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This month, our Five Things column features Meg Groeling, whose First Fallen: The Life of Colonel Elmer Ellsworth, the North’s First Civil War Hero will be released this month. Here, she tells of five facts which she discovered while researching and writing this book.
Take it away Meg . . .
1. I decided to write a biography of Colonel Elmer Ellsworth after working at Brownell Middle School. E. E. Brownell was an early California educator for whom the school was named, and sure enough, the E. E. stood for Elmer Ellsworth. No one knew anything about Ellsworth, so I decided to tell them.
2. Adam Goodheart’s magnificent 1861: The Civil War Awakening was my most immediate writing inspiration. I couldn’t put it down. Those early, pre-war days show America giving her best reaction to her worst crisis.
3. Elmer became more interesting as I researched his life. What a loss!
4. When I think of the things he could have contributed to the American war effort—tactics, drill, focus—I realize how important the volunteer officers really were, even if the West Pointers thought they were only opportunists.
5. Clausewitz was absolutely correct when he said that war was politics by other means. Ellsworth is an excellent example of the political instrumentality of war. We should never forget this.
Click here and buy your copy (personally signed free for seven days at no extra charge!) to make sure that you don’t miss the release of this upcoming book!
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