Jack Hinson's One-Man War

Having studied over forty books on the Civil War this was a very personal thought provoking insight and emotional account of the Hinson family and others whose lives were irrevocably changed by events beyond their control and Jack Hinson's reaction to his families destruction. I couldn't put this book down.

Nothing to dis-like, fantastic book and a great story of the early ACW and one man and his fight for justice in his own way. Cannot put this down. If your interest is in American Civil War, its history and later, and the life and times of the great Jack Hinson, this is definitely for you and all students of the American conflict.

This book cannot be recommended enough. The author has a masterful writing technique that makes you feel like you are actually there at that time in history. I never wanted this book to end. Superb.

Interesting story

Also published as “Battlefield Sniper,” There is something about a book on a military subject written by someone with a military background which adds a dimension of understanding not found in accounts by those with no such personal experience. In this case, the author is Lt. Colonel Tom C. McKenney USMC (retired) - a former paratrooper and veteran of both Korea and Vietnam and his subject for this work is Tennessee farmer Jack Hinson who, during the American Civil War, undertook a personal vendetta against Union troops just to protect his family and his home. As far as the war was concerned, Hinson was neutral. He was a plantation owner whose main concerns were seasons, planting and reaping and he had friends on both sides of the unrest which divided the country at that time. Then, in late 1862 Union forces arrived, arrested two of his sons and executed them on false charges. To increase the tragedy, the heads of those two boys were then removed and placed on the family estate’s gateposts. It was enough to make even the mildest man reach for his gun - and that is exactly what Jack Hinson did. But, Hinson was a methodical thinker, and did not strap a six-gun to his waist and set out on some suicide mission of revenge. Instead he commissioned a very special 50 calibre, heavy barrelled rifle designed for long-range accuracy. It was a handsome weapon and one which would become the fear of all Union troops in the years to come. Finally he was ready and, at the age of 67, with no military experience or training whatsoever, he left his family and literally took to the hills. He then quickly became one of the most potent threats faced by Union forces throughout the remainder of the war! Credited with over 100 kills - all of which were recorded on his trusty rifle, at one point he even single-handedly brought down an armed Union transport. This excellent work is the result of 15 years of painstaking research. The unearthing of any factual account of an historical subject requires research, research and even more research and this book has earned its “5” star rating partly because it is such a complete work - and for which I congratulate the author. It is also partly because the book is also an excellent, often riveting, read and I will not be surprised if I see a well known Hollywood film star in the lead role at some time in the future. NM

The U.S. soldiers on patrol caught the two young men with rifles. In the culture of the two young men, carrying rifles was a normal part of life. It did not mean anything necessarily bad in a country where survival meant being armed. The lieutenant however, did not understand the culture; knew that guerillas populated the area; and had no patience to determine the facts. The two armed men were immediately assumed to be guerillas that had been attacking the lieutenant's men. They were disarmed, lined-up and then shot. In an almost unimaginable turn of events, the two young men were decapitated by the patrol. In this true story of man's inhumanity to man, this war crime has had second and third order effects no one might have thought possible. The lieutenant knew who the parents of the two young men were so he took the decapitated heads, placed them in sacks and took them to the parents' home. Unceremoniously placing them at the gate to the home as an admonition to the family as well as others, the lieutenant gave a stern warning to the parents about supporting guerillas before departing with his patrol. This event took place over 145 years ago during a time that ripped the country apart. The residual consequences are still felt today. Sadly, this true story has strong application to our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, insurgency and counter-insurgency, guerilla war, and cultural understanding. The Hinson family was largely pro-Union. Although they owned slaves, this was common in the border states of Missouri, Kentucky, and Maryland. Lincoln was so concerned about not alienating these residents that he wrote the Emancipation Proclamation carefully, excluded freeing the slaves belonging to these pro-Unionists in areas captured and occupied by the Federal forces. These slaves would not be officially freed until after the war ended. This is the situation the Hinson family found itself in when the war came to them. Jack Hinson, a plantation owner, befriended General Grant during the battles for Forts Henry and Donelson. Grant was invited to stay with the Hinson family during the battle for Donelson which he did. The complexity of the war is encapsulated in the story of the Hinsons. Jack Hinson just wanted to be left alone but the U.S. Army changed that. When his sons were arbitrarily executed without a trial and due process, the war changed for the Hinsons. Decapitating Jack Hinson's two sons changed the entire complexion of the events. Murdering the boys was one thing, mutilating them was another. In the culture of the rural South, this was an affront to the decency and morality of the people. Jack Hinson's feelings turned from apathy to rage. The author turns a true story into an amazing odessey of Jack Hinson who became a one-man army. Commissioning the manufacture of a special sniper rifle, Hinson wreaked havoc on Federal forces between the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers. While author McKenney never claims the book to be a historical account, he skillfully weaves the story together using extant historical records, a superb knowledge of the culture and times, and the experience of a seasoned Marine veteran to bring Hinson's story to life. Amazingly, McKenney has managed through his years of research, to actually locate Jack Hinson's sniper rifle bringing an additional measure of credibility to this incredible story. For those who wish to gain an appreciation for the military's new counter-insurgency doctrine used in Iraq and Afghanistan and why we do not condone war crimes against the populaces in which we operate, this book is an excellent beginning.

This book is a great story. Some of the historical data is not verifiable, but the author makes no claims for 100% accuracy. This is a good popular history, with large entertainment value. There is no denying that most of Jack Hinson's Civil War actions are true, as described in the book, but the devil is in the details. However, don't let that get in the way of a good story. If you get a chance to visit Dover TN, look up the local Civil War Round Table people, They will be more than willing to give you more insight to this amazing episode of the CW. I would love to sit down and have a beer with the author.

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I really enjoyed this book. It is a great story about a true patriot defending his family from Yankee Northern Aggression. It is well written but repetitive at times, although not a big bothersome thing for me. I served eight years in the National Guard, and have hunted big game in three states so the author was correct in his details describing how Hinson would have gone about his vengeance for the deaths of his children and friends. I would try to emulate his whole thought process as he developed his plan and try as hard as possible to execute the plan were I in the same situation where my family was attacked as was his. The skeleton of this book is relatively bare, but all McKenny's research allowed him to flesh out the body of the book is very believable fashion. I hate that our Civil War ever happened and that we killed so many of ourselves. Neither North or South understood the culture of each other's side in the War, and we still do not truly grasp what happened. However, it is very understandable how Hinson was turned from a Union sympathizer into a Confederate assassin/sniper/patriot when the Union soldiers killed his innocent children, destroyed his home and punished him for being different. Read the book and see how deadly enemies are easily made. Much the same thing happened in Viet Nam when whole villages were decimated, parents or children killed for no good reason and the remaining family members joined the Viet Cong to kill the enemy (us).

A bit of Civil War history, a bit of the story of Jack Hinson and his family, a bit of creativity where appropriate. Very easy and enjoyable reading!