About

Robert Thompson is a historian living in the St. Louis, Missouri area. A former career military officer, he has a bachelor’s degree in history from Texas Tech University, and was a Distinguished Graduate of American Military University, from which he holds a graduate degree in Military Studies-Civil War. His first book, "A Woman of Courage on the West Virginia Frontier: Phebe Tucker Cunningham," was published in 2013, and his second book, "Disaster on the Sandusky: The Life of Colonel William Crawford," was released in 2017. A third book titled "General Emory Upton in the Civil War: The Formative Experiences of an American Military Visionary," was released by McFarland Publishing in July 2019. His other works include “William Averell’s Cavalry Raid on the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad,” published in the November 2000 issue of America’s Civil War and “Battle of Cold Harbor: The Folly and Horror,” which appeared in the November 2006 issue of Military History. He has also written seven book reviews for Michigan State University’s Civil War H-Net Web site.

Featured Work

General Emory Upton in the Civil War:The Formative Experiences of an American Military Visionary

2019

Considered by many to be the architect of the modern U.S. Army, Emory Upton was driven by a passionate desire to modernize the service’s culture and organization in the late nineteenth century. While much has been written about the politics surrounding his reform campaign, until now, there has been little published about the details of his experiences during the Civil War, experiences that drove his intense fervor for change.
This new work provides the dramatic in-depth story of Emory Upton’s service and the terrible things he saw during four years of bloody warfare. Upton, who began the war as a new Second Lieutenant in 1861 and rose to the rank of Major General by the end of the war, commanded troops in every branch of the U.S. Army and fought in almost every major battle in the war’s eastern theater. His story is one of duty, courage, professionalism, leadership, and sacrifice that still resonates today, providing an important lesson in what it means to be an American soldier.

Other Works

  • Disaster on the Sandusky: The Life of Colonel William Crawford

    2017