Roll Call to Destiny: The Soldier's Eye View of Civil War Battles

Military historian Nosworthy (The Bloody Crucible of Courage, The Anatomy of Victory), a specialist in combat tactics and weaponry, gets more personal in this book and offers a soldier's eye view of the Civil War. Focusing primarily on the on-the-ground experiences of Union and Confederate troops, Nosworthy sketches the roles of small units in a series of engagements, big and small, including a Union brigade's part in the first Battle of Bull Run, a New York regiment's role in the little-known battle at Fair Oaks and the cavalry engagements on the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg. The heart of the book, relying heavily on soldiers' memoirs, diaries and unit histories, is readable and evocative. While the writing in the introduction and conclusion is a bit stilted, this book will doubtlessly appeal to Civil War enthusiasts.