History of Morgan's Cavalry

The most vivid account of Confederate cavalry you will find, written by the man who rode beside them. Basil Wilson Duke served as Morgan's second-in-command, and his memoir reads like no other Civil War history: intimate, opinionated, and unafraid. This is the story of the raiders who terrorized Union territory from Kentucky to Ohio, conducting the deepest Confederate cavalry raid of the war. Duke doesn't just recount battles and movements. He captures the electric camaraderie of men who rode knowing they might not return, the strategic brilliance of a commander who repeatedly outfoxed larger Union forces, and the heartbreak of a cause that was always doomed. What makes this book essential is its frankness. Duke writes with the authority of someone who was there, correcting myths, defending his comrade's reputation, and painting Morgan not as a legend but as a complicated, brilliant, utterly human leader. For anyone who wants to understand the Civil War from inside the saddle, this is indispensable.