Ulric Dahlgren was a brilliant, ambitious young man who became the youngest full colonel in the United States Army at the age of twenty-one, yet died before his twenty-second birthday. This is the first biography of Dahlgren, and thankfully it was penned by cavalry expert and award-winning author Eric J. Wittenberg.

Wittenberg’s account chronicles Dahlgren’s full life story, with a deep look at his military career and extensive connections within the nation’s capital, all of which led to the climax of his life: the notorious Dahlgren Raid.

Like a Meteor Burning Brightly: The Short but Controversial Life of Colonel Ulric Dahlgren is based upon a plethora of source material, including previously unknown or little-used archival sources. Anyone interested in the Civil War in general, or just a fascinating life well-told, will want this book on their shelf.

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Maps
• Dedication
• Foreword
• Author’s Preface
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: A Boy’s Proud Family Legacy
• Chapter 2: Growing Up in the Nation’s Capital
• Chapter 3: The Gathering Storm
• Chapter 4: Ulric Dahlgren Makes His Mark
• Chapter 5: Ulric Dahlgren Finds His Niche
• Chapter 6: Dahlgren Shows a Talent for Scouting Missions
• Chapter 7: A Dash into Fredericksburg
• Chapter 8: Campaigning With Burnside And Hooker
• Chapter 9: The Gettysburg Campaign: Ulric Dahlgren’s Finest Hour
• Chapter 10: The Slow Road to Recovery
• Chapter 11: An Untimely End to a Promising Life and an Unending Controversy Spawned
• Chapter 12: Ulric Dahlgren’s Final Adventure
• Chapter 13: An Incomplete Life Assessed
• Appendix I: Were the Dahlgren Papers Authentic?
• Appendix II: Present Day Maps
• Notes
• Bibliography