The Mexican-American War Experiences of Twelve Civil War Generals

Timothy D. Johnson (Edited by), Gary W. Gallagher (Foreword by), Sean Chick (Contributions by), Christian B. Keller (Contributions by), Alexander Mendoza (Contributions by), Ethan S. Rafuse (Contributions by), Thomas W. Cutrer (Contributions by), Stephen D. Engle (Contributions by), Joseph T. Glatthaar (Contributions by), Jennifer M. Murray (Contributions by), Craig L. Symonds (Contributions by), Brian Steel Wills (Contributions by), Cecily N. Zander (Contributions by), Ethan S. Rafuse (Contributions by)

9780807182383

Hardback, published 23 October 2024

280 pages, 3 maps
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.4 cm, 0.666 kg

Long overshadowed by the American Civil War, the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) has received significantly less attention from historians partly because of its questionable origin and controversial outcome. Rather than treat the conflict with a form of historical amnesia, the contributors to this volume argue that the Mexican-American War was a formative experience for the more than three hundred future Civil War generals who served in it as lower-grade officers. The Mexican War was the first combat experience for many of them, a laboratory that equipped a generation of young officers with practical lessons in strategy, tactics, logistics, and interpersonal relationships that they would use later to command forces during the Civil War.