Moving the Union Army

by Herman Haupt

Though his name is not recognized by more than a handful of Americans, he revolutionized the way large armies and equipment were moved in wartime. He offered to work without rank or pay but eventually accepted a commission...with conditions as told in this book.

The fascinating story of how the largest army in history to that date was almost miraculously moved from place to place during the American Civil War is revealed in this volume by General Herman Haupt. He was also key to understanding how the Confederate armies moved and warned General Meade of the impending approach to Gettysburg by Robert E. Lee.

Of special interest is Haupt's assessments of the generals and men he worked with during the war.

A successful businessman before and after the war, General Haupt was still working at age 85, when this book was first published.

Every memoir of the American Civil War provides us with another view of the catastrophe that changed the country forever.

For the first time, this long out-of-print volume is available as an affordable, well-formatted book for e-readers and smartphones.

Be sure to LOOK INSIDE by clicking the cover above or download a sample.

Genres: Railways, Civil War

455 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 19, 2014

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my recent Civil War readings, the name Herman Haupt has come up several times, so it became inevitable that I find our more about him. The choices were limited in terms of major works about his life and accomplishments, but I found this, an abridged reprinting of Haupt's 1901 memoirs in which he includes extensive correspondence between himself and key Union officials during his time as Lincoln's Chief of Military Railroads. His life outside the two years serving the Union Army is fascinating itself, although this is mentioned mostly in passing in the book. The contemporary records - telegraphs, letters, and other primary sources - add a unique and authentic element to his recollections years later that most autobiographical accounts don't have. One of the things I found most interesting about him was his ability to see the big picture militarily while he was focused on his engineering duties. He seemed to have an amazing grasp of how his work with the railroads complemented the overall military objectives. In fact, he often had a better understanding than some of the more famous Union commanding generals, as evidenced by his correspondence at the time.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting look into transportation and logistics issues told from the perspective of General Haupt. There are, however, multiple typos which cause the reader to interpret the intention.