By Civil War standards; the day-long Battle of Fort Pillow; Tennessee (April 12; 1864) was a rather small affair; and yet it is one of the most debated and polarizing events of the entire war. Its infamy rests in what history has concluded was the wholesale massacre of the United States Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.) defending the fort. Author James Moshier’s Truth Massacred: The Battle at Fort Pillow; Tennessee; April 12; 1864; challenges this traditional belief and reaches some stunning conclusions.Most studies of Fort Pillow focus on Nathan Bedford Forrest and rely on assumptions and conclusions based upon incomplete data and a shocking ignorance of the actual records. Truth Massacred boldly separates itself from those studies and the readily accepted post-surrender slaughter narrative. For the first time; the focal point rests on the African American soldiers at Fort Pillow—hard-fighting soldiers and heroes; not victims ripe for butchery.The result of nearly 15 years of methodical study; Truth Massacred condenses thousands of pages of statements; reports; and Congressional record testimony to cover a wide range of material in an engaging fashion. Like a good courtroom drama; Moshier’s groundbreaking study; which includes a broad array of archival and other sources; sets forth each piece of the historical puzzle in its turn. One of his key pieces of evidence is the long-ignored battle report of Lt. Daniel Van Horn; a U.S.C.T. officer and Fort Pillow survivor. His official eyewitness account offers an entirely different view of the events we have come to believe and accept as true; and of the conduct of the U.S.C.T. soldiers.As readers will experience firsthand; the original testimony of many of the battle participants was twisted or completely silenced or ignored. Brought to life in these pages; often for the first time; their voices draw us into the smoke and confusion of that terrible fight. Anyone with an interest in the Civil War in general or African American history and the United States Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.) in particular; will find these gripping detailed stories of valor and courage inspirational and educational.Truth Massacred is an entirely new and unique perspective of the battle; and offers readers something fresh and new to think about.
#157095 in Books 2014-10-07 2014-10-07Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.25 x .75 x 5.55l; .0 #File Name: 1610394674280 pages
Review
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful. Finding the Dragon Lady - Madame NhuBy Amy K.After having just returned from a trip to Vietnam I was completely interested in learning more about this country. Monique Demery gave me just what I needed. It was a captivating book that helped me understand the Vietnam War better (I was a born during it's infancy) and helped me understand all that Vietnam had been through during the last 100+ years. Even though I had many guides on our stay throughout Vietnam; not one had mentioned the Diem Regime; the Nhu's and especially Madame Nhu. I now can see how uninformed I was about the history over there. My father is a professor who teaches in many cities in Vietnam and he found this book incredibly fascinating as well. It is really; really well written and a page turner -I could not put it down! I would love to see more work by M. Demery.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Fear the Dragon!By Cynthia WheelerI thought the book was fascinating as well as quite interesting and informative. Madame Nhu's life was extraordinary. And -- as is the case with many strong-willed; intelligent; and outspoken women -- she was feared and reviled by men in power. Madame Nhu's instincts for survival and her ability to access a situation and react accordingly gave her a distict advantage in times of distress . This book certainly gave a different perspective regarding Vietnam and American politics. Sadly; it seems that the Vietnamese War could have been prevented if not for the egos and stupidity of government officials.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Review by Marc Phillip YablonkaBy Marc P. YablonkaMonique Brinson Demery's Finding the Dragon Lady: The Mystery of Vietnam's Madame Nhu is the definitive work on one of the key players in America's early involvement in Southeast Asia. If I were Ms. Brinson Demery; as an author and journalist; I'd feel extremely proud to have pinned down such an illusive subject and done such exhaustively thorough research and writing. Her book is extremely informative and just as intriguing as the mysterious Dragon Lady herself. Buy this book!Marc Phillip YablonkaAuthorDistant War: Recollections of Vietnam; Laos and Cambodia
