For full disclosure, Bob is a friend of mine and I have had the pleasure of reading his work in the past and also seeing him as a presenter. He puts his heart into his work and his passion shows through. I have no doubt this book will be the same and it has move to the top of my to-be-read pile.
From the publisher:
The town of Sorrento in East Lake County, named for the picturesque coastal town in southwestern Italy famous for its abundance of orange and lemon groves, was first settled in 1875 by the William Butts family. They were soon followed by the Kerr, Reeve, and Miner families.
That same year, five bachelors from Ohio arrived–among them being Albert Matlack and Ed Averill, who were instrumental in the development of this new community. Matlack, who opened the first mercantile business with Charles Adams, surveyed, charted, and mapped the new town, while Averill built the first tourist hotel, called the Averill House.
By 1882, many motivated new settlers arrived, which prompted swift growth in this scenic village carved from the Florida wilderness. A church, schoolhouse, drugstore, post office, packinghouses, dairy farms, cattle and horse ranches, and brick, lumber, and turpentine mills, framed by peach orchards and endless rows of orange groves, established Sorrento as a flourishing destination.
Mount Plymouth, distinct with its famed Storybook homes of renowned architect Sam Stoltz and the celebrity winter retreat of the Mount Plymouth Hotel, compliment the East Lake County landscape.
To find Bob’s other books, please use this LINK. He has several titles that will be of interest to those studying Lake County, FL history and a couple of excellent books in the Images of America series dealing with Central Florida WWII and Civil War veterans.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.
If you’re looking for an exhilarating way to get up close and personal with Florida’s diverse wildlife, then Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures one-hour airboat tour is a must-do activity on your list.
Below is my book review of Sharpsburg Images of America where authors Vernell and Tim Doyle strive to show the history of the town other than just the Battle of Antietam.
The town of Sharpsburg, MD is a small community located in Washington County, near the border with Pennsylvania and is home to less than 1,000 residents. Sharpsburg was founded in 1763 and incorporated in 1832. The town is best known for the Civil War battle that occurred in September 1862, better known as the Battle of Antietam. There, more than 130,000 combined Union and Confederate men fought it out to what many consider a stalemate that was ultimately a Union victory as Robert E. Lee and Confederate troops retreated south across the Potomac. The casualty toll from the battle was horrific, more than 22,000 dead, wounded, missing, or taken prisoner. More than 3,600 men would be killed. Today, many of the Union dead from this battle are interred at Antietam National Cemetery. Abraham Lincoln used the seeming Union victory as his opportunity to announce the Emancipation Proclamation.
In their Images of America series book, authors Vernell and Tim Doyle, a retired teacher and retired journalist respectively, try to remind us that the community of Sharpsburg is much more than the Battle of Antietam. If you are unfamiliar with the series, authors pull together around 150 images around their subject, providing concise captions to help further their story. In five chapters, the Doyles lay out a history of Sharpsburg where the battle plays only a partial role. Only one chapter is tied directly to the September 1862 fight. In fact, they make their point right from the start. The cover photo of the book features the J. Hammond General Merchandise store and was taken in August 1932.
In their five chapters, the Doyle’s outline the history of a small Maryland community, from its earliest days of small farms and the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal through more modern days using a mix of photographs from their own collection, locals, the National Park Service, and other sources. This diversity of sources becomes one of the strengths of the book rather than relying on images from the Library of Congress that have been recycled over and over. Sure, there are quite a few images from the National Park Service and the Washington County Historical Society, but I bet the vast majority of these photos will be new to readers.
Chapters include the Town, the People, the Battlefield, the Canal, and the Area. In less than 130 pages, the battlefield is only given fifteen direct pages. I don’t find that to be a problem and neither should other readers, even those interested primarily in the Civil War. Even with the destructive impact that the Battle of Antietam had, it is important to realize the community was there before and still remains there today.
If you have a love for history, stunning architecture, and charming small towns, then the Walking Tour of Frederick, Maryland is a must-do activity.
Interesting photos to me included that of Nancy Campbell (page 61) a freed slave, who at the time was described at a woman of “extraordinary good conduct and good character as proven to us by the testimony of William Rulett.” The chapter dealing with the C&O Canal showed just how important this was in diversifying job opportunities at the time. Other photos show just how similar our worlds are. Smiling groups of school children could be from most any community. Church groups and choirs could be interchangeable with towns in the south or the west. Local baseball teams might play on fields across the country if not for SHARPSBURG being emblazoned on their uniforms.
Each image is accompanied by a few lines of text, explaining to readers/viewers what they are seeing. The authors do not have a lot of space available for these captions and many are quite short thought others do go into more detail. These are easy to read and make each chapter easily digestible at a sitting.
And yet, while the Doyle’s do an admirable job of trying to keep the focus off the battle, one can’t help but return to September 1862. Period prints, with images of the Dunker Church, and armed men in rows ready for battle mix with later views of the Bloody Lane and Burnside Bridge. While president Franklin Roosevelt pays his respects during the 1937, 75th anniversary commemoration, a Lions Club meets on the battlefield for a group photo with a piece of artillery in 1962.
Can Sharpsburg ever shed its Civil War association? No, and the question really should be, would it want to.
For those looking for insights into the Battle or a heavily Battle focused book this is not for you. If battle images are what you seek, I strongly recommend Antietam: The Photographic Legacy of America’s Bloodiest Day.For those interested in the community, and perhaps what the real Sharpsburg has been in addition to a bloody battlefield, this book is recommended.
If you would like to read more of my book reviews, please use this link.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.
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Thank you for taking time to read my book review of Shiloh National Military Park. Here, two experts will take you on a visual tour of the important battlefield and modern day military park.
When armies under the commands of Ulysses S. Grant and Albert Sidney Johnston faced off on April 6 and 7, 1862, they could not have realized the carnage that would be left on the Tennessee battlefield. The Battle of Shiloh left almost 24,000 soldiers dead, wounded, missing, or captured, a staggering sum that included Confederate General Johnston.
In 1866, Pittsburg National Cemetery was established by the War Department; a name later changed to Shiloh National Cemetery in 1889.
Established on December 27, 1894, Shiloh National Military Parknow serves as a reminder of those terrible two days of fighting that helped set in motion the events of the next three years. The park first operated under the guidance of the War Department but was moved to the National Park Service in 1933.
This 1894 legislation allowed for participating states to place monuments and memorials on the park grounds. The park as we know it today was beginning to take shape.
The Images of America series of books does an excellent job of providing access to usually older photos that the general public may not otherwise have the opportunity to view. In Shiloh National Military Park, authors Brian K. McCutchen and Timothy B. Smith achieve this standard, using images from the park collection.
McCutchen is a former park ranger at Shiloh and has served at other national parks. Timothy B. Smith is a professor of history at the University of Tennessee, Martin. He is a leading scholar on the Battle of Shiloh and has authored what many consider the definitive volume on the battle, Shiloh: Conquer or Perish.
In this Images of America title, the authors showcase just over 200 images, broken into seven chapters. As might be expected in a collection spanning longer than 150 years, some images have reproduced much better than others. Occasionally there are images that seem a bit fuzzy and hazy. This is not a major distraction however. Each image contains a caption with most being around fifty words. The captions are easy to read and bring additional life to the images.
I particularly enjoyed the chapter titled, “Memories in Stone and Bronze: Monuments of Shiloh.” This chapter highlights just a few of the more than 150 monuments that are located throughout the 4,000+ acres of the park. As McCutchen and Smith state, “To the veterans of America’s first monster battle…the statuary was much more. It embodied full representations of the brave solders of North and South and thus told the stories that they wished to convey to future generations.: (p.57)
A little-known aspect of the battlefield that the authors cover is the cyclone of October 14, 1909. This storm, that appears to have been building throughout the day, killed seven and injured thirty-three. Damage to the park and cemetery were considerable with Congress ultimately allocating $8,000 for the national cemetery and almost $20,000 for repairs and reconstruction at the park. In just over a dozen photos, the damage to the park is shown, with trees uprooted, buildings destroyed, and monuments smashed.
The beauty of a book such as this is its simplicity. A reader can know nothing of the battle and still enjoy the rich history on the pages, the book serving as a potential gateway to further study. For those knowledgeable on the battle and the terrain of the battlefield there is still plenty to learn here. Chances are good that many of the images will be new, even to seasoned students of the battle.
This is not a new release, and the reality is, an expert such as Smith could probably release several similar volumes. Recommended for anybody studying the battle or planning to visit the Shiloh National Military Park.
Thank you for reading my book review of Shiloh National Military Park. I invite you to read more of my book reviews of Arcadia Publishing titles by using THIS LINK.
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Civil War Monitor is one of the leading magazines covering the war from all perspectives. With some of the best practicing historians regularly contributing articles, this is a must read for any student of the war. Click the link above of the photo to the left for exclusive subscription pricing!
In his acknowledgements and introduction, author Dr. Carl E. Kramer, states that this book has been an off and on-again project for more than sixty years having started it while a freshman in high school in 1961. As with any student new to Civil War studies, the term “General” can be confusing at best, thus Kramer’s long-term quest for clarity.
What Classifies a General for this Book
Let’s count down the opportunities for use of the title along with Dr. Kramer. There are those who receive appointment to the rank of general (brigadier and higher). Of course, during the Civil War that could mean in the regular army or as a general of volunteers. The President of the United States nominates a soldier to the rank of general. The Senate confirms nominations.
Second, you have Brevet Generals, those receiving a sort of temporary promotion to the rank but no real promotion. These brevets were often handed out based upon some noteworthy battle achievement most often made by a colonel or maybe even lieutenant colonel. A private or corporal would not be made a brevet general from the rank of sergeant. Brevets to lower officer positions were also possible during the war.
The third opportunity for using the rank of general is from State Troops. State Troops were most often militia groups and their appointment was made by the state governor.
Finally, you have those men who were just called general. They may have received the nickname for being a local leader, maybe it was sarcastic, or perhaps they gave themselves the moniker and it stuck for whatever reason. Needless to say, these men were not generals in the way Kramer is using the term.
How Did Kramer Decide Who is a Hoosier
Andrew Wagenhoffer points out that the issue of determining who is a Hoosier and who isn’t, is a tricky one. Then, as now, people moved around. Family members often followed each other, at times following perceived economic or educational opportunities.
In determining if a “general” was eligible for inclusion, Kramer relied heavily on the standard work in the field, Generals in Blue written by Ezra Kramer. For state level generals, he relied upon Indiana in the War of the Rebellion, a multi volume report issued in 1869 and available in a reprint edition.
Determining a tie to Indiana became more difficult for Dr. Kramer as this can mean differing things to different people. Kramer settled on three criteria for inclusion in his book. The first is birth; anyone born in Indiana who met the other criteria is included. The second qualifying criteria is for men who were born elsewhere but relocated to Indiana and spent a significant part of their lives in the state. The term “significant” is not defined and so this criterion remains vague. The final criteria that merits inclusion is for men “who arrived in Indiana early in the war, played an important role in organizing the state’s military operations and maintained a significant presence after the war.” This criterion is again vague and open to interpretation as the terms important and significant are not defined.
The Book Itself
Ultimately, Dr. Kramer has decided upon 121 men; including 44 full United States generals, 1 Confederate general (Francis Asbury Shoup), 62 Union brevet generals, and 14 state service generals. Twenty-one generals were born in Indiana as were 24 brevet generals.
Major General Robert Huston Milroy Image courtesy Library of Congress
Most of the biographies are one page long. A large number of the entries contain a photo, the majority of which are from the Library of Congress. The short length of each entry makes this book appropriate to pick up and put down at your leisure. Each biography can be read in a matter of a few minutes allowing readers the flexibility to read multiple titles without worries of being bogged down. Biographies can be read in any order with no concern about being confused.
One drawback I did note is that the book does not contain end/foot notes. There is a two-page bibliography however. For me, I would have found it helpful, or at least interesting, if Dr. Kramer had listed a recommended biography (if available) for each of the entries. Brief introductions to these interesting men could leave some readers wanting more. Overall, for a book of this nature these are minor quibbles. It is also possible that the author reached his word count limit. Arcadia/History Press try to stick to specific word counts in order to keep their titles within a page limit and thus helping control price.
Readers interested in the role of Indiana in the Civil War should consider this book. Available at a budget friendly price it allows for a handy reference rather than trying to find Indiana generals at random in Warner.
Arcadia Publishing has generously provided a complimentary review copy of this book. Arcadia Publishing has also published five titles I have written as of the date of this post. My relationship with Arcadia Publishing does not influence my reviews of their titles.
If you would like to read book reviews of other Arcadia/History Press titles, please click HERE.
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Thank you to my good friends at Arcadia Publishing for providing a complimentary review copy. A more detailed review will be forthcoming.
Although war was traditionally the purview of men, the realities of America’s Civil War often brought women into the conflict. They served as nurses, sutlers, and washerwomen. Some even disguised themselves as men and joined the fight on the battlefield. In the border state of Missouri, where Southern sympathies ran deep, women sometimes clashed with occupying Union forces because of illegal, covert activities like spying, smuggling, and delivering mail. When caught and arrested, the women were often imprisoned or banished from the state. In at least a couple of cases, they were even sentenced to death. Join award-winning author Larry Wood as he chronicles the misadventures and ordeals of the lady rebels of Missouri.
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When the Civil War erupted, the Union and the Confederacy faced the challenge of organizing huge armies of volunteers with little or no military experience. Crucial to this task was finding generals, and Indiana answered this call with approximately 120 of them. Though a competent division and corps commander, Ambrose E. Burnside’s leadership of the Army of the Potomac at Fredericksburg proved disastrous. Jefferson Columbus was a relentless commander but murdering his superior in a Louisville hotel halted his probable rise to major general. As commander of the Louisville Legion, Lovell H. Rousseau was the only Civil War general commissioned by a city.
Compiling years of research, historian Carl E. Kramer provides biographical sketches of every identifiable Indiana general who attained full-rank, brevet, and state-service status in the tragic struggle.
You may find more information on Dr. Kramer by using this link.
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Join me for a book signing February 18 in Ormond Beach, FL.
Join me on Saturday, February 18, 2023 at the Anderson-Price Building as the Ormond Beach Historical Society hosts a book signing. I will be there from 11a-1p.
The Greatest Generation, those who fought World War II in whatever function, is silently, yet rapidly, passing on to their reward. When you stop to think that the end of World War II was more than 75 years ago you can easily fathom that it will not be long until the last veterans from the war pass.
Author Bob Grenier, who wears many hats including historian, museum curator, Walt Disney World employee, politician, historical activist, and more, has written what I find to be a very fitting tribute to the common soldier. This is not a book glamorizing the Generals or the Colonels, or even the Lieutenants. This is not a book glamorizing war nor condemning the enemy.
Instead, this is a book that reminds us of the soldiers who went to serve in faraway lands they might not have been able to find on a map were real people. They were fathers, sons, brothers, uncles, husbands, or boyfriends. In some cases, they were daughters, wives, sisters, aunts, or girl friends who served in organizations like WAVES, or as nurses, or were part of the Red Cross. Many of these brave women led the charge from the home front, planting Victory Gardens, recycling materials, working in manufacturing roles, single handedly caring for families, and struggling to keep morale high at home and abroad. Their importance and contributions should not be forgotten. Not all the men in the book survived. Some, like Medal of Honor recipient Robert M. McTureous, Jr., paid the ultimate price.
Mr. Grenier has included eight chapters which are broken down geographically. A concluding chapter is titled Florida’s Gallant Sons and Daughters. The chapters feature soldiers who lived in or moved to an area. Grenier also highlights local markers or memorials to the War. Each chapter is loaded with photos; some contemporary, some from the war. Many are personal such as wedding photos. All tell a story though, and through the limited text allowed for each image, Grenier helps evoke a feeling of the image whether it be happy, sad, uncertain, confident, or scared.
This book reminds us how precious life is and that our time is fleeting. A generation called the greatest is rapidly leaving us. It is left for us, the living, to remember them. With this slim volume, Bob Grenier has provided us a way to remember the men and women who helped stop Axis forces and allow the American way of life to continue. One cannot finish this volume and not be moved. Highly recommended.
**For full disclosure: Mr. Grenier is a friend of mine, and this book is published by the same publisher I am published by. I did however purchase my copy of his book at full retail price, and Mr. Grenier has in no way asked for me to write a review. The review is based upon my own reading and viewing of the book.
If you enjoyed Bob’s look at World War II veterans, I recommend you find a copy of his similarbook for Civil War veterans. This book covers both Union and Confederate soldiers. We learn how the war and its aftermath played a considerable role in the future development of Central Florida.
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Join us on September 3rd at 10:30 am for our new “History Talks” speakers’ program with Robert Redd. Enjoy coffee and donuts provided by Krispy Kreme donuts on International Speedway Blvd, as Robert discusses his book on New Smyrna Beach postcards. There will be an assortment of books for sale. Robert Redd is the former Director of the New Smyrna Museum of History, a graduate of Stetson University and American Public University, and serves as the County of Volusia Cultural Coordinator.
This event is free for Members. Non-members are $10.00.
All of Robert’s books will be available for purchase.
Kramer, Carl E. 
Wood, Larry, 
