"Detailed Regimental Strengths at Chickamauga" Topic

Guys,

I have a small public service announcement for those of you interested in wargaming the Chickamauga Campaign. I just received an advance review copy of Dave Powell's first of three volumes on the subject. The only appendix in volume 1 features an order of battle with very specific, down to the man, engaged numbers for the Battle of Chickamauga. Dave mentions in the front of the book that he will have a detailed section in Volume 3 discussing the full sources for this strength info. Combine that with the detailed maps and this looks like a good resources for wargamers:

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Brett Schulte
TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog

Sounds interesting. Chickamauga is a much neglected battle, perhaps because it wasn't "back East," or because it didn't feature Grant or Lee. I have several books on the subject (Cozzens, Tucker, Cleaves, the Osprey, of course), but this sounds like one I'd like to add.

Just looking at the description got me to wondering: Did the Confederates roll up and re-use the field telegraph wire they presumably found when they broke through the Union line on the second day? Maybe this is one of the things Mr. Powell will address in the third volume, with its special topics. B^)

Grelber

Grelber, your theories on why it isn't a more discussed and written about battle are exactly what Dave Powell talked about at the beginning of Volume 1. I'm really curious to see what the topics are going to be for Volume 3 as well. You know they'll focus on things like how the hole in the Union line came about on day 2 (or day 3, if you use Powell's new terminology), should Bragg have immediately pursued, and others. But I guarantee you the author has tons of other, lesser known controversies to talk about. He has literally thousands of first person accounts in his personal collection.

I can't wait. Besides the Official Records, I used Powell's Maps of Chickamagua to fill in many of the gaps in unit strengths for my Chickamauga scenario book. I'm eager to see what new research has come up regarding unit strengths. My Amazon order can't get here fast enough!

sounds like this could be a very good read

Are all three volumes soon to be released?

Darkoath,

Yes, that's my understanding. I think all three will be out by next summer. Powell mentions in the preface that volume two is already written and will follow "shortly on the heels of the first." The third volume will have essays covering various aspects of the campaign, much like Harsh's book Sounding the Shallows on the Maryland Campaign of 1862. This should be incredible. I'm really, really looking forward to owning all three.