Crossing the Deadly Ground: United States Army Tactics, 1865–1899

by Perry D. Jamieson

Attempts to answer difficult questions about battle tactics employed by the United States Army

Weapons improved rapidly after the Civil War, raising difficult questions about the battle tactics employed by the United States Army. The most fundamental problem was the dominance of the tactical defensive, when defenders protected by fieldworks could deliver deadly fire from rifles and artillery against attackers advancing in close-ordered lines. The vulnerability of these offensive forces as they crossed the so-called "deadly ground" in front of defensive positions was even greater with the improvement of armaments after the Civil War.

Genres: Military History

248 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1994

Reviews

[R.]

The deadly ground became evident during the Civil War as breech loaders and fortifications so favored the defense as to make an assaulting force face decimation. Subsequent improvements in technology throughout the balance of the nineteenth century compounded the difficultly.

This book covers the post civil war period through the Spanish-American War and Philippines War. While the topic was addressed in theoretical debates and in a series of reforms by the armed forces, no final answer resulted.

As WWI would show, this was a problem that bedeviled all combatants. It took until well into the conflict and the maturing of new technology before glimpses of a resolution would appear.

[Kim]

Perry Jamieson just isn't a compelling writer.

[Adamonip]

Perry Jamieson examines the US military in the latter half of the 19th century through it's journey to overcome the increased lethality of defensive positions. He primarily examines the doctrinal dilemma of attacking superior defensive positions. He does not go into much detail about campaigns during this period. Some knowledge of America's military action on the frontier, the Spanish American war, and Philippines war is needed before reading this book. Overall this was an outstanding work but is not for the novice.