From Selma to Appomattox: The History of the Jeff Davis Artillery (review)

I70CIVIL WAR HISTORY discourage black recruits in the Union army; however, the Fort Pillow massacre had the opposite effect. The subsequent actions of black troops in battle amply proves this contention in Fuchs's opinion. Although this account is excellent in most respects, there are some drawbacks . First, Fuchs does not always utilize readily available primary sources. Thus when discussing an important May 1864 cabinet meeting in which the issue of retaliation for the Fort Pillow massacre took place, he uses Carl Sandburg's The War Years as one of his principal sources. However, the Diary ofGideon Welles as well as the Abraham Lincoln Papers (readily accessible on microfilm) have important information on this issue that Fuchs apparently overlooks. Second, there is an excess of long verbatim quotations. Undoubtedly , when reconstructing the battle narrative, the author was trying for authenticity ; however, he overplays his hand. For the reader, this can become a bit bothersome. Finally, Fuchs seems a little too willing to accept literally the statements of witnesses who testified before the Committee on the Conduct of the War. There was much exaggeration in some of these statements. And, in the case of the alleged killing and maiming of civilians at the fort, the supporting evidence is often questionable. Yet Fuchs glosses over much of this without critical comment. On the whole, however, An Unerring Fire will prove to be an informative and useful account of one of the most controversial episodes in the American Civil War. Bruce Tap University High School, University of Illinois From Selma to Appomattox: The History of the Jeff Davis Artillery. By Lawrence R. Laboda. (Shippensburg, Pa.: White Mane Publishing Company, 1994. Pp. xiv, 385. $30.00.) From Selma toAppomattox: The History ofthe JeffDavisArtillery is the account of the Jeff Davis Artillery, otherwise known as Bondurant's or Reese's Battery, which was one of the most efficient yet unheralded Confederate military units of the Civil War. Although a New York resident, author Lawrence Laboda has strong Southern biases. According to Laboda, the battery "never received proper recognition," and "it was only fitting . . . that the entire story of the gallant Alabamians be told" (xii). The Jeff Davis Artillery was organized in the spring of 1861 in Selma, Alabama, and fought in all of the major eastern campaigns from Seven Pines to Appomattox. During this period, the unit went through many of the trials and tribulations experienced by other military formations. Laboda does an excellent job of relating these events to the reader. The lack of adequate clothing during the winter months, sickness, and lack of food and horses were chronic problems that beset these Confederate soldiers. Too, the author accomplishes the task of placing the Jeff Davis Artillery's role in the broader context of the Civil War. book reviews171 Once trained and in combat, the unit exhibited its courage in several battles. Despite severe losses at Gaines' Mill, these Alabamans showed tremendous courage during the conflict. During Lee's campaign in Maryland, the Jeff Davis Artillery held an entire Union division at bay at Fox's Gap, narrowly escaping capture. At Gettysburg the unit made Cemetery Ridge and the Little Round Top two of its many targets. Finally, at Falling Waters, the Alabamans played an important role in protecting units of the Army ofNorthern Virginia in its retreat from Gettysburg. Union soldiers were only one of the battlefield problems that faced the Jeff Davis Artillery. At times the unit was plagued by internal strife, often caused by the decisions of its officers. Recruits or volunteers took the place ofthose killed or captured in combat. These men were usually not as efficient as the original recruits and often took longer to train. Nevertheless, the unit's fighting ability seems to have been rarely affected by these internal problems and showed a remarkable degree of consistency throughout the campaigns in which it was involved. The Jeff Davis Artillery fought until Lee surrendered at Appomattox. Some even tried to fight after the capitulation. The author tells an anecdote about certain members of the unit, most notably John Thompson and John Methvin. These soldiers tried to escape to North Carolina, join up with Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's...