't have to know much about the Civil War to be familiar with Robert E.Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, Stonewall Jackson, or William Tecumseh Sherman. Bull's-Eyes and Misfires , however, tells the fascinating stories of fifty largelyunknown people who dramatically changed the course of the Civil War by theirheroic efforts or bungling mistakes. Here are the stories Col. George Rains who used his skill as a businessman to build agunpowder factory in Augusta, Georgia that was impressive in its efficiency even by modern standards and manufactured nearly three million pounds of powder. TheConfederacy lacked many things, but gunpowder was not one of them. Confederate Maj. John Barry ordered the volley that wounded (and eventually killed) Stonewall Jackson at Chancellorsville. One can only speculatehow the outcome of the War might have been different had Barry not accidentally shot his own general. Julia Grant , the wife of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, kept her husband soberand focused by just showing up and living near him before and after nearly every major battle. When she was not around, he drank out of loneliness. When she wasaround, his Army won battles. Gen. James Wolfe Ripley hated waste so much that he refused to buymodern repeating weapons for the Union Army. He believed soldiers would firewithout taking aim. His decision not to distribute superior weapons for at leasta year delayed the end of the war.  

Genres: Civil War, History, Military Fiction

276 pages, Paperback

First published October 9, 2002

About the author

After writing about the American Civil War for 13 books, Clint chose another field of history: Naval History. He was inspired to write about naval destroyers after discovering the coincidences surrounding the sinking of USS Jacob Jones (DD-61) in WW I, and the USS Jacob Jones (DD-130) in WW II. DD-61 was the only U.S. warship sunk by enemy fire in WW I. DD-130 was the only U.S. warship lost in American territorial waters in WW II. TIN CANS & GREYHOUNDS: The Destroyers That Won Two World Wars covers the history of destroyers from 1874 through 1945 with a focus on U.S., Great Britain, Japan and Germany.

Clint lives in the mountains of North Carolina with his wife Barb.

Reviews

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published in 2002.

As the title states, Clint Johnson has found 50 people from the Civil War (25 from each side) who played an important role, but are generally speaking, not big names. So, you won't find Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, William T. Sherman or Stonewall Jackson in this book, except in passing.
All of those men would have admitted that they didn't win (or lose) the war by themselves. It was a big war and it involved literally millions of people inside and outside of the military and even outside of the government. Some of those were very helpful and are labeled as "bull's-eyes". Some people, though, got in the way more than they helped. They are the "misfires".

Some of the misfires and bull's-eyes that Johnson lists are clearly misfires or bull's-eyes. For example, the first person listed in the book is Union Major William F. Barry. He misidentified Confederate troops at a critical moment in the First Battle of Bull Run as Union troops and stopped Union artillery from potentially breaking the Confederate line and wiping out Stonewall Jackson's unit before they made the stand that gave Jackson his famous nickname.

Others are a judgment call. Lew Wallace is called a bull's-eye, but he could have just as easily have been called a misfire for his bungled march during the Battle of Shiloh. For the record, I agree with Johnson's anlaysis, but Ulysses S. Grant never thought much of Wallace's military ability after Shiloh.

The story of Captain Sally Tompkins was an eye-opener to me. Sally Tompkins...

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[Joey · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting book that provides some little known background on some of the major players during the Civil War (from both sides of the War of Northern Aggression); some of whom where 'misfires' and why they are labeled so, and those that were hits and why they had such a major affect on the war. An excellent bathroom read as each chapter is only a few pages long.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book I picked up somewhere--probably a library book sale. Skimming around in it, I discovered some things I did not know about the Civil War. Author Clint Johnson writes about 50 people in the ACW-Union and Confederate- who were rather obscure but affected the war in some way, either positively or negatively.
So no Lee or Beauregard or Forrest--or Grant, Sherman, Burnside or Custer. But Sec. of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase is included as an obscure figure. He shouldn't be. The author considers him a "misfire." This is due to his plotting against Lincoln, which came to nothing. I think his work as Sec. of the Treasury should be regarded as a major "bull's-eye" for the Union. He ensured that the Union was well-financed during the Civil War.
One of my favorite figures of the war is Lew Wallace, famous as the author of "Ben Hur," and not as a military leader of the Civil War. The title of the chapter about him states it quite simply about his contribution: "The Man Who Saved Washington." Definitely a "bull's -eye," the amateur ( not a professional and West Pointer) Wallace was unfairly blamed for Gen. US Grant's defeat on the first day of the horrific Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee ( in the author's opinion, which I agree with). He was sidelined and finally put in command of the "Middle Department," including Washington, DC. When a Confederate army under CS Gen. Jubal Early drove toward Washington, it was Lew Wallace who was able to rush troops to try to stop Early and protect the US capital. Wallace was outnumbered and defeated in the Battle of Monocacy, Maryland on July 9, 1864 but his heroic action delayed the Southerners. He gave Grant the precious time he needed to reinforce the defenses of Washington. When Early got to DC, he could not break through the defenses and was forced to retreat. Wallace was certainly the man who saved Washington, DC. As the author points out, a quick raid into the capital city just might have captured Lincoln--and then what would've happened? We'll never know, thanks to Lew Wallace.
By the way, I have visited the Monocacy National Battlefield-- a beautiful park near Frederick, Maryland and certainly worth a visit!
Another man who should be better known and who was a real bull's- eye for the CSA was Colonel George Rains. Rains was more of a businessman than a soldier and, with great efficiency, kept the Confederacy supplied with gunpowder. The South would've lost the war much earlier than it did if not for the great productivity of his powder mill at Augusta, Georgia.
Who was Major John Barry? A good officer from North Carolina, but he goes down in history in this book as a "misfire." He believed that the volley he ordered during the Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia, was aimed at the Yankees. His troops, firing at Barry's command, mortally wounded "Stonewall" Jackson. Interestingly, Barry was not blamed for the death of the South's great hero, Stonewall. In fact, he was promoted from major to full colonel.
i had heard of Gen. John B. Floyd of Virginia and I am certainly willing to consider him one of the worst misfires of the entire war, perhaps the worst for the South. He was entrusted with the defense of strategic Fort Donelson, Tenn. After the fort was surrounded by Grant's forces, Floyd was able to escape with some of his troops. He left behind 15,000 Confederates, who were then surrendered to Grant. With his victory at Fort Donelson, Grant began his rise to become the commanding general of all US armies. For his disgusting display of cowardice, Floyd was relieved of Confederate command by President Jefferson Davis. Amazingly, the Virginia state government gave Floyd command of state troops in the southwestern part of Virginia. Floyd now rests beneath a tombstone that bears a Bible verse which asks, "Why was I ever born?" Why, indeed.
There are forty-five other bull's-eyes and misfires, North and South.
I found one mistake in the book. The Battle of Sayler's Creek, Virginia, is stated as having been fought on April 2, 1865. It was on April 6, 1865. I don't know how many other mistakes there are in the book that I didn't catch. For that reason, I give the book 3 stars rather than 4.

[Margret · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of short stories that provide information of some of the important people in the history of the Civil War. It was interesting learning about some facts and why some of the people were labeled "misfires". Recommend it.

[Jarrett Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of short stories about the contributions of important, but often ignored, figures in the Civil War.

[David Reynolds · Rating 3 out of 5]

Neat Civil War book!! Thanks Kathie!!