Sunday, September 28, 2008

Booknotes - "The Rifle Musket in Civil War Combat"

Already given hearty recommendations as a major contribution to the literature, Earl Hess's latest book The Rifle Musket in Civil War Combat: Reality and Myth (Univ. Press of Kansas), among other things to be sure, addresses Paddy Griffith's rather broadly drawn contentions about the overstated reputation of the rifled musket, undoubtedly applying much more deeply compiled research and considered analysis. There are chapters devoted to rifle technology and gun culture, along with those highlighting tactical applications and effects of the rifle on the various combat functions, including skirmishing and sniping -- all supported by a number of data tables.