Carrying the Flag: The Story of Private Charles Whilden, the Confederacy's Most Unlikely Hero

Book Description

The story of Private Charles Whilden, a hapless South Carolinian whose bravery at the Battle of Spotsylvania in 1864 prolonged the Civil War for the Confederates

For forty years, Charles Whilden lived a life noteworthy for failure. Then, in a remarkable chain of events, this aging, epileptic desk clerk from Charleston found himself plunged into the brutal battlefields of the Wilderness (May 57, 1864) and Spotsylvania Court House (May 820, 1864). In an astonishing act of bravery, he wrapped the flag around his body and led a charge that won critical ground for the Confederates, changing the course of one of the war's most significant battles.

Gordon C. Rhea combines his deep knowledge of Civil War history with original sources, such as a treasure trove of letters written by Charles Whilden, to tell the story of this unusual life. Growing up in a prominent family that had fallen on hard times, Charles received a good education, and his letters reveal flashes of intelligence. But he failed at the practice of law in his home state and in his endeavors elsewhere, including copper speculation, real estate ventures, and farming. After the attack on Fort Sumter, Charles returned to Charleston to enlist in Confederate service, only to be turned down until the rebellion was on its last legs. Even then he saw only a few weeks of combat. But in that time, he discovered a bravery within himself that nothing in his former existence suggested he had.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2007-08-03

Rhea - his trilogy was excellent but this book is exquisite and is highly recommended.

A private changes the course of an entire war.......2006-10-09

A General or a Colonel certainly has the ability to alter the course of
history or make his name well-known to his countrymen through actions.
But does a common private lost within the ranks have the same ability?
Gordon Rhea answers this question brilliantly in this book about a
middle-aged Confederate private set amongst two of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War.
Charles Whilden went from obscurity to fame at a place called the
Bloody Angle, a key position on the battlefield of Spotsylvania Courthouse, where he carried a tattered battle flag in front of a desperate charge that eventually led to a Confederate victory and prolonged an already endless war. Without Whilden's heroics, the Confederates wouldn't have rallied for victory and would likely have been crushed, along with the Confederacy itself. Does this make Whilden a hero or a villain? After all, the 'victory' that he initiated was only short-lived, and only led to more death and destruction. This is one of the questions that may come across a reader's mind amidst the awe and respect for the common infantryman that develops over the course of this book.Another question is this: How many other Private Whilden's are there scattered about America's short, yet war-ridden, past? Was there a Private Whilden at San Juan Hill, or Iwo Jima, or Saratoga? Rhea's ability to shrink something as grand as war into something as familiar as a common man fighting for a cause has a way of reminding us that wars are not fought by generals. Not only that, but his descriptions of the two brutal campaigns of The Wilderness and Spotsylvania Courthouse would make any Civil War buff foam at the mouth.
One man can change the course of history. This book will teach you
that if nothing else. But, more important, it also teaches that the common soldier, no matter what side he fights for, is driven by a courage that should at the very least be honored and always respected.

Great for buffs, and raises questions..........2005-09-04

For anyone wanting to learn the specifics of two major battles between Grant and Lee, this book is excellent. I am always glad to see books that resist glorification by detailing the horrendous conditions of some of the most brutal fighting of the war, which is saying a lot. SPOILER--But the author couldn't resist talking about Whilden's actions as heroic and how the day was won for the Confederacy as if it were a truly noble outcome. Now look at it another way: if Whildon were shot down and the Rebels didn't have a rallying point to successfully rienforce the earthworks, then Grant would've plowed through, cutting Lee's army in half and most likely defeat them. With this outcome, you would not have had the endless series of massacres throughout central Virginia, no siege of Petersburg, no Cold Harbor. With the war over, you probably wouldn't have Atlanta and Colombia in ashes and the atrocity of Sherman's March. Just food for thought-Discuss...

AN UNLIKELY HERO.......2005-04-15

The author, Gordon Rhea, notes in the INTRODUCTION that "....books about privates are rare" and continues "None tell a story half as fascinating as that of Charles Whilden...." The text is a brief account of Whilden's life stating that his first forty years were characterized by mediocrity and failure. However, Whilden's brief fifteen minutes of glory came at the Bloody Angle at Spotsylvania Court House where he vividly demonstrated the capacity of an insignificant player "to alter the course of history."

Chapter 1 gives a short review of the 1864 strategic conditions in central Virginia which "By most estimates, 1864 loomed as the war's decisive year." In March 1864 President Lincoln made Grant commander-in-chief whose aim was the destruction of the Confederate armies, not to capture territory. The author observed "Thus the stage set for the Civil War's decisive campaign....The campaign would be a duel to the death between Grant and Lee, the best generals either side could field. The prize was the fate of two nations." Chapter 2 presents a concise account of pre-Civil War Charleston, S.C. stating the source of Charleston's wealth was rice and that the city's affluence "rested on the back of slaves." The author gives an interesting review of the area's concern about a slave rebellion and continues "As the Carolina Low country's slave population grew so grew the white minority's unease about servile insurrection."

After a unsuccessful brief career as a lawyer, Charles moved to Detroit where his lack of success continued to plague him.He left Detroit in 1855 and accompanied Colonel Grayson to Santa Fe, New Mexico as the colonel's personal secretary. In Santa Fe his mediocre success continued. When the Civil War commenced, Charles began the long trip home to Charleston. The ship he was on heading for the Carolina coast was badly damaged; and his health was compromised; for the rest of his life he suffered from epileptic seizures. In Charleston he tried to enlist a number of times; but due to his epilepsy he was unsuccessful in enlisting. By January 1864, Confederate manpower shortages were critical; and at age 39 Whilden was at last able to enlist as a private in Company I of the 1st Carolina at Orange Court House in February 1864.

Author Rhea uses Whilden and the 1st Carolina as the narrative vehicle for an interesting account of the battles of The Wilderness and at Spotsylvania. Whilden's unit was "destined to the worst of the campaign's carnage." Whilden received his baptism-under-fire on May 5 in the Battle of the Wilderness, had not run and was appointed as flag barrier when the flag barrier was wounded. Rhea observes "The post of flag bearer was important, not only for sentimental reasons but for practical ones as well." Charles career as a color barrier was off to a bad start as Union General Hancock troops overran Charles's unit. Only the last minute arrival of Confederate General Longstreet on May 6th saved the day. On the night of May 7-8 Grant's and Lee's armies moved south to the vicinity of Spotsylvania Court House where Lee erected sophisticated earthworks. The text briefly narrates Grant's fruitless efforts over the next three days to break through Lee's battlements.

Lee had erected a salient, nicknamed The Mule Shoe, and Grant had selected it for a massive attack by Union General Hancock on May 12. Union troops soon overran the pickets and the outer earthworks including the high ground, referred to as "the angle", to the Confederate left. The author gives a chilling account of the gruesome, bloody chaotic fighting as the Confederates fought to regain the angle and survive. Lee ordered General McGowan's brigade into the Mule Shoe. Charles, "still wracked by seizures" clearly understood the situation and fixing his eyes on the angle, carried the flag never expecting to reach the angle alive. When the flag was shot from its pole, Whilden wrapped the flag around his body. Behind him followed a "motley band of rebels." By ten o'clock in the morning Charles led his fellow Southerners to take over the Bloody Angle thus saving the battle for the Confederates. The butchery of May 12 was horrendous with the two armies suffering approximately seventeen thousand causalities. While Lee had won another battle, "the war in Virginia settled into a siege that would last ten months....but Grant had won the campaign, destroying the Army of Northern Virginia's offensive capacity."

His epilepsy making him unfit for service Charles returned to Charleston in August 1864 and was discharged after only eight months of duty. On September 25, 1866, during an epileptic seizure he fell facedown in a mud puddle, and drowned. While there are no monuments to Charles Whilden, his heroic action on May 12, 1864 at the Bloody Angle lives on as a tribute to the potential of an insignificant player who altered the course of Civil War history.

Gordon Rhea has done considerable research on the campaigns of 1864, having previously written several books on these campaigns. This is an easy book to read. Civil War buffs who want a brief/limited account of the battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court and a private who won his fifteen minutes of fame in 1864 at the Bloody Angle, will find this book interesting.

Delightful and Informative.......2004-10-08

"Carrying the Flag" is a gem of a little book telling the story of an otherwise anonymous Confederate Private who found 15 minutes of fame in 15 hours of improbable glory. While Private Whilden's exploits at Spotsylvania's Bloody Angle were unique in their specifics, one can only imagine hundreds, if not thousands, of equally heroic deeds over the course of the war by similarly obscure infantrymen.

Private Whilden's battle experience was limited to the Wilderness and Spotsylvania. Accordingly, much of author Rhea's book details just how unexceptional Private Whilden was. The material, which seemingly holds little promise, in fact makes for an appealing window on the "middle class" antebellum South. In the end, if you can't applaud Private Whilden's take on the world and his place in it, you can surely understand it and, perhaps even applaud the depth of his commitment to it.

One of the most attractive features of the book, for me, is the compelling way in which Private Whilden's two battles unfold. There is the usual blood and gore, but more important, the narrative, complemented by just one map of each of the battlefields, is as clear as any I've read. The tactical story is the focus, but the operational and strategic context is cogently sketched in as well. Indeed, I would recommend the two battle sequences as among the best, most comprehensible short summaries of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania that I have read.

A very nice, very readable addition to the literature; highly recommended.

Proud to Be a Card-Carrying, Flag-Waving, Patriotic American Liberal

Average customer rating:

Should be required reading
Very feminist. Also scary
Hay writes pithily
does depict her political superhero energy level
A rollicking good read by a smart, witty woman

Proud to Be a Card-Carrying, Flag-Waving, Patriotic American Liberal
Jean Hay
Manufacturer: Jean Hay for Congress/ Jean Hay for U. S. Senate
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0965775909

Customer Reviews:

Should be required reading.......1999-10-22

Her book should be required reading. She's a hell of a writer

Very feminist. Also scary.......1999-10-22

...Very feminist. Also scary

Hay writes pithily.......1999-10-22

...Hay writes pithily...she is solidly within the liberal tradition and writes bracingly.

does depict her political superhero energy level.......1999-10-22

...For those who know Hay, (the book cover) does depict her political superhero energy level....

A rollicking good read by a smart, witty woman.......1999-10-22

You could yawn and dismiss this book as a collection of recycled electioneering rhetoric by a woman who lost two Maine Democratic party primary campaigns, one for Congress in 1994, and another for Senate in 1996. You could, but you'd sure be missing a rollicking good read, a primer on the hot political issues of the past few years by a smart, witty woman who isn't afraid of speaking her mind. Jean Hay may have lost the primaries, but if this book is any indication, we Mainers were the real losers.

In this collection of essays and speeches, Hay, a journalist and organic farmer before running for office, breathes life into into the nearly moribund notion that candidates for office should have -- gasp! -- opinions, and should even express them in print. She says she ran for office out of love and outrage. Both are reflected in her writing. It is often idealistic, just as often angry, sometimes biting, sometimes inspiring, always heartfelt. With chapters like "Human Rights Grow on You," "Not All Carrots are Straight," "Slavery and the Minimum Wage," and "In Defense of Unwed Mothers," Proud to Be has to be the most courageous book ever written by a Maine political candidate.

It is also entertaining, intelligent, and thought-provoking. Watch this woman. As she says, "I'm a Bleeding Heart Liberal and I Vote!"

Average customer rating:
Proud day for Stearns carrying Manitoba flag.(Sports): An article from: Winnipeg Free Press
Gale Reference Team
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000O76K9E
Release Date: 2007-03-12

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Winnipeg Free Press, published by Thomson Gale on March 11, 2007. The length of the article is 542 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Proud day for Stearns carrying Manitoba flag.(Sports)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: Winnipeg Free Press (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 11, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: c4

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Carrying the Flag The story of Private Charles Whilden, the confederacy's most unlikely hero

Average customer rating:

Carrying the Flag The story of Private Charles Whilden, the confederacy's most unlikely hero
Rhea Gordon C.
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UF920Y

Book Description

Discover the trials & triumphs of great female inventors

Astrolabe
Automatic Dishwasher
Barbie® Doll
Buffered Aspirin
COBOL
Cotton Gin
Disposable Phone
Drip Coffeemaker
Fabric Softener Sheets
Hang Glider
IV Fluids
Jell-O®
Kevlar®
Mars Rover
Nystatin
PDA (Personal Digital Assistant)
Protease Inhibitors
Rolfing
Smallpox Variolation
Space Suit
Spic & Span®
Tract Housing
Vacuum Canning
Windshield Wipers
Zig-Zag Sewing Machine
Zovirax®

and many, many more!

Reviews for Mothers of Invention by Ethlie Ann Vare and Greg Ptacek

"It's a fascinating and gratifying book….It gives us a positive view of women's inventiveness, from the frivolous to the noble."
-The New York Times Book Review

"It is the wide spectrum of female humanity and ability in this book that makes it an especially valuable addition to the growing popular library on the accomplishments and work lives of women."
-Los Angeles Times

"An informative collection of talent, trivia, and history, Mothers of Invention will interest most anyone. More importantly, though, it will serve to inspire girls and women of all ages. For that reason, it belongs on the shelves of schools and public libraries everywhere."
-Tampa Tribune

"Wonderful….A book to be dipped into and sampled at one's leisure."
-The Chicago Biweekly

"This fascinating volume will find a place in the browsing sections of both adult and YA collections…recommended."
-Library Journal

One of the "Best Books for Young Adults,"
American Library Association, 1988

Customer Reviews:

Stereotype buster about women for both gender in academia.......2005-01-20

I read this wonderful book quite some time ago and was so moved by all the info that i wrote an article on forgotten women of history for a community magazine (with examples from ancient Egypt, India and China. Wish growing up I knew all the great discoveries and inventions women did and are doing even today and not getting the recognition they deserve. [...]
I encourage every middle and high school teacher (and mother) to teach all student about women's contribution in all areas of knowledge and human endeavors. The entire society suffers when women's contribution are not even discussed to this day in schools.

Uncovers unrecognized achievements of women.......2002-08-20

Many inventions and achievements attributed to men actually were first made by a woman! Some of the inventions and achievements profiled in this book I was aware of, but many were surprises. Men and women both would benefit from reading this book: Women-to see what women have achieved and as models for what is possible and men- for a wake-up as to the achievements and capabilities of women. Fortunately women are more likely to be recognized now for their achievements, but we still have a long way to go. When I authored a book on small businesses, I encountered many instances where women did not receive credit for their contributions which were often greater than the men in their business. This book is educational and inspirational. Give this book to a woman you want to inspire!

Interesting and little known contributions by women.......2002-08-19

The book can be read as an entity or read randomly as time allows because each inventor has a brief self-contained section in the larger chapters. The book is well-written and it is not an academic punishment to read. There is enough detail to set the reader into further research but it is light enough to provide information in an enjoyable way. The inventors often have insightful quotes. It should be required reading in schools to encourage more participation in science, math, computers and intellectual curiosity in general.

Not just about science, the book also mentions patenting the brassiere, computer technologies and some weird ideas (skeletons shocking criminals into confessions, anyone?). A nice mix of fun and facts.

Patently Female.......2001-11-28

This book gives you a fascinating look at the contributions that female inventors have presented to the world, from diapers to medical treatments to cutting edge technology. Too often these female inventors are overlooked or don't get rightful credit for their awe-inspiring accomplishments. This book brings alive the ingenuity and resourcefulness of female inventors, who should not be forgotten.

Patently Female: More Women Inventors and Discoveries

Average customer rating:

Patently Female: More Women Inventors and Discoveries
Ethlie Ann Vare , Ehilie Ann Vare , and Greg Ptacek
Manufacturer: Stoddart
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Scientists | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

History | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

History of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

General & Reference | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1575441039

Average customer rating:

Finally, some hope and answers !!!!!!!!

a must-have

I lived this book

Dr Redmond changed my life!

Very Thorough!

The Hormonally Vulnerable Woman: Relief at last for PMS, mood swings, fatigue, hair loss, adult acne, unwanted hair, female pain, migraine, weight gain, ... all the problems of perimenopause
Geoffrey Redmond
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Hair Loss | Men's Health | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Women's Health | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Hair Savers for Women: A Complete Guide to Preventing and Treating Hair Loss

Screaming to be Heard, Revised and Updated: Hormonal Connections Women Suspect, and Doctors Ignore

The Good News About Women's Hormones: Complete Information and Proven Solutions for the Most Common Hormonal Problems

Androgen Disorders in Women: The Most Neglected Hormone Problem

The Hormone Survival Guide for Perimenopause: Balance Your Hormones Naturally

ASIN: 0060825537
Release Date: 2005-09-20

Book Description

According to Geoffrey Redmond, M.D., a majority of the 42 million American women between the ages of thirty-five and fifty-five suffer from vulnerability to their own hormones. Appearance, emotions -- and even sex drive -- may be affected. Symptoms include thinning hair, persistent acne, mood swings, low energy, loss of pleasure in sex, weight gain, irregular periods, and pain. While the media has emphasized the problems of menopause, Dr. Redmond explains that all too many women experience hormonal miseries even in their thirties. Lab tests are often normal because the problem is not the hormones themselves but how a woman's body reacts to them. Healthy, active women suddenly find that once quiescent hormones have taken over control of their lives. Because their problems are often dismissed as trivial, women who are hormonally vulnerable are frequently thwarted in their quest for help. Too often they are brushed off with remarks such as, "Your tests are normal; there's nothing wrong with you." This is tragic because, as Dr. Redmond demonstrates, hormonal balance can nearly always be restored with the treatments he details, which include individualized use of prescription medications, herbal supplements, lifestyle changes, and even spiritual practices. Many women have heard that testosterone can help sex drive, but most have not been warned about the damage that careless testosterone therapy can cause on skin and hair.

In this book, Dr. Redmond, an internationally recognized authority on testosterone in women, explains the only safe ways to use testosterone. With informative sidebars, quizzes, and personal stories of women who have overcome hormone vulnerability, this helpful book will empower you to find treatments for your hormone problems that are tailored to fit your own body, biochemistry, symptoms, and lifestyle.

Customer Reviews:

Finally, some hope and answers !!!!!!!! .......2007-09-09

I am 37 and am loosing my hair, The information in this book has made me aware of all the reasons women can loose their hair. Many of the reason have the same symptoms. Which at first is frustrating until you realize more reasons means more possibilities to get it back even if only part of the hair. If you are considering hair transplants read this first, please.
I read other parts of the book that would be relevant to some friends this book is a great one, I have 3 more books about hair loss one is pretty good but abit out dated, the other is OK , and the other I will use to start a fire.

a must-have .......2007-05-18

This book is a must-have for every woman and teenage girl. Provides a wealth of info about female hormones & physiology in an easy-to-read format. Dr. Redmond is a leader in his field, and his depth of knowledge and compassion emerge effortlessly from the text.

I lived this book.......2007-04-06

If you are a woman suffering with unexplained hair loss on your head, hair growth where you don't want it, irritability, constant fatigue, dry skin or other skin problems and you are starting to feel generally more like a man than the beautiful woman you used to be, this book is for you. There ARE medications that can help you although most doctors will ignore and dismiss you. I went to see Dr. Redmond and he was able to help me, it was worth the trip into NYC and every penny. I feel like myself again and that is a miracle.

Dr Redmond changed my life!.......2007-01-22

I went to Dr. Redmond over three years ago with a whole host of female problems that were preventing me from feeling good and enjoying my life. All that has completely changed due to his expert medical care. When I read his book, I knew that I had to buy copies for all my female friends! If you often feel that something is just "not right" with your health...then you owe it to yourself to read this book.

Very Thorough!.......2007-01-05

This is an excellent book on the subject of hormones! I highly recommend that every woman read it.

Average customer rating:

Good book on Mops, Sops, Sauces and Rubs

Mr Bar B Que is cookin'

A Good BBQ Sauce Cookbook

A terrific book for anyone interested in barbecue

Great collection of recipes with insights on regional styles

The Great Barbecue Companion: Mops, Sops, Sauces, and Rubs
Bruce Bjorkman
Manufacturer: Crossing Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Barbecuing & Grilling | Outdoor Cooking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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Similar Items:

Mastering Barbecue: Tons of Recipes Great Tips Neat Techniques and Indispensible Know-How

Barbecue! Bible : Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades, Bastes, Butters, and Glazes

Dr. BBQ's Big-Time Barbecue Cookbook: A Real Barbecue Champion Brings the Tasty Recipes and Juicy Stories of the Barbecue Circuit to Your Backyard

Raichlen on Ribs, Ribs, Outrageous Ribs

Marinades, Rubs, Brines, Cures, & Glazes: Revised And Expanded

ASIN: 0895948060

Customer Reviews:

Good book on Mops, Sops, Sauces and Rubs.......2005-10-27

This is an outstanding book chocked full of recipes for Mops, Sops, Sauces and Rubs. If you need recipes or simply ideas for improving your own, this book is for you.

Mr Bar B Que is cookin'.......2001-09-28

This book is a great resource. Bruce's collection of reciepies will keep you quein' for a long time. All of the receipies will turn out better if you use a Traeger grill.

A Good BBQ Sauce Cookbook.......2001-07-12

This collection of 128 mops, sops, sauces, and rubs is very good, but not great.

It divides itself into sections of sweet, savory (what I would call tangy), "flamethrower" (although they all can be tamed by simply reducing the chile pepper amounts), championship, and rub/paste recipes. The listing of individual recipes in the table of contents is a particularly nice feature.

The most important part of this book is the 17 championship recipes he teased out of the pros. This must have been a difficult task, since most barbecue aficionados are notoriously secretive. I am most appreciative of this, since these recipes are worth their weight in gold.

Although I question some of the recipes, many are worth trying. The chance is very good that you will find something that you will like and keep with you each summer.

A terrific book for anyone interested in barbecue.......1998-05-10

My copy of this book is looking pretty worn, with stains and notes next to more than a dozen recipes. It is the first book I grab when I'm in the mood to fire up the smoker on a sunny weekend morning. The recipes in the book are outstanding, and cover a wide range of tastes and styles. I especially like the organization of the book, with recipes separated into categories including "Sweet Sauces", "Savory Sauces", and "Flamethrower Sauces". The only warning I have is that after you've tried a few of Bjorkman's sauce recipes, you'll never be able to go back to bottled barbecue sauce again.

Great collection of recipes with insights on regional styles.......1998-05-05

Fun read, with great recipes, a thorough but interesting review of the art of barbecue, and a light-hearted reverence for the cuisine. Plan to pig out before you return this one to the cookbook shelf--it's inspirational, too!

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