Colonel John Pelham: Lee's Boy Artillerist

by William Woods Hassler

Even before the end of the Civil War Colonel John Pelham had become a legendary figure of the Confederacy. General Lee called him "the gallant Pelham," and on seeing the young artillerist employ but a single gun to hold up the advance of three Union divisions and over a hundred guns at Fredericksberg, he "It is glorious to see such courage in one so young."

"Stonewall" Jackson, who relied implicitly on Pelham in tight situations "It is really extraordinary to find such nerve and genius in a mere boy. With a Pelham on each flank I believe I could whip the world."

"Jeb" Stuart, the dashing cavalry chief, claimed that "John Pelham exhibited a skill and courage which I have never seen surpassed. I loved him as a brother."

Major John Esten Cooke, a fellow-officer and tent-mate, "He is the bravest human being I ever saw in my life."

And one of Pelham's veteran gunners "We knew him -- we trusted him -- we would have followed him anywhere, and did."

Shortly after the outbreak of hostilities in the spring of 1861, Cadet Pelham slipped away from West Point to join the Confederacy. Following the fierce Battle of First Manassas, in which he fought side-by-side with "Stonewall" Jackson, Pelham was assigned to "Jeb" Stuart's command with orders to organize the Stuart Horse Artillery. This mounted unit -- dashing from action to action on the battlefield -- provided General Lee's army with invaluable mobile firepower which saved many desperate situations.

In over sixty battles Pelham's blazing guns saw furious action against Union infantry, cavalry, artillery, gunboats and even locomotives. Although he fought against tremendous odds, Pelham never lost an artillery duel or a single gun!

Colonel Pelham was an outstanding figure on the battlefield and off. The modest, boyish-looking commander of the Horse Artillery was as calm and popular with his gunners under fire as he was with beautiful Southern belles in the ballroom. This action-packed book fully describes the incredible feats of the adventurous, romantic artillery genius of the Confederacy.

Genres: Civil War, Biography, Nonfiction, History

204 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

William Woods Hassler was President of Indiana University of Pennsylvania and the author of A. P. Hill: Lee’s Forgotten General; Confederate Heroes and Heroines and other books. In 1993, inspired by Dr. Hassler’s special example, the Hassler Award was inaugurated to honor individuals who make especially meritorious contributions to the field of Civil War education. He died in 1997 at the age of 80.

Reviews

[Sarah Bierle · Rating 2 out of 5]

An easy-to-read biography of the Confederate officer, but lacks footnotes or source citing.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pelham's story is an interesting one. This very young man with a genius for engineering applied it perfectly to his artillery unit. As the war went on, he was given more artillery and more responsibility and quickly rose to the task and then excelled. Had he lived, he would have quickly risen through the ranks to high command in the Confederate Army.

This book was an interesting read about the short life of John Pelham of Alabama. This book did not contain a lot of letters that I like to see in biographies, but as is often the case, they may not exist. The most important thing missing here which is usually always present in biographies is a bibliography. There is no sources for any of the information in the book, so you cannot seek out and find original sources, newspaper stories, or other sources which may interest you to read more about Pelham, his unit, etc. I do like to read the bibliography for pieces of information that wasn't included in the book because of various reasons, but was still interesting enough to be included in the bibliography. Also, it's a great source to locate collected letters and other books about the subject of the biography.

So, this is why I can only give this three stars. It was an interesting read about an interesting figure, but without the bibliography, you have no sources of where this information came from.

[Thomas · Rating 1 out of 5]

A few interesting anecdotes to be found amongst the pro-Southern bias.

[Sim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written treatise on the life of John Pelham. Well written, researched and referenced yet this book has a nice easy personal style to it. And, need I to say, John Pelham clearly at a young age was true to his beliefs and accomplished as a leader at a difficult time for the country.

[Pat Phelps · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find the life of Colonel John Pelham so interesting. He is such an iconic figure for Civil War enthusiasts. There is not much written about Pelham, but this book would be a good starting point. It is well written and provides enough detail to get you hooked. Enjoy!

[Shelly♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book by Jim Hassler is an older bio of John Pelham, an artillerist in Jeb Stuart's Horse Artillery during the Civil War. Pelham was only weeks away from his West Point graduation when he left to join the Alabama State Guard and eventually the Confederate Army. His work with Stuart and the horse artillery is the stuff of legends. This book relates his legacy in a less that scholarly approach, but none-the-less is a wonderful telling of the life of the young hero. Hassler has used lots of stories and interwoven not just Pelham's service in the field, but his relationships with his men along with the other officers. This style make the account more readable and helps the reader identify with trials and tribulations facing soldiers during the war. This would be a great book for teen readers studying Civil War History. The book also includes a short glossary of Artillery terms along with a primer on the guns used by Stuart's horse artillery.

[Jeff Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started reading this on a cruise. This book was written in the early 1960s and the style shows it. It is history written with a Southern slant. John Pelham had an interesting (short) life and was one of the most gallant soldiers in the Civil War. This book details his life and the creation of the Stuart Horse Artillery. Interesting and quick read.