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Trumbull County Boys: Company H, 20th Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War
495 pages, Hardcover
Published March 27, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 8, 2026
Trumbull County Boys Company H, 20th Ohio Volunteer Infantry In The Civil War by Chris Mowery is a wonderfully researched and written book on Company H of the 20th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
The boys and men of Company H were a ragtag group of farm boys from Ohio. They were an unpolished, ordinary group of young men. They came together to fight in the Battle of Fort Donelson in February 1862, the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862, the Siege of Vicksburg in 1863, the Atlanta Campaign in 1864, Sherman's March to the Sea, the Carolinas Campaign in 1865. Over the war, these man transformed into one of the most resilient and disciplined fighting regiments of the war.
Chris Mowery uses official military documents and diaries and letters from men in the company to tell the story of Company H. Chris tells not only the story of Company H and the 20th Ohio Infantry Regiment’s journey, but also the biographies of the individuals who made up the company. You get to know the commanders of the regiment, you get to know the privates of the company as well. Chris tells of the lives of fifty-two year old Samuel Hughes who lied about his age to serve along side his teenage son, William. Another notable individual is Lorain "Bunker" Ruggles who was not only fought with Company H but was a scout and spy for the Union Army. We learn about men from every rank, from 17-year-old private Isaac Strock to commissioned officers like Captain Edward C. Downs. As you read, you hear about the sense of brotherhood and comradery among the men of Company H. Near the end of the book, Chris tells of the absolute pain and horror of Andersonville prison where nearly 13,000 Union soldiers died.
Most history books examine events from a broad perspective, focusing on the overall war or a particular battle. In this book, Chris Mowery takes a more personal approach, telling the story through the experiences of a company and the individuals who served in it. While he still provides the larger context of the war and the battle, it is the stories of these men that bring the history to life.
I would highly suggest that anyone interested in history and the Civil War read this book and check out Chris Mowery's YouTube channel "Vlogging Through History" and podcast "Stories of the Civil War".
The boys and men of Company H were a ragtag group of farm boys from Ohio. They were an unpolished, ordinary group of young men. They came together to fight in the Battle of Fort Donelson in February 1862, the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862, the Siege of Vicksburg in 1863, the Atlanta Campaign in 1864, Sherman's March to the Sea, the Carolinas Campaign in 1865. Over the war, these man transformed into one of the most resilient and disciplined fighting regiments of the war.
Chris Mowery uses official military documents and diaries and letters from men in the company to tell the story of Company H. Chris tells not only the story of Company H and the 20th Ohio Infantry Regiment’s journey, but also the biographies of the individuals who made up the company. You get to know the commanders of the regiment, you get to know the privates of the company as well. Chris tells of the lives of fifty-two year old Samuel Hughes who lied about his age to serve along side his teenage son, William. Another notable individual is Lorain "Bunker" Ruggles who was not only fought with Company H but was a scout and spy for the Union Army. We learn about men from every rank, from 17-year-old private Isaac Strock to commissioned officers like Captain Edward C. Downs. As you read, you hear about the sense of brotherhood and comradery among the men of Company H. Near the end of the book, Chris tells of the absolute pain and horror of Andersonville prison where nearly 13,000 Union soldiers died.
Most history books examine events from a broad perspective, focusing on the overall war or a particular battle. In this book, Chris Mowery takes a more personal approach, telling the story through the experiences of a company and the individuals who served in it. While he still provides the larger context of the war and the battle, it is the stories of these men that bring the history to life.
I would highly suggest that anyone interested in history and the Civil War read this book and check out Chris Mowery's YouTube channel "Vlogging Through History" and podcast "Stories of the Civil War".
July 13, 2026
Chris Mowery’s Trumbull County Boys is a masterclass in ground-level military history, delivering the raw combat immersion of Eugene Sledge’s With the Old Breed combined with the deep fraternal narrative of Stephen Ambrose’s Band of Brothers. By following the complete wartime trajectory of Company H, 20th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Mowery demonstrates how a tight-knit community from Ohio's Western Reserve was forged by ideological conviction, kinship, and the horrors of combat into an exceptionally resilient fighting unit. From the muddy trenches of Fort Donelson to the grueling siege lines of Vicksburg and Atlanta, the book strips away the abstractions of the map room to reveal the war as it was actually lived and suffered by the common soldier.
What truly elevates this book above standard regimental studies is Mowery’s meticulous, forensic use of primary sources, including diaries, service records, and contemporary newspapers. This is paired with a unique personal connection. As the direct descendant of Private Samuel Hughes (who enlisted at age fifty-two under a fudged military record of forty-four), the author balances rigorous scholarship with historical empathy. The book also provides highly practical reader tools, concluding chapters with updated company rosters that track casualties and replacements in real time. This allows readers to witness the human erosion of the unit as the conflict progresses.
For those who enjoy reading about the Civil War, small-unit tactics, or the social dynamics of nineteenth-century armies, this book is excellent. Mowery’s prose is muscular and visceral. You can practically smell the black powder smoke and feel the artillery. It avoids dry textbook prose entirely, providing an unforgettable, soldier’s-eye-view of sacrifice. Highly recommended.
What truly elevates this book above standard regimental studies is Mowery’s meticulous, forensic use of primary sources, including diaries, service records, and contemporary newspapers. This is paired with a unique personal connection. As the direct descendant of Private Samuel Hughes (who enlisted at age fifty-two under a fudged military record of forty-four), the author balances rigorous scholarship with historical empathy. The book also provides highly practical reader tools, concluding chapters with updated company rosters that track casualties and replacements in real time. This allows readers to witness the human erosion of the unit as the conflict progresses.
For those who enjoy reading about the Civil War, small-unit tactics, or the social dynamics of nineteenth-century armies, this book is excellent. Mowery’s prose is muscular and visceral. You can practically smell the black powder smoke and feel the artillery. It avoids dry textbook prose entirely, providing an unforgettable, soldier’s-eye-view of sacrifice. Highly recommended.
July 13, 2026
I loved it!! Chris is one of my favorite history Youtubers. He is a fountain of knowledge. I encourage everyone to pick up this book about boys from Ohio who answered the call the serve their country.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews