{"product_id":"guns-like-lightning-the-1st-minnesota-light-artillery-in-the-civil-war","title":"Guns Like Lightning","description":"\u003ch2 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe 1st Minnesota Light Artillery in the Civil War\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHampton Smith\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAvailable November 2026\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.mnhs.org\/collections\/browse-mnhs-press-titles\"\u003eMinnesota Historical Society Press\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDescription\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis little-known unit drawn from across Minnesota—celebrated as a hard-fighting, well-led “band of brothers”—persevered through trials and tragedy in the battle to save the Union and end slavery.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFormed during the autumn of 1861, the 1st Minnesota Battery of Light Artillery participated in most of the Civil War’s major western campaigns, first seeing battle in the “Hornets’ Nest” at Shiloh. In the summer and autumn of 1863 its members took part in the siege of Corinth and fighting at Iuka. They also endured the siege of Vicksburg, later joining William Tecumseh Sherman’s army for the grueling Atlanta campaign, the subsequent march through Georgia and the Carolinas, and the final Grand Review in Washington, DC. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFew other Minnesota units had such a long and distinguished record. These soldiers engaged in hard, sometimes shattering combat, witnessed firsthand the brutal effects of slavery, and took part in devastating the Confederacy. These experiences changed attitudes and perspectives among the men of the battery, forever altering their lives.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDrawn from a rich variety of manuscript sources as well as official records from state and national archives, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eGuns Like Lightning\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e traces the organization’s movements and actions and relates stories of individual soldiers, including their backgrounds, motivations for service, and activities during and immediately following the war. This riveting, detailed narrative brings to life the feats and fatigue, the comradery and anguish of Minnesota soldiers defending the Union at all costs. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAuthor Information\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHampton Smith\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is a former archivist and reference librarian at the Minnesota Historical Society. His publications include \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eBrother of Mine: The Civil War Letters of Thomas and William Christie\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eConfluence: The History of Fort Snelling\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. He lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"row pl-0\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"row pl-0\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col-sm-12\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"row pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col-sm-12 pl-0\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"form-group\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"form-control-plaintext form-group-value\"\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePaperback\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e232 pages\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e6 x 9 inches\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eISBN:\u003cspan\u003e 978-1-68134-345-7\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"MNHS Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42724622762080,"sku":"452335","price":34.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0783\/2243\/files\/SMITH_9781681343457.jpg?v=1777312850","url":"https:\/\/shop.mnhs.org\/products\/guns-like-lightning-the-1st-minnesota-light-artillery-in-the-civil-war","provider":"Minnesota Historical Society","version":"1.0","type":"link"}