A Little Short of Boats: The Flights at Ball's Bluff and Edward's Ferry, Oct. 21-22, 1861 by James A. Morgan III. 250 pp., sc, illus., tour guide, index.

A Little Short of Boats: The Fights at Ball's Bluff and Edwards Ferry

by James A. Morgan III

In nearly a century and a half since Ball's Bluff, no one has delved so deeply into the primary sources of the battle, anaylzed them so insightfully, or presented them so clearly as Jim Morgan. He examines every aspect of the battle thoroughly and judiciously, from the crucial ingredient of George McClellan's communication failure to minor controversies like the killing of Edward Baker and the myriad details of armament, position, troop identities, and chronology. Charles Stone's tarnished reputation is convincingly restored; suprise celebrities emerge as both hero and scoundrel; questions five generations old are answered at last.

William Marvel, author of "Lee's Last Retreat: The Flight to Appomattox", and "Andersonville: The Last Depot"