By Earl J. Hess.
Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2023.
Illustrations. Notes. Appendix. Bibliography. Index.
Pp. 251. $39.00.
Mine warfare was a seminal event in the Civil War. This conflict saw the first widespread use of this weapon in American military history. Landmines and torpedoes (sea mines) used artillery shells or barrel kegs loaded with gunpowder and explosives. Earl J. Hess defines a landmine as an artillery shell buried underground and activated by direct pressure. Barrel kegs, more like a modern-day sea mine, were used to defend harbor and port entries. Detonating devices and primers caused landmines and torpedoes to explode. The intent of these weapons was to maim or kill soldiers and damage ships. Both Union and Confederate units used them in defensive positions where personnel shortages existed. The technology to employ and detonate these devices was new and in its rudimentary stage of development.
Hess has written more than two dozen books covering a variety of Civil War topics including animals, logistics, strategic and tactical operations; field guides, and various campaign studies. In his latest work that examines mine warfare, he adds the moral, political, and technological aspects of global warfare into the mix. Three main factors made the Civil War a global war. The blockade of the cotton trade affected European countries’ economies. Evolving strategic and tactical methods of warfare influenced how other nations judged Americans on political and moral issues. Although a young country by comparison, America as a model of democracy was also always under scrutiny by other nations, to see whether the democratic experiment would work.
This forms the framework of Hess’s work. His fourfold theme of morality, tactics, technology, and the placing of landmines within the context of global history provides the background needed for a comprehensive study of mine warfare. These weapons were the mid-nineteenth-century equivalent of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction used today. As a result, moral issues were a significant focal point of this study. Most Union citizens found the use of mines appalling, yet no legal action to condemn them was taken. The Civil War marked a period where the technology employed in operations outpaced the tactics used. The development of landmine warfare was a good example of this.
According to Hess, political factors were closely related to moral issues. Politicians and commanders were reluctant to employ the weapons or be involved in how subordinate units used them, fearing how they would be perceived. The same was true for cabinet members of both the Union and the Confederacy.
Hess uses short chapters, organized by specific campaigns, to describe the use and effect of these weapons. This allows readers to better understand how landmines and torpedoes were employed. It also gives insight into the planning process for use in specific ways. Additional chapters provide information on how the strategy shifted to more lucrative targets like communication capabilities. Hess also provides an excellent overview of the global development of landmine warfare after the Civil War and its impact on future conflicts. The lessons learned during the last two years of the Civil War were invaluable for this technology to evolve and develop. The appendix detailing the medical perspective of landmine injuries is an excellent addition and should be interesting to those who study medical operations in the Civil War.
Hess’s study of mine warfare in the Civil War is similar to his other tomes in its comprehensiveness, ease of reading, and exhaustive research. Hess provides an unvarnished perspective of what went right and what lessons were learned from the mistakes encountered in using landmine warfare. Those who are interested in technological advances and tactical operations during the Civil War will find this a valuable addition to their Civil War library,
Colonel Richard J. Blumberg, USA-Ret
Spring, Texas