The Rough Side of War

[image error]As promised, here is the first of a series of books I feel are critical to understanding the armies that fought at Chickamauga.

Arnold Gates, ed., The Rough Side of War, The Civil War Journal of Chesley A. Mosman. Garden City, NY: The Basin Publishing Co., 1987.

Lieutenant Chesley Mosman served in the 59th Illinois Infantry. He enlisted in Marine Prairie, Illinois, in 1861; in a regiment first designated the 9th Missouri Infantry. He served in Thomas Wood’s Division of the 21st and 4th Corps. Though his first two journals for 1861 have been lost, his surviving journals begin in January, 1862, and run all the way to December 31, 1865.

Along the way, Mosman writes wonderfully detailed journal entries describing both his immediate circumstances (weather, camp life, etc.) and his thoughts on everything from questions of the day to military affairs. At 448 pages, this book is no quick read, but it is rewarding.

I have come to rely on it heavily, and cite it often.

Here is a snippet from his entry for September 2, 1863 – which runs to a full page of text.

It seems queer for Rosecrans to move his men down in rear of the Rebel Army and thus invite an attack, but such is war. They call it flanking the enemy out of his position, but one is reminded of old General Willich, who when informed by a frightened staff officer that the enemy had passed round his flank and got in rear of him, replied “Vell, vell, vat of dat? When he is in my rear aint I in his rear?” We must always remember that there are two rears – one for each army – in War, but I’ll let old Rosey boss the job.

Mosman’s journal is a vital resource for anyone studying the Army of the Cumberland, fully equal to Sam Watkins’ famous work from the Confederate perspective, “Company Aitch.”

Spend some time with Mosman.