Stand Firm and Fire Low : The Civil War Writings of Colonel Edward E. Cross

In the fire of war, Colonel Edward E. Cross garnered glory as commander of the unit that sustained more battlefield casualties than any in the Union Army.

General Winfield Scott Hancock, who called Cross's Fifth New Hampshire Volunteers as good as any regiment in the world, told Cross at Gettsyburg, "After this battle you'll get your general's star." "Too late, General," Cross replied, as he rode out to his death in combat.The success of My Brave Boys: To War with Colonel Cross and the Fighting Fifth (UPNE, 2001) has led to a resurgence of interest in the Fifth New Hampshire and its charismatic and enigmatic commander.

Now history comes alive in this first published collection of Cross's writings and correspondence from his years commanding the Fighting Fifth.

The cornerstone of Stand Firm and Fire Low is Cross's Civil War diary, transcribed with annotations from his handwritten original, along with battlefield diagrams in Cross's own hand, 27 letters, on-the-scene reports, and his epic battlefield poetry.

The book breathes life into a controversial figure, showing how he molded a thousand New Hampshire volunteer soldiers into a renowned infantry regiment that fought some of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, including Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg.