History of the Forty-Ninth Virginia Infantry C. S. A Billy Smith's "Boys" by Hale, Laura Virginia; Phillips, Stanley S - 1981

Lanham, Maryland: S. S. Phillips. Near Fine. 1981. First Edition. Hardcover. SIGNED by one of the authors on front free endpaper. Signed by Laura Virginia Hale. The Forty-Ninth Virginia Infantry was formed by 64 year old Virginia ex-Governor William Smith who became famous in the Army of Northern Virginia for his enthusiasm and raw courage. He was not particularly good at tactics, but his courage and ability to lead his men into the most dangerous situations was legendary. The Forty-Ninth first fought at the First Battle of Manassas on July 21, 1861 where they held Stonewall's left flank, and participated in all the major battles of Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. They suffered 55% casualties at Seven Pines, were almost wiped out at Antietam, formed part of Lee's left flank at Gettysburg, and were so reduced by casualties and capture at Fort Steadman that they only had 54 men left to be paroled at Appomattox and their highest ranking officer left was a Major. Comes with a 2 page insert titled "Known Casualties in Battle and Skirmishes of the Forty-Ninth Virginia Infantry, C. S. A." The insert gives the number of killed and wounded in every action the Forty-Ninth participated in. Book is based on the unpublished memoirs of Captain Robert Daniel Funkhouser. Text and illustrations and photos all clean and bright. No previous owner marks. Faint spotting and yellowing to all page edges. Top corners gently bumped. This book is VG+/NF. Book now protected in plastic jacket. Ships same or next business day. ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 353 pages; Signed by Author .