A Thousand May Fall: An Immigrant Regiment's Civil War

The Civil War ended 150 years ago, but our nation remains fiercely divided over its enduring legacies. Pulitzer Prize finalist Brian Matthew Jordan's book, "A Thousand May Fall," returns us to the war itself, bringing us closer to the chaos of battle and the trials of military life from the ordinary soldiers perspective. The 107th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which was made up of ethnic Germans, was not lauded as heroes for their bravery and suffering but rather for their contributions to the Union cause. Jordan emphasizes the forgotten contributions made by immigrants to the Union army, with 200,000 native Germans alone fighting to save their adopted homeland and prove their patriotism. The book is based on prodigious new research and restores the common man and the immigrant striver to the center of the Civil War, forcing us to confront the wrenching human realities and often-forgotten stakes of the bloodiest episode in our nation's history.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 11 March 2022
Publisher: WW Norton & Co

The Civil War, which concluded over 150 years ago, continues to deeply divide our nation regarding its lasting legacies. In his book, A Thousand May Fall, Pulitzer Prize finalist Brian Matthew Jordan takes readers back to the war, providing a unique perspective that brings us closer to the chaos of battle and the trials of military life. Through an intimate and absorbing chronicle from the ordinary soldiers' perspective, Jordan offers a fresh perspective on the Civil War, allowing us to see it anew through unexpected eyes.

At the center of Jordan's account is the 107th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, a unit that was both representative and exceptional. These soldiers endured the harrowing human experience of war in routine ways, participating in two defining battles, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, where they faced the relentless violence firsthand. However, their bravery and suffering were not universally recognized as heroes. Most of the 107th's members were ethnic Germans, distinguished by language and identity, and they faced constant questioning from a nativist Northern press. It is often assumed that the Civil War was solely an American conflict, but Jordan highlights the forgotten contributions made by immigrants to the Union cause. He reveals that a remarkable one-quarter of the Union army consisted of foreign-born soldiers, with 200,000 native Germans alone fighting to save their adopted homeland and prove their patriotism.

Throughout its service, the 107th Ohio was decimated five times over, and while one of its members earned the Medal of Honor for his daring performance in a skirmish in South Carolina, few others achieved lasting distinction. Jordan's book seeks to reclaim these men for posterity, revealing that even in the midst of the horrific extremes of war, the Ohioans continually contemplated the deeper meanings of the conflict. They grappled with personal questions of courage, loyalty, and sacrifice, as well as the broader implications of the war for their nation and the world.

A Thousand May Fall is a powerful and thought-provoking work that sheds light on the lesser-known aspects of the Civil War. Jordan's meticulous research and storytelling skills bring the soldiers and their experiences to life, making the book a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of this pivotal period in American history.

Weight: 293g
Dimension: 211 x 140 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781324091578