Reclaiming Their Honor
Welcome to the official website of High-Bounty Men in the Army of the Potomac: Reclaiming Their Honor, where history is revisited and perceptions are challenged. Authored by Edwin P. Rutan II, this groundbreaking work documents the service of the men joining the Army of the Potomac later in the war when the conditional draft and higher bounties were in effect. Through meticulous research and compelling narratives, this book refutes the longstanding criticism of the "high-bounty" men and demonstrates their crucial--but generally ignored--contribution to the Union Victory.
Professor Emeritus, Lincoln Memorial University
Author of
Lincoln’s Mercenaries: Economic Motivation among Union Soldiers during the Civil War
High-Bounty Men in the Army of the Potomac innovatively applies the combat effectiveness framework, traditionally used in European military assessments, to the Civil War, revealing how late-war Union regiments performed like seasoned veterans in their initial battles.
Every reader of military history knows the importance of excellent maps supporting the text. The maps designed by Hal Jespersen for High-Bounty Men in the Army of the Potomac meet that test.
High-Bounty Men in the Army of the Potomac challenges conventional views with rigorous evidence from newly created databases, showing that late-war "high-bounty" recruits faced combat as fiercely as early-war veterans.
Illustrative cover of the Fall of Petersburg during the Civil War. Source: Library of Congress.
Portrait of Governor Horatio Seymour of New York. Source: Library of Congress.
Private Russell Higgins Jr., 189th New York Volunteers during the Civil War. Courtesy of the New York State Military Museum.
Private George F. Scott of the 188th New York Volunteers. Courtesy of the New York State Military Museum.
Private William B. Drew, 185th New York Volunteers. Courtesy of the New York State Military Museum.
Captain Nelson Penfield, 125th New York Volunteers. Courtesy of the New York State Military Museum.
Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. Source: Library of Congress.
Provost Marshal General James B. Fry in uniform. Source: Library of Congress
General Winfield Scott Hancock, prominent Civil War leader. Source: Library of Congress.
General John Hartranft, notable figure in the Civil War. Source: Library of Congress.
Edwin P. Rutan II, a retired attorney and dedicated historian, has authored High-Bounty Men in the Army of the Potomac: Reclaiming Their Honor, which explores the unsung heroes of the Civil War. After a distinguished career in law, including serving as the City Attorney for Salt Lake City, Ed returned to his first passion—history. His works, including the detailed study of the 179th New York Volunteer Infantry, blend rigorous scholarship with compelling narrative to illuminate overlooked chapters of the past. Ed resides in Park City, Utah, where he enjoys the great outdoors and continues his historical research.
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