The Mockingbird's Ballad

"We all stand on other's shoulders," a wise one observed. Among those on whose shoulders I stand in this work are . . .

John P. Dyer, From Shiloh to San Juan: The Life of "Fightin' " Joe Wheeler. 1961. The lone authority.

E. F. Williams and J. J. Fox, they reprinted in one volume W. C. Dodson's Campaigns of Wheeler and His Cavalry 1862 - 65 and The Santiago Campaign - Cuba 1898, 1899. This work was compiled from General Wheeler's unpublished memories and interviews by W. C. Dodson in 1899 for the Wheeler's Confederate Cavalry Association.

Albert A. Nofi, A Civil War Treasury, 1992. A very helpful resource, easily accessible.

Donald Cartwell, The Civil War Book of Lists, 2001. A most useful quick reference work.

Philip Katcher, The Complete Civil War, 1992. This is an excellent fact file of the campaigns, weapons, tactics, armies and personalities of the great conflict.

David S. Heidler and Jeanne T. Heidler, The Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social and Military History, 2000. This is a remarkable work of 1,600 essays. It strives to be a "comprehensive source" for a boundless subject and it gets mighty close.

Civil War research is a vast reservoir of information. The quality of that material varies greatly. Several "giants" in the field provide wonderful insight and analysis. . Bruce Catton, Shelby Foote, William C. Davis and James McPherson.

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The short war with Spain in 1898 represents a milestone in United States history and America's sense of nationhood. The United States involvement in world affairs was changed forever. George Washington's admonition of "no foreign entanglements" was ignored. The USA entered the international stage, went about unique empire building, and became a member of the world's elite grout of "great powers". The why and how of that change needs more attention.

Useful references are . . .

Albert A. Nofi. The Spanish - American War, 1898, 1996. This very accessible work is a source of extensive information from personalities to units. Analysis is not its objective but there is some which helps.

Donald M Goldstein and Katherine V. Dillon, The Spanish - American War - The Story and Photographs, 1998. A very good resource. The graphics are most intriguing.

Stan Cohen, Images of the Spanish - American War April - August 1898, 1997. This is a rich and expansive resource.

Two special references required noting . . .

Russell E. Miller, The Larger Hope, 2 vol., 1979, 1985. A remarkable history and resource for the unorthodox and mostly unnoticed liberal faith.

Marc McCutcheon, Everyday Life in the 1800's, 1993. An indispensable help for writers, students and historians.