Although widely misunderstood today, Emory Upton was a West Pointer and a superb tactician who managed to reorganize the way in which the U.S. Army fought after the Civil War. His tactical manual took the U.S. Army out of the business of lining up in regiments on the battlefield to face the enemy in similar formations; instead, the use of better weapons and rapid fire made "fours," squads and platoons important manuever elements on the battlefield. This led to greater emphasis being placed on non-commissioned officers and provided the U.S. Army a basis for its fighting methods in the Spanish-American War and World War One. Fitzpatrick also addresses the misunderstanding regarding how Upton felt about militia and volunteer formations, a misunderstanding (or even a deliberate misrepresentation) of Upton's concerns regarding the poor leadership of such formations and the politics involved in them. Yes, Upton wanted an organization of "National Volunteers" who could supplement the Regular Army in time of war, but he did not espouse the "Prussian Model" of reserves and replacements and he did not believe in peacetime conscription. In fact, the U.S. Army would eventually adopt a uniquely American solution of Regular Army/Army Reserves/National Guards which would provide both the federal government and the states the ability to deal with emergencies and military threats.
A great book. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the changes made in tactical throught and the evolution of such though. Illustrated with photos.
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