Extensively researched book on the Regular Army Regiments in the Civil War. The book follows the 15th, 16th, 18th and 19th Regiments throught the battles of Western Theater. The book reverses the thinking that the regulars were sub-standard to the volunteer regiments. In reality they were superior until the end of the Atlanta campaign when they were reduced to less than half their number and replacements were poorly trained or motivated to serve. The book clearly defines the differences between them and the volunteers. I have a new respect for these "Brave Body of Men." ( )

This is a slightly narrower work then it first appears, as the author is not really covering all the activities of the Federal regular infantry in the western theatre of the Civil War. Johnson's main interest is in tracing the activties of the so-called Regular Brigade established by Gen. William Rosecrance, as it evolved from an ad hoc collection of battalions, to the first-call force for tough jobs, to an emaciated remnant of its prime at Stone's River.

While this work is not going to replace the works of Castel, Cozzens, or any of the other historians of the Civil War in the Heartland in terms of battle history, Johnson (as one might expect of a West Pointer and an infantryman), gives one a detailed examination of the woes in doctrine and personnel recruitment that afflicted this unit, until a "breakdown in force management" set in. Considering that these units were to be the post-war seed corn of the U.S. Army once the volunteers went home, this is perhaps the saddest element of the story for Johnson. Even if Johnson's prose is a little clunky, you can say he does a good job of telling the story of these men. ( )