Fort Pillow » (~)

HARRY TURTLEDOVE is a multiple New York Times bestselling author THE GUNS OF THE SOUTH and master of the alternate history novel. He holds a Ph.D. in history from University of California Los Angeles.

A harrowing novel of the Civil War's most controversial battle by New York Times bestselling author Harry Turtledove.

Library Journal

This is noted sf and alternate history author Turtledove's first foray into a "straight" historical novel. Grim but riveting, it describes what many consider one of the worst atrocities of the Civil War-the 1864 killing of black Union soldiers and their white officers by Confederates at Fort Pillow. Enraged that blacks would take up arms, 1500 Confederates under the command of Nathan Bedford Forrest attacked the 600-man Fort Pillow garrison, whose troops fought back savagely, further enraging the Confederates. When the fort was finally overrun, the killing continued, with racial hatreds exploding into mindless fury that Forrest felt unable, and unwilling, to stop. Later, the scope of the "Fort Pillow Massacre" was exaggerated and used as a rallying cry for the Union, while the Confederacy steadfastly denied that any such massacre occurred. Turtledove's narrative leaves no doubt that he believes something terrible happened at Fort Pillow, and is an excellent companion to his many alternate histories of the period. Recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/06.]-Robert Conroy, Warren, MI Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.