All Afire to Fight:: The Untold Tale of the Civil War's Ninth Texas Cavalry

There's nothing I appreciate more is a historical work where the author has consulted numerous often obscure primary sources in order to construct a never before written history. All Afire to Fight is one such work, and I have to say I have really enjoyed reading this book and learning about the Ninth Texas Cavalry--not to mention the military activities in the theater of the war where they were active, about which I am not that familiar at the moment. I found the narrative to be excellently written for the most part, although there were a few awkward spots. The one real detracting aspect of the book was the lack of a roster. In my opinion, no regimental history should be without one (the more detailed the better!) provided the information is extant.

I am a "California Yankee" whose favorite view of Texas has usually been through the rear view mirror - I should not have liked this book. But as a retired military officer, I was enthralled by Martha Crabb's graphic telling of men at war. Her obviously well documented and researched stories about the brutal fighting conditions, starvation, and primitive medical care gave me a real respect for the combatants of the civil war era and just how much some parts of warfare have changed for the better. And her description of broken government promises, bureaucratic obstacles, and the occasional incompetent leader, showed how much has remained the same. This book would make a great movie

Any Texan interested in the state's role during the Civil War, and certainly any Civil War enthusiast will find much to enjoy in Ms. Crabb's detailed account of this little-known aspect of that bloody conflict. She doesn't shy aware from reporting just how terrible a conflict it was, but she humanizes it by following, mile by agonizing mile, the Ninth Texas from its formation, through each of its battles and conflicts, until she brings the survivors home. Her book is meticulously annotated and documented, leaving little doubt as to her sources and her extensive research. Even long-time Civil War buffs are guaranteed many new insights into this unit. Particularly interesting are the reports of daily life of the ordinary boys and young men who made up the Ninth Texas Cavalry, the ordeals they faced just to survive, and the extraordinary courage they showed as they battled Union troops, fatigue, ravenous hunger, and homesickness. Because of the distance back to Texas, most never returned until the conflict ended; hundreds of others were buried throughout the South. Through her book, Martha Crabb once again brings alive the terrible toll exacted by this Civil War, describing battles and wounds until the reader can hear echos of the cannon and the screams of the wounded. It's not a pretty picture she describes, but it's once which every American should face once again.

Afraid he might miss GLORIOUS war, Reuben silently escapes from Pa's farm to join the Texas Cavalry. Through four years of the American Civial War Reuben and his fellow soldiers suffer HIDEOUS war without adequate food, clothing, and arms. Often led by fools, they fought heat, cold, measles, dysentery, and Indians, yet they never waver in their courage and dedication. Many of the men of the Ninth Texas Cavalry had lived in Texas only a few months, at most a couple of years - yet Texas Pride permeates the story. Meticulously researched, Ms Crabb has used letters and diaries written by the men of the Ninth to tell the story. All Afire to Fight reads like a modern best selling thriller. It is filled with action, pathos, and undiluted horror as told by the men who did the fighting.