For Honor, Glory and Union: The Mexican Civil War Letters of Brig.Gen.William Haines Lytle: The Mexican and Civil War Letters of Brig. Gen. William Haines Lytle - Hardcover

Lytle, William Haines

9780813121086: For Honor, Glory and Union: The Mexican Civil War Letters of Brig.Gen.William Haines Lytle: The Mexican and Civil War Letters of Brig. Gen. William Haines Lytle

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0813121086 ISBN 13: 9780813121086

Publisher: The University Press of Kentucky, 1999

Cincinnati native William Haines Lytle volunteered for service in the Mexican War in late 1847. A pro-states' rights Democrat with strong family ties to Kentucky, he nevertheless chose to protect and defend the Union upon the outbreak of the Civil War. Lytle's Mexican War service primarily consisted of garrison duty, but during the Civil War he became known for his courage under fire and his devotion to his troops. He saw combat at Carnifex Ferry and Perryville, and was killed at Chickamauga while leading a valiant charge to stop Confederate troops storming through an opening in Union lines.His letters detail the ferocity of action on the western front and offer a glimpse of the interaction between Union officers and Southern civilians in the border states.

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Review:

"A remarkable, engaging work of superb scholarship, and an invaluable contribution to the growing body of Civil War literature." -- The Midwest Book Review "His observations and commentary are valuable additions to knowledge of the concluding campaigns of the war." -- Choice "This is one book that should be on the shelf of every Civil War buff or scholar as a prime example of the so many promising young lives lost in the war." -- West Virginia History "Carter's edition of the letters of General William Lytle helps us understand why many partisan Democrats who despised abolitionists and Republicans, supported states' rights, and respected southerners and the South, decided to fight and, in Lytle's case, die for what they believed to be their nation." -- Van Hall "Shows a Union soldier working to reconcile his southern sympathies with his root allegiance to the Union." -- McCormick (SC) Messenger

From the Author:

Highlights of Lytle's career and letters.
William Haines Lytle was the son of a prominant Cincinnati, Ohio family. He served in the Mexican War during late 1847 - mid 1848 and returned to practice law and serve in the Ohio legislature from 1851-1853. During the 1850's he joined the Ohio Militia and held rank as a major general when the Civil War broke out. He continued his legal practice, participation as a Democratic politician and orator, and his avocation as a poet. The latter gained him considerable fame among contemporaries for his romantic, stirring poetry. His Union commands included the 10th Ohio as its first colonel. In 1862 he commanded the 17th brigade, 3rd division, Army of the Ohio which included the 10th Ohio, the 15th Kentucky, the 3rd Ohio, and the 42nd Indiana. After his promotion to brigadier general in 1863 he commanded the 1st brigade, 3rd division, 20th army corps, Army of the Cumberland. Generals under whom he served included William S. Rosecrans, Don Carolos Buell, Ormsby Mitchel, Lovell Rousseau, and Philip Sheridan. Lytle's letters describe events leading up to the three battles in which he fought: Carnifex Ferry (1861), Perryville (1862), and Chickamauga (1863). They also highlight his relationship with citizens in some of the communities in which he was stationed including Bardstown, Ky., Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Huntsville Alabama. Other topics of particular fascination to me as editor include his insights into African-Americans as support to Union troops in the field, his concerns about his promotion and responsibilities of command, his values and motivation for fighting, and such everyday concerns as food, clothing, sleeping accommodations, and family matters. Lytle's last speech, given in Bridgeport, Alabama six weeks before his death at Chickamauga is telling for its compassionate view toward the South and its peoples at the same time that his fervor for the Union was paramount.

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