A Sailor on Horseback (Classic Reprint)

A brisk, battle‑tested survey of a bold Civil War cavalry raid and its ripple effects
This nonfiction account follows a Union expedition through East Tennessee and Virginia as it moves from Crank's Gap toward Bristol, Saltville, and beyond. It highlights the challenges of long winter marches, difficult terrain, and the push to destroy critical rail links and salt works that could swing the war’s balance.

Through detailed narrative, readers glimpse the planning, movement, and skirmishes that characterized the campaign. The text frames how commanders weighed risk, used terrain to their advantage, and coordinated diverse units under pressure, while also showing the human side of marching and fighting far from home.

- Follow a multi‑day march over mountain roads and valleys, with marching fatigue and strategic decisions shaping the outcome.
- See how raids targeted rail bridges, depots, and salt works, and how prisoners and paroles figured into the aftermath.
- Learn about key figures, places, and locations such as Bristol, Saltville, Carter’s Station, and Union/Abingdon along the rail line.
- Understand the broader aims of Union and Confederate forces and how a single operation could influence supply lines and regional control.

Ideal for readers of Civil War histories and military campaigns who want a clear, grounded look at a specific, pivotal raid and its consequences.