Horses and Mules in the Civil War

October 1, 2013

Did you know that the Confederate push north to Gettysburg was in large part to appropriate horses? Likewise, for Sherman in undertaking the Federals' March to the Sea. Did you know that "flea-bitten" described horse coat color rather than condition? There's plenty written on the human Civil War experience but little on the estimated three million-plus equines that supported the cause. Armistead, who has published articles on the war, systematically and eloquently fills the gap and points the way for others to undertake more archival research in the future. We may understand by definition that Union and Confederate cavalry would be in need of horses; did we know that each cavalry mount would likely survive only four months? And the war also required horses and mules for artillery, infantry, quartermasters, headquarters, signal corps, medical departments, and so on. In beautifully organized chapters, Armistead presents the story of the war's horses and mules. The equine war--tied by anecdote to particular men in battle--was a complex infrastructure of its own. The final chapter is Armistead's roster of 700-plus identified Civil War equine veterans, detailed by name from Abe to Zoozoo. VERDICT Meticulously sourced and nicely illustrated, this book will be an eye-opener for all Civil War history buffs and students. Highly recommended.--Margaret Heilbrun, Library Journal

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