About the book
A Broken Regiment recounts the tragic history of one of the Civil War's most ill-fated Union military units. Organized in the late summer of 1862, the 16th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry was unprepared for battle a month later, when it entered the fight at Antietam. The results were catastrophic: nearly a quarter of the men were killed or wounded, and Connecticut's 16th panicked and fled the field. In the years that followed, the regiment participated in minor skirmishes before surrendering en masse in North Carolina in 1864. Most of its members spent months in southern prison camps, including the notorious Andersonville stockade, where disease and starvation took the lives of over one hundred members of the unit.
The struggles of the 16th led survivors to reflect on the true nature of their military experience during and after the war, and questions of cowardice and courage, patriotism and purpose, were often foremost in their thoughts. Over time, competing stories emerged of who they were, why they endured what they did, and how they should be remembered. By the end of the century, their collective recollections reshaped this troubling and traumatic past, and the \"unfortunate regiment\" emerged as the \"Brave Sixteenth,\" their individual memories and accounts altered to fit the more heroic contours of the Union victory.
The product of over a decade of research, Lesley J. Gordon's A Broken Regiment illuminates this unit's complex history amid the interplay of various, and often competing, voices. The result is a fascinating and heartrending story of one regiment's wartime and postwar struggles.
Editions of A Broken Regiment
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780807157305
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780807169247
- EBook
- ISBN 9780807157329
- EBook
- ISBN 9780807157336
- PDF
- ISBN 9780807157312
Read an Excerpt
A Broken Regiment recounts the tragic history of one of the Civil War's most ill-fated Union military units. Organized in the late summer of 1862, the 16th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry was unprepared for battle a month later, when it entered the fight at Antietam. The results were catastrophic: nearly a quarter of the men were killed or wounded, and Connecticut's 16th panicked and fled the field. In the years that followed, the regiment participated in minor skirmishes before surrendering en masse in North Carolina in 1864. Most of its members spent months in southern prison camps, including the notorious Andersonville stockade, where disease and starvation took the lives of over one hundred members of the unit.
The struggles of the 16th led survivors to reflect on the true nature of their military experience during and after the war, and questions of cowardice and courage, patriotism and purpose, were often foremost in their thoughts. Over time, competing stories emerged of who they were, why they endured what they did, and how they should be remembered. By the end of the century, their collective recollections reshaped this troubling and traumatic past, and the \"unfortunate regiment\" emerged as the \"Brave Sixteenth,\" their individual memories and accounts altered to fit the more heroic contours of the Union victory.
The product of over a decade of research, Lesley J. Gordon's A Broken Regiment illuminates this unit's complex history amid the interplay of various, and often competing, voices. The result is a fascinating and heartrending story of one regiment's wartime and postwar struggles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is A Broken Regiment about?
A Broken Regiment recounts the tragic history of one of the Civil War's most ill-fated Union military units. Organized in the late summer of 1862, the 16th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry was unprepared for battle a month later, when it entered the fight at Antietam. The results were catastrophic: nearly a quarter of the men were killed or wounded, and Connecticut's 16th panicked and fled the field. In the years that followed, the regiment participated in minor skirmishes before surrendering en masse in North Carolina in 1864. Most of its members spent months in southern prison camps, including the notorious Andersonville stockade, where disease and starvation took the lives of over one hundred members of the unit.
The struggles of the 16th led survivors to reflect on the true nature of their military experience during and after the war, and questions of cowardice and courage, patriotism and purpose, were often foremost in their thoughts. Over time, competing stories emerged of who they were, why they endured what they did, and how they should be remembered. By the end of the century, their collective recollections reshaped this troubling and traumatic past, and the \"unfortunate regiment\" emerged as the \"Brave Sixteenth,\" their individual memories and accounts altered to fit the more heroic contours of the Union victory.
The product of over a decade of research, Lesley J. Gordon's A Broken Regiment illuminates this unit's complex history amid the interplay of various, and often competing, voices. The result is a fascinating and heartrending story of one regiment's wartime and postwar struggles.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in A Broken Regiment?
History and Archaeology > History > History of the Americas
Where can I read a sample of A Broken Regiment?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807157305
How long is A Broken Regiment and how many pages does it have?
A Broken Regiment has 408 page(s)
Is A Broken Regiment part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Conflicting Worlds: New Dimensions of the American Civil War
Who is/are the Author/s of the book A Broken Regiment?
Lesley J. Gordon
Who is the Publisher of the book A Broken Regiment?
LSU Press
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
A Broken Regiment is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780807157305) and paperback(ISBN 9780807169247) and ebook(ISBN 9780807157329) and ebook(ISBN 9780807157336) and pdf(ISBN 9780807157312)
Where can I buy A Broken Regiment online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy A Broken Regiment from below
Where can I buy A Broken Regiment?