THE FIFTEENTH KENTUCKY INFANTRY (U.S.)
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THE BATTLE RAGES HIGHER:
The Union's Fifteenth Kentucky Infantry
by Kirk C. Jenkins
What the Reviewers Say:
"[C]ould well serve as a model for the genre in the twenty-first century . . . From a dramatic standpoint, the highlights of the book are its battle scenes . . . a very well written and widely researched work."
Professor Gerald J. Prokopowicz, The Register, Kentucky Historical Society, Autumn 2004, Vol. 101, No. 4.
"Valuable perspective on the difficulties of men from a slave border state serving in the Union army . . . Jenkins has a good eye for pathos and human interest . . .the lively writing will appeal to general readers as well as scholars."
Professor James A. Ramage, H-Civ War, H-Net Reviews, August 2004.
"Offers a number of valuable insights in the nature of the war . . .It is a compelling and interesting story that Jenkins has researched thoroughly and presents in a very readable way . . .Has an extensive "Biographical Roster'" . . . It is impressive."
Professor William H. Mulligan, Jr., Civil War Book Review, Spring 2004.
"The chapters on Perryville, Stones River and the Tullahoma Campaign are particularly compelling . . . 'The Battle Rages Higher' is a well-written, lively account of what Union soldiers experienced . . . Incredible details on the wartime and postwar careers emerge."
Stuart W. Sanders, Director of the Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association, Inc., The Washington Times, April 24, 2004.
"A solid addition to the existing scholarship -- I look forward to having this volume on my personal bookshelf."
Professor Kenneth W. Noe, author of Perryville: The Grand Havoc of Battle.
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As the Civil War
tore apart the nation, communities, households, soldiers, and civilians
within the four border states suffered particular devastation. For
citizens of Kentucky, Delaware, Maryland, and Missouri, the Civil War
was fought on a profoundly personal level. Often bound by more than
regional obligation, residents of the border states frequently displayed
greater loyalty to both Union and Confederate armies than citizens of
other states. In Kentucky, a state that offered no financial reward for
military service, over 90,000 men fought for the Union. Author Kirk C.
Jenkins demonstrates that despite Kentucky's significant contributions
to Union efforts, many historians have failed to explain the motivations
of these determined men.
The men of the Fifteenth Kentucky Infantry were unique in age,
background, and political convictions. Many were several years older
than the average Union soldier, and several companies of the unit
consisted of German and Irish-born immigrants. And unlike the majority
of Union soldiers, despite their devotion to the Union, these
Kentuckians overwhelmingly voted Democratic.
Although the Fifteenth lost all three of its principal officers at the
battle in Perryville, Kentucky, the men of the Fifteenth Kentucky fought
for the Union for over three years. The men were in the thick of the
action not only at Perryville, but at Stones River, Chickamauga and
throughout the battles of the Atlanta Campaign. At Chickamauga,
Buzzards Roost and Resaca, the Fifteenth Kentucky was called upon to
fight Confederate Kentuckians -- the "Orphan Brigade," commanded by
former Kentucky Senator, John C. Breckinridge.
Jenkins's groundbreaking book is based on primary research from
soldiers' letters and diaries, hundreds of contemporary newspaper
articles, official army records and postwar memoirs. Along with the
story of the regiment as a whole, Jenkins also includes an extensive
biographical roster of the individual soldiers, enabling researchers to
confirm family connections to soldiers and identify their specific
contributions to the war. The Battle Rages Higher offers greater
insight into the motivations of those who would choose to fight their
brothers and neighbors.
Kirk C. Jenkins, an eighth generation Kentuckian, regularly
writes on issues of constitutional law and is a partner in a Chicago law
firm. He has recently completed his second book, a novel which follows
officers and men in the ranks through the Battle of Chickamauga, and has
started work on his third book -- a baseball novel.