Noah Andre Trudeau's past three books garnered him recognition as one of America's most respected Civil War historians. Now, in Like Men of War, he focuses on African-American soldiers in the Union army. In all, more than 175,000 black soldiers taught in more than 400 battles. But once the war was won, their efforts were largely ignored or forgotten.Drawing from the diaries and letters of these veterans, Trudeau vividly re-creates their experiences. At the outset, the white military believed that blacks were simply incapable of combat duty. But, as in the courageous assault on Fort Wagner (depicted in the film Glory), African Americans more than proved their mettle.Thoroughly researched and copiously illustrated, Like Men of War illuminates the struggles of these courageous men and brings a fresh perspective to our understanding of the Civil War.