Grierson's Raid: A Daring Cavalry Strike Through the Heart of the Confederacy
Grade 7 Up–Lalicki recounts an important Union raid into Confederate territory. In April 1863, as Grant's attempts to take the vital port of Vicksburg seemed doomed, he hatched a plan to attack the city on two fronts. However, it required the movement of a large number of troops, sure to be observed by the occupying force. In order to divert the enemy's attention, he turned to Colonel Benjamin H. Grierson, who was to lead 1700 men in the cavalry and artillery into Mississippi on a mission to destroy the Confederate rail line, to cut off supply routes, and to destroy any supplies found along the way. For 16 days, from LaGrange, TN, south to Baton Rouge, the raiders rode through Confederate territory, foraging for their meals and resupplying themselves from local farms. Lalicki follows the raid in minute detail, day by day along the route, interspersing background information on the various participants within the action scenes and including many of their firsthand accounts. The men are not painted as either heroes or villains; their less-than-honorable actions (like destruction of property) are related, as are stories of their decency. It's all told in an accessible style that reads more like an adventure story than a history text. Black-and-white photos, maps, and reproductions add to the presentation. Civil War buffs will be fascinated by this offering.–Elizabeth M. Reardon, McCallie School, Chattanooga, TNCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.