Firebrand of Liberty - The Story of Two Black Regiments That Changed the Course of the Civil War

In March 1863, nine hundred black Union soldiers, led by white officers, invaded Florida and seized the town of Jacksonville. They were among the first African American troops in the Northern army, and their expedition into enemy territory was like no other in the Civil War. It was intended as an assault on slavery by which thousands would be freed.

At the center of the story is prominent abolitionist Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson, who led one of the regiments. After waging battle for three weeks, Higginson and his men were mysteriously ordered to withdraw, their mission a seeming failure. Yet their successes in resisting the Confederates and collaborating with white Union forces persuaded President Abraham Lincoln to begin full-scale recruitment of black troops, a momentous decision that helped turned the tide of the war.

Using long-neglected primary sources, historian Stephen V. Ash's stirring narrative re-creates this event with insight, vivid characterizations, and a keen sense of drama.

About the author

Stephen V. Ash is a professor of history at the University of Tennessee. He is the author of several books on the Civil War, including A Year in the South: Four Lives in 1865. He lives in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Product details

• Authors: Stephen V. Ash, Ash Stephen V.
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Release: 18.06.2025, delayed
• EAN: 9780393349610
• ISBN: 978-0-393-34961-0
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Regional and national histories; Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; USA, Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900, Ethnic Studies, HISTORY / Military / General, HISTORY / Social History, military history, Social & cultural history, HISTORY / United States / Civil War Period (1850-1877), HISTORY / Military / United States, HISTORY / United States / 19th Century, c 1800 to c 1900, Social and cultural history, United States of America, USA, History of the Americas, Black & Asian Studies, HISTORY / African American & Black, Relating to African American / Black American people, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Cultural & Ethnic Studies / General