Author Michael J. Martin Civil War Historian and Wisconsin Native
Testimonials and Feedback for: A History of the 4th Wisconsin Infantry and Cavalry in the Civil War
"Martin's study is the first formal history of any of the four Wisconsin cavalry units. That alone makes this book important because it fills a void in Wisconsin Civil War scholarship. What makes this an even better book is that the unit's record of service was not only unusual but significant. The 4th Wisconsin was organized as infantry but two years later changed to cavalry. It served in the Eastern Theater during the war's early months but transferred to the Western Theater, where it spent the remainder of the war. In its ranks at different times could be found some of the most important men of Wisconsin history in the 19th Century. A History of the 4th Wisconsin Infantry and Cavalry in the Civil War is what regimental histories are all about."
Lance J. Herdegen
Author of In the Bloody Railroad Cut at Gettysburg
and Those Damned Black Hats: The Iron Brigade
in the Gettysburg Campaign
"Mr. Martin . . . is to be highly commended for writing an outstanding regimental history, one well researched and very readable. It should be recommended reading alongside such highly acclaimed 'modern' day Union regimental histories as Warren Wilkinson's Mother May You Never See Sights I Have Seen, a masterful recounting of the services of the 57th Massachusetts Infantry, and Richard F. Miller's more recent history of the 20th Massachusetts, Harvard's Civil War."
David M. Neville, Editor
Military Images Magazine (Volume XXVIII,
Number 2, September/October 2006)
"Many thanks, Mike. You have written an important and significiant history of a great regiment. Your book is now shelved in my library next to another Civil War treasure, Rufus Dawes' memoir of the 6th Wisconsin."
Col. James A. Aarestad, USA (ret.)
(Great grandson of Hans Peter Olson,
Company G, 4th Wisconsin Cavalry)
September 29, 2006
"Good regimental histories are hard to find these days, but Martin's impressive research and lively prose (plus excellent maps and editing skills of Ted Savas) combine to make this a fine 'regimental.' This book is a must-have for Wisconsin Civil War buffs, Union cavalry aficinados, and those interested in learning more about a sadly neglected theater of the war."
Jeff Patrick, Interpretive Specialist
National Park Service
Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
(Civil War News, September 2007)
"This book shows the eight years of research Martin put in on this project. It is an exciting read and should be on the shelf of every Wisconsin library."
Richard N. Larsen, Reviewer
April 1, 2008
"Martin very thoroughly researched his subject and put together an impressive collection of primary and secondary sources. The product of this research is a highly detailed study presented in a very readable style. Besides exerpts from letters to friends, relatives, and diary entries, Martin also utilized soldiers' letters to hometown newspapers to provide eyewitness accounts of events as well as insights into the minds of the men doing the fighting . . . This volume deserves a spot on library shelves along with the better Civil War unit histories."
Mark Hudziak, Reviewer
Military History Online
November 23, 2008
Lance J. Herdegen
Author of In the Bloody Railroad Cut at Gettysburg
and Those Damned Black Hats: The Iron Brigade
in the Gettysburg Campaign
"Mr. Martin . . . is to be highly commended for writing an outstanding regimental history, one well researched and very readable. It should be recommended reading alongside such highly acclaimed 'modern' day Union regimental histories as Warren Wilkinson's Mother May You Never See Sights I Have Seen, a masterful recounting of the services of the 57th Massachusetts Infantry, and Richard F. Miller's more recent history of the 20th Massachusetts, Harvard's Civil War."
David M. Neville, Editor
Military Images Magazine (Volume XXVIII,
Number 2, September/October 2006)
"Many thanks, Mike. You have written an important and significiant history of a great regiment. Your book is now shelved in my library next to another Civil War treasure, Rufus Dawes' memoir of the 6th Wisconsin."
Col. James A. Aarestad, USA (ret.)
(Great grandson of Hans Peter Olson,
Company G, 4th Wisconsin Cavalry)
September 29, 2006
"Good regimental histories are hard to find these days, but Martin's impressive research and lively prose (plus excellent maps and editing skills of Ted Savas) combine to make this a fine 'regimental.' This book is a must-have for Wisconsin Civil War buffs, Union cavalry aficinados, and those interested in learning more about a sadly neglected theater of the war."
Jeff Patrick, Interpretive Specialist
National Park Service
Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
(Civil War News, September 2007)
"This book shows the eight years of research Martin put in on this project. It is an exciting read and should be on the shelf of every Wisconsin library."
Richard N. Larsen, Reviewer
April 1, 2008
"Martin very thoroughly researched his subject and put together an impressive collection of primary and secondary sources. The product of this research is a highly detailed study presented in a very readable style. Besides exerpts from letters to friends, relatives, and diary entries, Martin also utilized soldiers' letters to hometown newspapers to provide eyewitness accounts of events as well as insights into the minds of the men doing the fighting . . . This volume deserves a spot on library shelves along with the better Civil War unit histories."
Mark Hudziak, Reviewer
Military History Online
November 23, 2008
