Just read for the second time a book about the battle of Murfreesboro called:
BRIGHT STARRY BANNER - A Novel of the Civil War
I had never heard of it although I consider myself pretty well read on the American Civil War. It was suggested to me by a civil war book seller. Words to try and describe it: vivid, exciting, riveting, thrilling, thought provoking, shocking, action-packed, totally amazing!
Its not a complete non-fiction fact filled book but more of a historical romance in the vein of "The Killer Angels." which i also enjoyed very much but that one is about Gettysburg
I've already read it twice and am starting to read it again.
I can honestly say I have never read a civil war book quite like it. the author Alden R. Carter really gives the characters life, at times I wars truly shocked! He made me laugh, cry, cringe, definitely experienced some of my heroes of the civil war in a way I never have before, he really brought them to life with all of their faults, jealousies, strengths and humor. Don't really want to spoil it by giving anything away but there are some really 'ripe' characterizations. I've never heard any one mention Bishop Polk, Cheatham and others they way he does, even though I've read all kinds of things bad about Bragg, he still manages to re-introduce him a a new fresh way, the reader can almost smell him!
I lived in Murfreesboro while going to University at MTSU, I was there when they took down the plaque of Nathan Bedford Forrest which was on the library. I always wondered what they did with it, I guess its in the basement somewhere, I sure would like to have it. The mascot of MTSU is the blue raiders, since old Bedford raided the hell out of the blue soldiers in middle Tennessee.
I walked the battlefield hundreds of times and spent the night there very often, its a great mystical spiritual place. I even got to fly over it once in a single engine airplane which was a thrill. I was thinking when I was in the air what the commanders could have done with that view?
I believe the Hazen monument , where the heaviest fighting occurred at the apex of the jack-knife of the union line was, is the oldest civil war marker?
The Murfreesboro cemetery has a mass grave of about 300 rebel soldiers who were unceremoniously dumped there together. (laying together until judgement day!) There is also the place where the famous wedding of John Hunt Morgan took place.
The book, "Bright Starry Banner" really brought the place alive to me, especially since I walked every inch of ground there. I'm no book critic, this is the first time I've written about a book but the battle of Murfreesboro is one of my favorite subjects so I thought I would tell you about it. I hope I've encouraged you to look for the book so you can tell me what you think.
If I was a movie director, I would make a movie of this book.
I'll try and make a scan of the cover to put on here but try and look for a copy on of it on eBay, or ask your local small time history book dealer to look for it for you.
I think its out of print now, it was published in 2003 and is about 450 pages. I definitely suggest reading it if you are in any way interested in the battle of Murfreesboro, hell, its a great book about the civil war period and definitely of the western theater, and the Army of Tennessee, which I personally feel was the decisive theater of the war. (Once Vicksburg was lost, the war was lost for all practical purposes, in my opinion anyway.)
On another note I was in Murfreesboro for the 135th anniversary re-enactment and that was quite an affair. Got drunk walked around the camp all night, till I passed out in one of the re-enactors tent. (anyone that's been to a big re-enactment knows what I'm talking about.) They had a huge 19th Century ball, everybody was playing civil war songs, Bobby Horton was there, everybody was in traditional garb, watched a magic lantern show in a pup tent, etc, I think its was around 1994 or '95 I think but, even though I was pretty wasted when I passed out about 0200, I still can remember it like it was yesterday. I can only imagine what the 150th anniversary re-enactment will be like which should be coming up soon. Somebody please email me or make a post in the forum if they plan to go.
Anyway, thanks for the post, look for the book, I really think you will like it and like i said I never even heard of it until this civil war book seller told me about it. Its damn good!
|