Compiled from primary sources such as Milroy's correspondence and the letters of those who knew him, this biography details the life and times of General Robert H Milroy. Focusing primarily on his Civil War career, it also provides information about lesser known operations in western Virginia during 1861 and 1862.
Among the first Union volunteers in 1861 was Robert H. Milroy. Determined to obtain a military education but denied his wish to attend West Point, Milroy, a fervent abolitionist, craved military action and viewed the Civil War as his long-awaited opportunity to achieve the glorious reputation he so ardently desired. Compiled from primary sources such as Milroy's correspondence and the letters of those who knew him, this biography details the life and times of General Robert H. Milroy. Focusing primarily on Milroy's Civil War career, the work serves to provide information about lesser known operations in western Virginia during 1861 and 1862 as well as illustrate the bonds that formed between commanders and their men. It also provides a case study of how an abolitionist general enforced his will in various regions throughout the Confederacy. Appendices contain a portion of Milroy's unfinished autobiography and a list of troops commanded by Milroy in combat.
