By the strange inner workings of the rumor mill, it was assumed by many readers familiar with his work that author David C. Edmonds was deceased. Happily, the man himself put that error to rest recently in a posting on the "Louisiana in the Civil War" messageboard.
David Edmonds is the author of several works dealing with the Civil War in Louisiana, perhaps most notably his definitive two-volume military history of the Port Hudson campaign Guns of Port Hudson. His books are well researched, minutely detailed in military matters, and are stocked with large numbers of serviceable maps. Unfortunately, hardback editions are long out-of-print and remain difficult to find on the used book market. If you can find a volume two (and I can't), count yourself extremely fortunate.
However, the good news is that the Center for Louisiana Studies has very recently reprinted a paperback edition of Edmonds' Yankee Autumn in Acadiana. Yankee Autumn deals with General Nathaniel Banks' 1863 fall and winter Texas Overland Campaign. To summarize briefly, a Union army under the operational command of William B. Franklin advanced up Louisiana's Bayou Teche with the ultimate goal of invading East Texas. Although it never reached the Lone Star State, the huge Union force nevertheless devastated the region's infrastructure. Like Guns of Port Hudson, Yankee Autumn is much the traditional campaign and battle study but it also mines mountains of disparate primary source material in order to delve deeply into localized issues of race, economics, and social disruption.
David Edmonds is the author of several works dealing with the Civil War in Louisiana, perhaps most notably his definitive two-volume military history of the Port Hudson campaign Guns of Port Hudson. His books are well researched, minutely detailed in military matters, and are stocked with large numbers of serviceable maps. Unfortunately, hardback editions are long out-of-print and remain difficult to find on the used book market. If you can find a volume two (and I can't), count yourself extremely fortunate.
However, the good news is that the Center for Louisiana Studies has very recently reprinted a paperback edition of Edmonds' Yankee Autumn in Acadiana. Yankee Autumn deals with General Nathaniel Banks' 1863 fall and winter Texas Overland Campaign. To summarize briefly, a Union army under the operational command of William B. Franklin advanced up Louisiana's Bayou Teche with the ultimate goal of invading East Texas. Although it never reached the Lone Star State, the huge Union force nevertheless devastated the region's infrastructure. Like Guns of Port Hudson, Yankee Autumn is much the traditional campaign and battle study but it also mines mountains of disparate primary source material in order to delve deeply into localized issues of race, economics, and social disruption.
David, I heard you read at the Clearwater Center for the Arts last week. You know, CHEF TELL once told an audience, "A Civil War... that's an oxymoron." More in his biography, which I wrote. Hope "Lily..." works out for you!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Eddie J. Duhon. I am a board member of the Valsin House in Broussard. I have a copy of the book, THE VIGILANTE COMMITTEES OF THE ATTAKAPAS, and you are said to be one of the editors along with Dennis A. Bibson. I have been trying to convince our mayor that Cote Gelee existed as a community and that it was NOT EVER our city of Broussard. I have shown him what you have written about Cote Gelee's physical location, but he is not convinced. Is there any way you could help.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your time, Eddie J. Duhon.
Mr. Duhon: I am the person that runs this site. I just wanted to let you know that David is unlikely to see this message attached to such an old posting, and I don't have any contact info with which to forward your note.
DeleteThanks for the info.
ReplyDelete