American Civil War Railroad Tactics

by Robert R. Hodges Jr., Peter Dennis (Illustrator)

Overview

The American Civil War was the world's first full-blown 'railroad war'. The well-developed network in the North was of great importance in serving the Union armies' logistic needs over long distances, and the sparser resources of the South were proportionately even more important. Both sides invested great efforts in raiding and wrecking enemy railroads and defending and repairing their own, and battles often revolved around strategic rail junctions. Robert Hodges reveals the thrilling chases and pitched battles that made the railroad so dangerous and resulted in a surprisingly high casualty rate. He describes the equipment and tactics used by both sides and the vital supporting elements – maintenance works, telegraph lines, fuel and water supplies, as well as garrisoned blockhouses to protect key points. Full-colour illustrations bring the fast-paced action to life in this fascinating read; a must-have volume for rail and Civil War enthusiasts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781782002123
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	08/20/2012
Series:	Elite , #171
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	64
Sales rank:	923,103
File size:	11 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Robert Hodges was born and raised in the historic Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. A lifelong student of the American Civil War, he has spent countless hours exploring battlefields, cemeteries, and other historic sites from Pennsylvania to Florida and Mississippi. Formally trained in history and philosophy, he has published historical articles in several well-known magazines. He also writes fiction and poetry.
Peter Dennis was inspired by contemporary magazines such as Look and Learn, leading him to study Illustration at Liverpool Art College. Peter has since contributed to hundreds of books, predominantly on historical subjects, including many Osprey titles. A keen wargamer and modelmaker, he is based in Nottinghamshire, UK.

Table of Contents

Introduction 4

The American railroad system in 1861

Harnessing the Iron Horse for War 7

The Union: the Railways and Telegraph Act

McCallum and Haupt The Confederacy: the Railroad Bureau

state resistance to centralization

Moving the Infantry 12

Johnston at First Manassas

Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley

Bragg at Chattanooga and Chickamauga

McClellan on the Peninsula

Burnside in North Carolina

Rail Batteries 17

Heavy batteries: Lee's "Dry Land Merrimac"

Magruder at Galveston

Finegan in Florida

Light batteries: howitzer cars

ironclads

Wrecking the Railroads 29

Repairing the Railroads 32

Running the Railroads 38

Workforces: the black contribution

water

fuel

wear and tear

the telegraph

fortifications

Trains in Battle 44

Troops versus trains; ambush

deliberate engagement Reconnaissance

balloons

command cars

handcars

Hospital Trains 54

Evacuation

mobile hospitals

Further Reading 62

Index 64

Editorial Reviews

“American Civil War Railroad Tactics provides a reader with a short and precise technical description and operational history. The book has full-color plates of locomotives and ancillary equipment created by Peter Dennis. Detailed illustrations also show weapons developed and operational scenarios. In addition, unique photos can be found in this book... Author Robert Hodges has penned a fascinating and well-balanced read condensed in true Osprey Publishing style. This book is a must for ACW and railway enthusiasts.” —.

“Robert R. Hodges Jr.'s American Civil War Railroad Tactics packs in details on how the steam train was used as a military tool. Little-known uses of railroads - including as hot-air balloon carriers - are examined in a 'must' for any detailed library strong in Civil War history.” —The Bookwatch (December 2009)

“Perhaps the most detailed, and best, section of the book is the one illustrating the construction, design, and use of railroad artillery and armored cars, subjects not often covered in depth elsewhere in the literature.” —Civil War Books and Authors (November 2009)

“In this book in the Elite series, author Robert R. Hodges Jr covers all of these aspects of the railroads at war from the development of rail guns to instances of moving troops into and out of battle as well as what it took to wreck, repair and run the railroads during the war. There is also a section on hospital trains, a most important part of the function of the railroads in getting the injured to medical care (such as it was). All of this is superbly illustrated with period photographs and drawings as well as the art work of Peter Dennis.” —Scott Van Aken, Modeling Madness (November 2009)

From the Publisher