Adventures
on Antebellum Battlefields
By Ken Ward, Staff Writer
The years leading up to the Civil War were filled with
conflict. While hostilities had not yet erupted between
North and South, there were skirmishes with Indians and
war with Mexico.
A young Georgian, George Taylor found himself in this
crucible. At just 15, he enters the U.S. Military Academy
at West Point and embarks on a career of service to his
country. Taylor’s story, richly related by Tamara
A. Taylor and Richard B. Taylor in “Naked Blade,”
brings a pivotal period of American history to life.
George Taylor’s 1,460 days at West Point –
1833-1837-forge lifelong relationships and set the stage
for future exploits in the field. Along the way, he fights
side by side with soldiers who become household names
in later years – Jubal Early, Ulysses S. Grant,
Braxton Bragg, George McClellan, Robert E. Lee, P.T. Beauregard
and Joseph E. Johnson.
From the swamps of Florida to the shores of Vera Cruz,
the Taylors meticulously reconstruct events. Walking hallowed
battlefields and poring over dusty documents, the authors
re-create poignant scenes of hardship and heroism under
fire. Historical artwork is included to embellish the
account.
But there are no artificial sweeteners here. “Naked
Blade” tells it like it is. The West Point hazing
the ruthless persecution of Seminole Indians and the Army’s
assault on civilians in the Mexican War are laid bare.
George Taylor, who graduated 23rd in his West Point class
of 47, remarks that many troops viewed the Seminole war
as a misbegotten errand for plantation owners eager to
retrieve runaway slaves and suppress renegade Indians.
As his 90-day tour dragged over five years, the young
artillery officer was deeply moved by the battles that
claimed the lives of more than 7,000 Seminoles and 1,000
Americans.
Through Taylor’s experiences, the authors (distant
relatives of the officer) deftly weave historical accounts
with fictional dialogue to humanize their ancestor’s
era. The conversations and relationships give the reader
a foretaste, for example, of Early’s disaffection
with the Union.
“Naked Blade” is a page-turner that briskly
but carefully. Heart-breaking episodes are juxtaposed
with the absurd. In one sensuous scene, naked Mexican
women bathing in a river entice aroused Irish soldiers
to dive in from the opposite bank. But the laughter and
lust are quickly killed by a hail of bullets from U.S.
sentries. Taylor, now a captain, watches in shock and
horror.
The insanity of war is also punctuated by miracles.
Without giving them away, suffice to say that this volume
delivers with crisp eloquence. And Taylor, who is promoted
to major for “gallant and meritorious conduct”
at the Battle of Huamantla in 1848, will return in an
upcoming sequel from the beehive Press. For anyone who
enjoys 19th century American history with a personal and
personable perspective, “Naked Blade” is work
worth reading.
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