The subtitle says it all: The Story of the Field Artillery of the Army of the Potomac 1861-1865, Second Edition. It is the well told story of that Army, and its artillery long arm. Naisawald follows the history of the battles, and the story of the individual Batteries and Gun Crews. There is a very good reason this book was re-published 39 years after its first printing-- I consider it THE history of the subject. The cover flaps are accurate: "The field artillery's story is a dramatic one, filled with individual heros and bumbling commanders, with gallant stands and crushing victories. Military historian VanLoan Naisawald, a former artillery officer, vividly re-creates the color and excitement of these battles, using original battle histories and following specific [batteries] into the heat of combat... He portrays the life of the ordinary Federal gunner... In describing the different types of weapons used and explaining the army's method of handling them, Mr. Naisawald defty shows what the guns of the period could do. He traces the development of the concept of massed [artillery] attack and artillery corps battle support that begun in the battles [of the Civil War] and are still being used in modern tactical warfare." The Civil War Reinactor can learn of the combat record of a unit, but he won't get a manual of arms for operating a artillery piece. It is a history book, not a how-to book. Grape and Canister was recomended to me by a Park Ranger/historian at The Wilderness Battlefield Park, and I wholehartedly concur with him. I consider it THE history of the Field Artillery of the Army of the Potomac.

Artillery is undoubtedly the least understood of the combat arms. It is an arm that requires the utmost skill from both the officers and enlisted men, as well as mere brute strength in handling their guns. Serving the guns in combat, on campaign, as well as maintaining their ability to operate in all weathers and climates requires skill, dedication, and plain hard work. They had all the problems a cavalry outfit had, multiplied three-fold. Forage, blacksmithing, care of their animals, all had to be accomplished to be able to put the battery on the road to the rumbling guns.

Few authors have taken up the challenge to write about this challenging and exciting topic, but Naisawald, and his colleague Fairfax Downey, have painted a clear picture of what it was like to be an artilleryman in the Civil War in the books each has written. This one by Naisawald is a masterpiece.

Painstakingly researched, consisely written, and presented in a format that is easy to follow, the author has presented us with a chronicle that has yet to be surpassed and has seldom been equalled. The story of the artillery of the Army of the Potomac is one of frustration, glory, hard work, and ultimate success. Their best day was undoubtedly the third day of Gettysburg, where they nearly defeated Pickett on their own (their commander, Henry J. Hunt swore to his dying day that if he not been forced to fire counterbattery missions to the Confederate bombardment, he would have had enough long range ammunition to do exactly that-seeing what his artilleymen did do, he was undoubtedly correct), a close second being their performance at the Battle of Antietam, where they literally blew the artillery of the Army of Northern Virginia off the battlefield.

These and other tales await the reader in this excellent volume. It is merely for them to pick it up and read it.