Brave Men's Tears: The Battle of Brawners Farm

In the introduction Alan Nolan, author of The Iron Brigade, says we need to understand the little picture and by assembling little pictures, we come to understand the big picture. This well written, very readable study of Brawner Farm is an excellent example of what the little picture should be. In August 1862, a Federal division stumbles onto Stonewall Jackson's command outside of Manassas, starting of what became the Second Battle of Manassas, one of the worst Federal defeats in the East. Jackson attacks King's Division marching past his lines in a classic ambush. King unable to command leaves his division to fight as brigades. This they did fighting Jackson to a stand still. For a couple of hours, with little movement, the men stand in formation and fight it out. When night ends the battle, both sides have suffered badly with neither gaining any real advantage. King loses the battle by withdrawing which allows Longstreet to join with Jackson. Pope misread the situation and botches the larger battle. This is a detailed history of those few hours. The brigades of John Gibbon and Abner Doubleday fight the famed Stonewall Brigade, Ewell's Division and other elements of Jackson's Corps receiving and inflicting heavy causalities. With an excellent narration and well-placed maps, we are never lost and understand the battle. This is Gibbon's Brigade first battle; they excel and in time are named The Iron Brigade. Doubleday is no slouch, his actions are crucial in stabilizing the line early in the battle and his brigade performs well. This is a detailed tactical study of the battle, with a good analysis of the events leading up to it. King's errors and the reasons for them give us a glimpse into the real world of Civil War command and control lacking in many books. This is not blue and gray squares being moved over flat maps. Senior officers blunder about in the dark, orders are lost, officers become fixed on a small area of the field and the grand havoc of battle reigns. I cannot recommend this book to highly! It is one of the best small battle books I have read and will increase your understanding of brigade combat.

Although a borderline work for the popular sector, for the ACW history buff this is as good as it gets. A very detailed, painstakingly researched account of the first battle of John Gibbon's Iron Brigade - giants in black hats from Wisconsin, Indiana and later, Michigan, who covered themselves in glory during the years 1862-1863 (chronicled more completely in Alan Nolan's superb eponymous work). The Iron Brigade didn't run into just any outfit while pausing at the intersection of Pageland Lane on the Warrenton turnpike on the approach to Groveton. The Stonewall Brigade emerged from the woods covering the unfinished railroad onto the grounds of John Brawner's farm in the twilight of 28 August, 1862, followed closely thereafter by elements from all three divisions of Stonewall Jackson's corps, commanded directly by Old Jack himself. Gaff's account heavily weighs the strategy (North and South) that led to the collision of armies, culminating in the Battle of Second Manassas. The conclusion is offered that both sides were poorly led, yet fought terrifically, and the evidence is convincing. Tactics were almost non-existent - this was one of the last stand-up knock-down fights of the war, before the widespread use of field works, and the human cost paid was dear to both sides. After finishing this short, intense, valuable work, the reader has to agree with the assessment of Alan Nolan in the introduction - this is exactly the type of work that the ACW history community needs more of - tight, thoroughly researched and focused on a small scale. Catton, Foote, McPherson and others have given us the broad brush - the devil is in the details.