Shattered Courage

In Shattered Courage, Volume 1, renowned historian Earl J. Hess provides a groundbreaking study of the American Civil War. This military history examines the experiences of Union and Confederate soldiers who refused to fight during the heat of battle. While traditional narratives focus on those who met the challenges of combat, Hess explores the lives of those who failed to meet the test. By analyzing personal accounts and official reports, this work identifies combat defaulters and tracks their service records within the military system.

This United States history volume offers a comprehensive look at the limits of combat morale among both green troops and seasoned veterans. Hess uses decades of research to compile statistics on these men, revealing how comrades and officers reacted to their failure. Shattered Courage investigates how the army attempted to encourage battle spirit to contain the effects of defaulting. This scholarly work provides a unique perspective on the psychological realities of the Civil War.