Preparing for Disunion - West Point Commandants and the Training of Civil War Leaders

Between 1817 and 1864, sixteen officers were assigned as Commandants of Cadets at the U.S. Military Academy. They played an important role in training the officers who would serve on both sides of the Civil War.
Historians criticize the program as antiquated for its time: A course in Napoleonic strategy and tactics that did not account for rifled weapons or the particularities of terrain. Yet these commandants made changes to the program, developed new textbooks and instructed cadets who became field generals.
The biographies of the commandants are presented along with their contributions to the Academy, notable graduates and other military service.

List of contents

Table of Contents

Preface

The United States Military Academy

Military Training

The Department of Tactics

West Point in the Civil War

Commandant of Cadets

George W. Gardiner

John Bliss

John R. Bell

William J. Worth

Ethan A. Hitchcock

John Fowle

Charles F. Smith

John A. Thomas

Bradford R. Alden

Robert S. Garnett

William H.T. Walker

William J. Hardee

John F. Reynolds

Christopher C. Augur

Kenner Garrard

Henry B. Clitz

The Commandant's Role in Preparing Civil War Generals

Appendices: Major Campaigns and Strategic Battles of the Civil War

U.S. Military Academy Graduating Classes

Notable West Point Graduates Who Served in the Civil War

Highest Rank Prior to the Civil War

Notes

Bibliography

Index

About the author

Allen H. Mesch is an author, educator, and historian from Plano, Texas. He taught at the University of Texas at Dallas, Southern Methodist University, and Texas Woman's University.

Product details

• Authors: Allen H. Mesch, Mesch Allen H.
• Publisher: Ingram Publishers Services
• Languages: English
• Age Recommendation: from age 18
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 14.12.2018
• EAN: 9781476674254
• ISBN: 978-1-4766-7425-4
• No. of pages: 290
• Dimensions: 178 mm x 254 mm x 15 mm
• Weight: 513 g
• Illustrations: Raster,schwarz-weiss
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Regional and national histories; USA, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / General, HISTORY / United States / Civil War Period (1850-1877), HISTORY / Military / United States, c 1800 to c 1900, 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, Warfare & defence, United States of America, USA, Warfare and defence, c 1860 to c 1869, Civil wars, American Civil War, Specific wars and military campaigns