Few infantry regiments in the Civil War compiled a more distinguished record than the Fifth Missouri. The unique blending of fiery Irish Confederates from St. Louis with rural pro-Southern Missourians forged an unshakable esprit de corps, making the unit the crack infantry regiment in the western sector. Most of Colonel James C. McCown’s troops were young men in their 20s, and their good health and physical conditioning allowed them to carry out their “shock” missions throughout the region. From the perspective of the common soldiers and the unit’s leaders the activities and battles of the Fifth Missouri are recounted here.

Phillip Thomas Tucker is a former Department of Defense historian in Washington, D.C. He lives in Davenport, Florida.

Phillip Thomas Tucker

Foreword by Robert L. Hawkins III

Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 341
Bibliographic Info: maps, references, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2007 [1994]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-3112-0
eISBN: 978-1-4766-3225-4
Imprint: McFarland

Preface and Acknowledgments      ix
Foreword (by Robert L. Hawkins III)      1

1. Forging a Lethal Fighting Machine      5
2. Iuka Becomes a Deadly Trap      49
3. Storming the Fortifications of Corinth      63
4. Lull Before the Storm      93
5. Drumbeats in the Canebrakes of Port Gibson      121
6. Almost Winning It All at Champion Hill Map: The Vicksburg Campaign      161
7. Disaster at Big Black River      205
8. Forty-seven Days in Hell      215
Map: The Siege of Vicksburg      218

Epilogue      253
Notes      257
Bibliography      311
Index      325

• “Extremely well researched and well written…this is an outstanding regimental history…highly recommended”—Choice.