The Saltville Massacre (Three Stars)

In 1864 the Union launched an offensive to capture the saltworks in western Virginia. The short campaign ended in failure and many of the soldiers of the Colored Cavalry were captured and later massacred by the Confederates.



This rather short book has the distinction of being one of the few works on the subject. While emphasis is on the massacre following the Union withdrawel from Saltville the book never explains the important role salt played in the Confederate war effort. Nor does the book really discuss the order of battle of either army in any meaningful way (I had an ancestor in the 45th Kentucky Mounted Infantry [U.S.] but this book doesn't really discuss exactly where the unit fought). The volume is thin and lacks depth, but at least it does discuss the "Kentuckian vs. Kentuckian" nature of the war in this part of Appalachia. Illustrated with black and white photos and some maps.