Giants in Their Tall Black Hats

This volume of essays by renowned Civil War historians provides a comprehensive history of the legendary Iron Brigade and its service to the Union.

Fighting in the Civil War for the Union Army of the Potomac, Brigadier General Rufus King’s Wisconsin Brigade was the only all-Western Brigade to fight for the Eastern armies of the Union. Known as "The Black Hat Brigade" because the soldiers wore the regular army’s dress black hat instead of the more typical blue cap, they were renowned for their discipline and valor in combat. From Brawner Farm and Second Bull Run to Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, the Western soldiers were giants of the battlefield, earning their reputation as “The Iron Brigade.” And when the war was over, the records showed that it led all federal brigades in percentage of deaths in battle.

These essays, by some of the most renowned Civil War historians and experts on the brigade, spotlight significant moments in the history of this celebrated unit.

"Editors Alan Nolan and Sharon Eggleston Vipond's insightful essays provide fresh perspectives on the Iron Brigade's exploits, detailing military and political events in the words of actual combatants."—Military Review