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Book Reviews These are some reviews from a recent issue of
The Civil War News:
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A History of the 6th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry U.S.: The Boys Who Feared No Noise
by Joseph R. Reinhart.
Illustrated, index, 473 pp., 2000. Beargrass Press, 8420 Oxford Woods Court, Louisville, KY 40222, $37.90 ppd.
Regrettably, we do not have regimental histories for many of Kentucky’s Civil War units. Apart from extensive coverage of the famous "Orphan Brigade," Kentucky’s veterans have received relatively little press. Author Joseph Reinhart has done his part to correct this oversight by examining the hard fighting 6th Kentucky Infantry (US). Formed in late 1861 from men in the north-central part of the state, the Sixth was com-posed of a conglomeration of native Kentuckians, Louisville Germans, and even some Hoo-siers. Not long after its organization, the regiment was assigned to the brigade of Col. Wil-liam B. Hazen, one of the most talented commanders on either side during the war. The rela-tionship between the Regular Army officer and the Sixth Kentucky was mutually beneficial and long-lasting, ending only with Hazen’s promotion to division command in August 1864. Under Hazen’s leadership, the Kentuckians saw their initial combat on the second day of Shiloh. Although they were practically spectators at their next major battle (Perryville), the men of the Sixth found themselves in a critical position at the battle of Stones River a few weeks later. On Dec. 31, as the army of William Rosecrans retreated before Bragg’s on-slaught, Hazen and his brigade made a determined stand at the famous Round Forest and helped prevent a Federal rout. The Sixth proved to be a reliable and tough combat unit again at the battle of Chicka-mauga. First in Kelly Field, then on Snodgrass Hill, the Kentucky troops held the line and once more helped stave off disaster for the Army of the Cumberland. Following Chicka-mauga, the regiment played an important role in the siege of Chattanooga, forming part of the assault force that seized Brown’s Ferry and finally assisting in breaking the siege by storming Missionary Ridge. As part of Sherman’s army driving toward Atlanta in the spring of 1864, the Sixth’s sol-diers again proved their mettle in the gallant but doomed attack at Pickett’s Mill on May 27. Just before Atlanta’s fall, the regiment was withdrawn from the siege works and as-signed to railroad guard duty. The Kentuckians were finally mustered out of service in De-cember 1864 and January 1865. Reinhart has meticulously reconstructed the history of the regiment, using newspapers, service records, letters, diaries, and a number of other sources. His narrative is fast-paced, and is not simply a recounting of marches and battles. Reinhart examines other issues, such as the relationship between the German companies of the regiment and their "native" com-rades, the feelings of the Kentuckians toward the Lincoln administration, and the postwar ca-reers of the regiment’s veterans. The Sixth Kentucky Infantry compiled an impressive record during the Civil War, and now we have a regimental history highlighting the unit’s accomplishments. Hopefully, Jo-seph Reinhart will inspire other talented writers to document more of Kentucky’s unsung heroes.
Jeff Patrick
Jeff Patrick is an interpretive specialist with the National Park Service at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield in Republic, Mo. He holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in American history from Purdue University.
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