The Fifth New York Cavalry in the Civil War - by Vincent L Burns (Paperback)

About the Book

" The Fifth New York Cavalry was a volunteer regiment organized in response to the Union defeat at the Battle of Bull Run in July 1861. The regiment's history is told chronologically in the overall context of the Civil War and based upon primary sources, including official reports, diaries, letters and newspaper accounts. "--

Book Synopsis

The Fifth New York Cavalry was a volunteer regiment organized in response to the Union defeat at the Battle of Bull Run in July 1861. The citizen-cavalrymen who made up the regiment came from across New York State and from every walk of life. In the following four years the unit became, according to contemporary sources, one of the finest cavalry formations in the field. The regiment's history is told chronologically in the overall context of the Civil War and based upon primary sources, including official reports, diaries, letters and newspaper accounts. Wherever possible Fifth New York troopers speak to us directly, describing their experiences in the Shenandoah campaign of 1862, the epic encounter at Gettysburg, life in camp and on picket duty, the Wilderness in the spring of 1864 and again the Shenandoah in the fall of 1864.

Review Quotes

"Burns thoughtful analysis and objective presentation are a pleasure to read. This book is a model for modernizing long-outdated regimental histories and is highly recommended"-Civil War News; "this is the first history of the regiment...and Burns has done a good job of it. An excellent regimental history, this book also helps remind us that service in the cavalry was by no means as glamorous as is usually thought, and was often much more arduous than being in the infantry"-The NYMAS Review; "this is the first history of the regiment, and independent Civil War scholar Burns has done a good of of it...excellent"-Strategy Page.

About the Author

Vincent L. Burns lives in Boise, Idaho.