Knoxville, 1863 is a battle novel told in mosaic-narrative form—similar to Shelby Foote’s classic battle novel Shiloh—that is equal parts history and fiction.
It’s about the men who fought and a widow who observed a little-known Civil War battle involving some of the most famous people and units of the Union and Confederacy. President Lincoln considered a Union victory at Knoxville, in the fall of 1863, essential to winning the Civil War.
(The permanent header of the blog, above, is the only known photograph of Fort Loudon/Sanders, taken sometime after the battle, possibly in the winter of 1863-64. Apparently looking west, or even a little southwest over the apex of the northwest bastion. Note the cotton bales on the left side, covered with rawhide to prevent them being set afire by Minie ball bullets.
The lone sentry appears to be near the flagpole erected by the Seventy-Ninth New York Cameron Highlanders which Lt. Col. John Calvin Fiser, of the Seventeenth Mississippi Infantry Regiment, tried to chop down. In the foreground are the open-top artillery embrasures with sandbags and barrels on the sides to shelter the gun crews from sharpshooters, the Civil War equivalent of today’s snipers.)
Col. Claude Cooper, (USA, Ret.) a former professor of military science at Appalachian State University, concluded in his Amazon review of the novel:
“Other writers and historians have touched on this battle, but I’m not aware of any who have addressed it in this depth. For that reason, and because it is well written, I believe that this is an important novel that will be appreciated by civil war buffs and enjoyed by anyone.”
Jim Miller, whose Civil War Notebook is a popular site with war buffs, said:
“Mr. Stanley has certainly done his homework; his novel rests on a solid foundation of historical facts….a joy to read.”
Robert Redd, whose Confederate Book Review is another popular Civil War blog, concluded:
“This is a work of fiction I can recommend. While it helps to have some knowledge of the Civil War it isn’t mandatory. The work should be accessible to any reader. The storyline moves along well. While this is not published by any of the big boys I didn’t find the spelling and grammar mistakes I thought I might.”
Celia Hayes, author of my favorite Texas Hill Country stories The Adelsverein Trilogy, liked the novel’s authenticity:
“These are not modern Americans, dressed up in period clothes…The various characters are expertly drawn…Each chapter and each character is almost a period steel engraving, full of vivid and authentic detail.”
The book also has been previewed at Bull Runnings, Harry Smeltzer’s popular Civil War blog.
The Amazon link is here for the paperback, inexpensive at $7.98, and its eBookArchitect-formatted Kindle companion, for a limited time, at just $0.99. The novel is also available as a e-book at Smashwords in multiple formats, from Stanza to Sony here.
For more on the novel’s historical details—including period photos and maps—and the backgrounds of its fictional and historical characters, read this blog.
P.S. I also blog at www.texasscribbler.com, where you will find this brief description of me:
“Retired Texas newspaperman (politics, crime, science, medicine, technology), married father of a young son, antique rose gardener, independent publisher, and Vietnam combat veteran (MACV, I Corps, 1969)”
And I write a blog that aspires to be a digital Rebel regimental at www.13thmississippi.com. Drop by there sometime and learn more about the historical regiment of the novel’s fictitious Private Bird Clark.
If you wish to contact me, you may do so at scribbler@texasscribbler.com
Last updated: January 15, 2012
