Fort Pillow: A Novel of the Civil War

Written by Harry Turtledove

Narrated by John Allen Nelson

In April 1864, the Union garrison at Fort Pillow was composed of almost 600 troops, about half of them black. The Confederacy, incensed by what it saw as a crime against nature, sent its fiercest cavalry commander, Nathan Bedford Forrest, to attack the fort with about 1,500 men. The Confederates overran the fort and drove the Federals into a deadly crossfire. Only sixty-two of the colored Union troops survived the fight unwounded. Many accused the Confederates of massacring the black troops after the fort fell, when fighting should have ceased. The "Fort Pillow Massacre" became a Union rallying cry and cemented resolve to see the war through to its conclusion.

Harry Turtledove has written a dramatic re-creation of an astounding battle, telling a bloody story of courage and hope, freedom and hatred. With brilliant characterizations of all the main figures, this is a novel that reminds us that Fort Pillow was more than a battle-it was a clash of ideas between men fighting to define what being an American ought to mean.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: May 25, 2009
• ISBN: 9781400181391

Harry Turtledove

Harry Turtledove is an American novelist of science fiction, historical fiction, and fantasy. Publishers Weekly has called him the “master of alternate history,” and he is best known for his work in that genre. Some of his most popular titles include The Guns of the South, the novels of the Worldwar series, and the books in the Great War trilogy. In addition to many other honors and nominations, Turtledove has received the Hugo Award, the Sidewise Award for Alternate History, and the Prometheus Award. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles, earning a PhD in Byzantine history. Turtledove is married to mystery writer Laura Frankos, and together they have three daughters. The family lives in Southern California.

Reviews for Fort Pillow

[karlstar_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the author's recreation of the action at Fort Pillow during the US Civil War. Unlike many of his books, this is not alternate history. Turtledove has attempted to create a plausible story of the events out of what little is known today. The battle is sometimes described as a massacre, mostly based on after the fact newspaper reports. I found it realistic, enlightening and enjoyable. It felt a little bit more like fiction than history, but the basic facts are all valid.