Civil War News
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Ohio in the War: Her Statesman, Generals, and Soldiers
Book cover. Agate: 1: a hard stone, sometimes referred to as a bloodstone; 2: pseudonym under which Whitelaw Reid wrote of various battles during the American Civil War. Serving as a war correspondent for the Cincinnati Gazette, Reid indeed witnessed his share of bloody stones during the two days of fighting at Shiloh in April 1862. During the war, he covered military action in the Eastern
and Western Theaters and established close connections with the Republican Party in Washington City. Postwar, Reid traveled throughout the South and published a book, After the War a Southern Tour. While living in Alabama, Reid wrote a compelling narrative of his native state's involvement in the war. Entitled Ohio in the War: Her Statesman, Generals, and Soldiers, this two-volume set remains a valuable resource when studying the Buckeye State. Covering the politicians and officers from the state, Reid offers mini-bios on most of the officers, and illustrations depicting many of them populate the 1,050 pages in volume one. Researchers might expect to find longer accounts of Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, and the like, and one does, but not at the expense of shortchanging others. Both volumes contain woodcuts and illustrations, but the first also includes several maps and a detailed account of 'The Morgan Raid Through Ohio.' Anyone researching Ohio during the war may benefit most from volume two, as Reid turned his pen toward the fighting men. Throughout the 949 pages, researchers can glean essential details on the various infantry,
November 2019
Whitelaw Reid. (Library of Congress) cavalry, and artillery regiments Ohio contributed to the war. Reid also covered irregular units in his account. For example, the 21st Ohio Infantry section begins (like for all other regiments listed) showing a roster of the various officers serving in the 21st during the war. Following each roster listing, one will find a regimental history. These accounts vary from six to eight pages, but with the small type font used in the book, quite a bit of information exists. Reid closed the introduction to his work with a degree of apprehension. "Here are many pages and many efforts to do some justice to features in the war history of our noble state….and yet – who can write worthily of what Ohio has done?” Mr. Reid, you did just fine, sir! Researchers can view both volumes online at https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/006252377, or perhaps purchase an original (1868) or a reprint set at various online bookstores. Remember to check https://www.worldcat.
Map of Sherman’s Carolinas Campaign in volume one.
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Officer illustrations.
November 2019 org for a local library, which may have this work. One note of caution when searching for the volumes online. Many reprints exist, but they do not contain Reid's complete work. If one finds the book at a 'too good to be true' price–then, you probably have not located the full-version. Again, volume one contains 1,050 pages; volume two, 949. Conduct your search using the book’s title, and 'Whitelaw Reid.’ Next month, we will explore additional primary sources. Until then, good luck in researching the Civil War!
Civil War News Michael K. Shaffer is a Civil War historian, author, lecturer, instructor, and a member of the Society of Civil War Historians, the Historians of the Civil War Western Theater, the Georgia Association of Historians, and the Georgia Writers Association. Readers may contact him at mkscdr11@gmail.com, or to request speaking engagements, via his website www.civilwarhistorian.net. Follow Michael on Facebook www.facebook.com/ michael.k.shaffer and Twitter @ michaelkshaffer.
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Greg Ton Buying and Selling the Finest Confederate, Obsolete and Southern States Currency Since 1978
GregTonCurrency.com Greg Ton • P.O. Box 9 • Franklin, TN 37065 901-487-5944 • GTon1@aol.com Officer roster from 21st Ohio Infantry Regiment.