Description: The Big Guns of Fayette ================================================ Creuzbaur's Battery or Welhausen's Battery, C.S.A. ----- Written by Paul C. Boethel ---------------------------------------------- 1965 - Self Published, Never Reprinted. ---------------------------------------------- Softcover : Very Good Covers have modest edge wear, but overall for a 1965 softcover book, this is a really nice copy. Signed by the author inside the front cover.98 pages - with rosters, notes and an index in the back ================================ "The Big Guns of Fayette" - reviewed on "Civil War Books and Authors" website, May 2012Unsurprisingly, histories of Texas units that spent the entire war garrisoning their state's coastline are rare. Published way back in 1965, Paul C. Boethel's The Big Guns of Fayette (Von Boeckmann-Jones) is the history of just such a group of men, Creuzbaur's Battery [a.k.a. Fifth Texas Field Battery, Welhausen's Battery]. Although the literature focuses nearly all of its attention on the struggles and victimization of German unionists in the Lone Star State, it is clear from Creuzbaur's almost entirely ethnic company roster that many German-Texans supported the Confederate cause. Originally intended as a heavy artillery unit for coastal defense when it was organized in 1861, the lack of suitable ordnance meant conversion to a four-gun light field battery [2 12-lbers (presumably howitzers) and 2 6-lbers].From 1861-64, the unit drew garrison duty the length of the Texas coast as places like Liberty, Virginia Point, Galveston Island, Sandy Point, and Fort Mannahassett (Sabine Pass). The only real combat experienced by the men was at Calcasieu Pass (LA) in 1864, where the guns came under heavy fire (disabling two) but were nevertheless instrumental in forcing a pair of powerful Union gunboats (Granite City and Wave, mounting 14 cannon) to surrender. At only 69 pages, Boethel's narrative, based on a variety of primary and secondary source materials (but primarily on official documents), is brief, but it is strong on organizational and roster data. The chapter on Calcasieu Pass is judiciously written and suitably detailed, although a battle map would have been helpful. A trio of drawings indicate geographical points significant to the unit's service history as well as the locales where it was organized and trained. The roster at the back of the book contains a good number of sizable mini-biographies.The Big Guns of Fayette has aged rather well and is worth picking up [unfortunately, used copies offered on the secondary market currently run in the $200 range so ILL is a better bet]. In addition to providing useful coverage of military affairs on relatively obscure coastal fronts in the Trans-Mississippi, the book's portrait of an unusual Confederate unit should also arouse the interest of social historians interested in the multi-ethnic makeup of Civil War armies.===================================Thank you for supporting independent booksellers ! (not bulk resellers who don't know the first thing about what they are selling !) I pride myself on knowing my stock, accurate descriptions, and good packing !!! The Rock Top Book Shop and Bindery Cashtown, Pennsylvania ====================================== Thanks for Looking !!! ---------------------------------------------------------- Postage is free (within Continental US - others at cost) either by media mail or priority depending upon the final sale price of the items(s). I always include delivery confirmation, and will insure more expensive packages at my cost.Check my other auctions for Civil War related books, documents, and ephemera, plus the occasional other book or curiosity - mostly military related.
Price: 115 USD
Location: Cashtown, Pennsylvania
End Time: 2024-03-01T15:37:59.000Z
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