The Civil War's single-shot; muzzle-loading musket revolutionized warfare-or so we've been told for years. Noted historian Earl J. Hess forcefully challenges that claim; offering a new; clear-eyed; and convincing assessment of the rifle musket's actual performance on the battlefield and its impact on the course of the Civil War. Many contemporaries were impressed with the new weapon's increased range of 500 yards; compared to the smoothbore musket's range of 100 yards; and assumed that the rifle was a major factor in prolonging the Civil War. Historians have also assumed that the weapon dramatically increased casualty rates; made decisive victories rare; and relegated cavalry and artillery to far lesser roles than they played in smoothbore battles. Hess presents a completely new assessment of the rifle musket; contending that its impact was much more limited than previously supposed and was confined primarily to marginal operations such as skirmishing and sniping. He argues further that its potential to alter battle line operations was virtually nullified by inadequate training; soldiers' preference for short-range firing; and the difficulty of seeing the enemy at a distance. He notes that bullets fired from the new musket followed a parabolic trajectory unlike those fired from smoothbores; at mid-range; those rifle balls flew well above the enemy; creating two killing zones between which troops could operate untouched. He also presents the most complete discussion to date of the development of skirmishing and sniping in the Civil War. Drawing upon the observations and reflections of the soldiers themselves; Hess offers the most compelling argument yet made regarding the actual use of the rifle musket and its influence on Civil War combat. Engagingly written and meticulously researched; his book will be of special interest to Civil War scholars; buffs; re-enactors; and gun enthusiasts alike.
#819463 in Books University Press of Kansas 2001-06-20Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.50 x .74 x 5.50l; .62 #File Name: 0700610936192 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. but this is an excellent and sensible compilation of difficult to find informationBy GeorgeSome repetition; some writing that could have been tighter; but this is an excellent and sensible compilation of difficult to find information. Conclusions drawn and observations of the impact that the trial had on New England culture are logical and believable.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Very informativeBy Josh RadabaughI actually was a student of Dr. Kawashima this last semester. It was very interesting to look at the legal and cultural differences between natives and colonists in this book. I learned a lot.1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. An Inevitable War of CulturesBy leftyriteKawashima's excellent dissection of the animus behind King Philip's War; the last gasp of Native self-determination in New England; is an important addition to cultural anthropology as well as to New England history. Using the alleged murder of John Sassamon; a "praying" Indian with English language skills; as his touchstone; Kawashima goes on to explore the basic meanings of terms like "property" and "permanent advantage" as viewed by seventeenth century English and by the native inhabitants of what we now call New England; whose language; capacity for massive violence; and fundamental psychology were so very different.Sassamon; who sometimes functioned as a translator for Philip; was caught hopelessly between two irreconcilable worlds; and therefore; could not prudently be trusted by either. But; as long as Philip had such men as translators within his orbit; he could lay some claim to the sovereignty of his people; which; after all; had been granted by the original pilgrim settlers. Thus; when Philip's proxies were called before colonial authorities to stand trial for Sassamon's wintry death and were almost summarily executed after a guilty verdict; much more was being said beyond the mere surmise; and; in evidentiary terms; it came to little more than that; that Philip was behind it.Cultural antagonisms made the near genocide of native peoples; like the Pequots; and eventually the "protected" Wampanoags and Narragansetts; virtually inevitable. What Kawashima does so well is to make the evolution of the conflict more understandable by probing the grey areas; and owing to acculturation; the "grey people;" caught between two worlds; like Sassamon; Miantonomi; Uncas; and even Philip himself; as they struggled to accommodate the white man while appropriating enough of his coveted technology to stay autonomous.A losing battle; that.
