The Westford Knight is a mysterious; controversial stone carving in Massachusetts. Some believe it is an effigy of a 14th century knight; evidence of an early European visit to the New World by Henry Sinclair; the Earl of Orkney and Lord of Roslin. In 1954; an archaeologist encountered the carving; long known to locals and ascribed a variety of origin stories; and proposed it to be a remnant of the Sinclair expedition. The story of the Westford Knight is a mix of history; archaeology; sociology; and Knights Templar lore. This work unravels the threads of the Knight's history; separating fact from fantasy.
#2827553 in Books 2006-11-22 2006-11-22Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 10.02 x .68 x 7.42l; 1.20 #File Name: 0786429569302 pages
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. A detailed; specific history grounded heavily on primary sourcesBy Midwest Book ReviewThe 4th North Carolina Cavalry in the Civil War is a detailed; specific history grounded heavily on primary sources; including official records; letters; diaries; and personal recollections of Civil War soldiers. In 1862; the Partisan Ranger Act induced North Carolina leaders to recruit companies of irregular soldiers for Confederate Army service; seven of these companies were merged into the regiment of the 4th North Carolina Cavalry; a medley of urban and rural dwellers alike across fifteen counties. Chapters recount the major engagements of the 4th North Carolina Cavalry; including skirmishes along the Blackwater; The Battle of Whitehall; and Gettysburg; but well over half of The 4th North Carolina Cavalry in the Civil War is devoted to an extensive person-by-person roster of individuals; each with a short paragraph delineating what historical records say happened to him. (One such entry is "Pugh; George A.: Private - Enlisted in Co. D on 5/10/1864 in Perquimans Co.; NC; present or accounted for on muster rolls through October 1864.") Black-and-white photographs; notes; a bibliography; and an index round out this in-depth supplement to Civil War reference shelves.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Solid research; fair presentation; but be wary of key omissions.By CustomerThe Pros: Having digested so many primary sources; this book is the best popularly available single source for information of the 4th NC Cavalry; those who are researching this specific history and/or ancestors who served with the unit are well-served by its thoroughness and attention to detail.The Cons: The material is presented in a confusing manner; it would have benefited greatly from modern; legible maps with diagrammed company movements; and from a clear explication of the various chains of command as the 4th and its companies were assigned to or otherwise affiliated with well-known commands like that of J.E.B. Stuart.Most disturbing; however; is the book's assumed and inherent pro-Confederate viewpoint. To give one clear example: the author completely elides the fact that the commander of the 4th NC Cavalry; Col. D. D. Ferebee was; in addition to in addition to a lawyer and a planter; a major slaveholder (44 slaves; as of 1850); and goes on to write that; as a representative to the North Carolina Secession Convention of 1861 from Camden County; Ferebee voted AGAINST secession--even though in the final record Ferebee; in a show of unity if nothing else; joined the other representatives in voting FOR secession. To ignore or hide such information--to cleanse Ferebee's historical record--fudges the portrait of the unit's leader; it betrays a hidden slant to what would otherwise appear to be a neutral military history.The bottom line: A solid if sparse history; adequately presented; which must be read with a keen awareness of what it excludes in order to place it accurately in context of the larger war.4 of 8 people found the following review helpful. The next David McCulloughBy A CustomerA very well documented story-from a writer who obviously knows and loves his craft. I think we will hear much from Mr. Raiford in the years to come.
