Scouting for Grant and Meade: The Reminiscences of Judson Knight, Chief of Scouts, Army of the Potomac

A never-before-seen look into the dangerous job of scouting during the American Civil War.

Scouting for Grant and Meade is comprised of the popular recollections of Judson Knight, former chief scout of the Army of the Potomac from August 1864 to June 1865. Originally beginning as a serialized column in the armed forces service paper National Tribune, Knight’s column Fighting Them Over Again offers a rare glimpse into the comings and goings of scouts behind enemy lines during the American Civil War. A must-have for any history buff, Scouting for Grant and Meade not only offers a day-to-day account of a scout for the Union army, but also provides valuable insight into historical events from the perspective of an eyewitness. Knight reveals his unique experiences behind Confederate lines, including how he came across many women living alone on their own plantations with their slaves. His account revealed to his contemporaries that slaves living in the South never betrayed Union scouts hiding behind Confederate lines. Working within a newly growing military intelligence field, Knight details his daring and resourceful experiences, often taking orders directly from General Grant himself.

Noteworthy for being well written for its time, Knight writes with a conversational tone that remains easily accessible to the modern reader. Extensively fact-checked, Scouting for Grant and Meade offers a personalized account of the bloodiest war ever to be fought on American soil.