by Kevin Brazier
Hardback (6.4×9.4 inches). 375 pages. 2026.
The first of four volumes covers the Medal of Honor recipients of the American Civil War. Each of the 1,525 men and one woman receives a short mini-bio with date of birth, citation with event which earned them the award, death date, and location of the grave (if available).
That’s pretty much it. The citations often read “at [battle] captured flag of [CSA regiment].” I noted that 21 men received the award for the same event, and 79 men received it at the same time for a different event.
The one woman recipient, Dr. Mary Walker, was a surgeon who tended wounded at Bull Run, Chickamauga, Atlanta, and a hospital in Washington DC. Interestingly, the US Army stripped her of the medal in 1917 along with 909 others in some reassessment of the awards. She refused to give the medal back. In 1977, the Army reversed itself and reinstated her award.
In the history of the medal section, the Army reinstated Buffalo Bill Cody’s award and four other civilians’ awards in 1989, but the other 905 (p10) remained stripped of the medal. Of note that the Army in 1918 reaffirmed that civilians could be awarded the medal, but in 1963, that was amended to exclude civilians.
The book contains 80 black and white photos.
Brazier has found a niche with award list books, including ones on Victoria Cross, Knights Cross, Blue Max, and George Cross. You might find a recipient’s action that merits a special rule in a tabletop scenario or maybe in a RPG, but otherwise, it’s a listing. The bibliography lists other books with Medal of Honor listings, but as I had not read those, I’m not sure how they differ.
For his prodigious compilation, ties go to the author.
Enjoyed it.
— Reviewed by Russ Lockwood
