"Ray Shock troops of the Confederacy" Topic

Has anyone got an opinion on this book about sharpshooter battalions in the ANV?

Great book. That's my opinion.

Sorry, never heard of it.

I'd like to hear more about it.

"Shock Troops of the Confederacy – The Sharpshooter Battalions of the Army of Northern Virginia" by Fred L. Ray. Published in 2006. The back cover has a web address cssharpshooters.com – haven't checked it to see what is there. Rather than give my opinion (and who cares about that?), I'll just quote from the back cover:

Robert Krick: "Tells the story of the Army of NV sharpshooter battalions here for the first time, based on a very strong range of primary material, including some thirty manuscript collections, scores of arcane articles and narratives, and numerous obscure contemporary Southern newspapers."

Jeffry Wert: "A most welcome and long overdue study of a neglected subject – the sharpshooter units of Lee's renowned ANV. He recounts their story in detail and with authority."

William C. Davis: Provides our first and most detailed to date look at the development of the concept and practice of sharpshooting, its goals, the men who became killers, and their impact on the course of battle"

Joseph Bilby: "Without a doubt the most significant small unit tactical analysis of the ANV ever written".

Basically the book follows the sharpshooter experimentation from the start of the war and details their expansion and development. From the first battalion in Rodes brigade in early 1863, to one in each brigade of his division later, the concept went to direction of a battalion per brigade in 1864. The book looks at the development of the battalions, their weapons, and tactical use.

Brilliant book. My opinion.

For a complete 12!! part review check out:

link

Then go and buy the book and rewrite any rules set you are using to include Ray's findings.

A great book, you can't go wrong with this one.

Best book on the subject

Sean

Thanks, I reckon I'll buy it.

If this is true, and I tend to believe that it is, how has it been missed by so many historians pros and amateurs, not to mention ACW rules writers. Or was it just ME missing it mostly?? I think well drilled and led, well armed CSA light btns for every Brigade!!, is a fairly important element to have overlooked!!

One of the best additions to my library in the past few years. Their influence during battles appears to have been small until 1864, when they became an established feature of the ANV, but Ray's research opened my eyes to small aspects of battles east and west that I never paid much attention to. Combined with Earl Hess's book on the rifle musket, I have a better appreciation of the value of training ACW soldiers in taking advantage of their weapons' abilities.

Mark

amen Mark, amen.

so what if the rifled musket had a much longer effective range than the smooth bore? it means nothing if the average soldier was not trained to use it properly.

So maybe those fire point ranges need to be re-evaluated?

"Ray Shock troops of the Confederacy"

Trying (unsuccessfully) to not snicker! Did they have rocket packs, too?