Panting for Glory

The “Mississippi Rifles,” so called because they were the firstvolunteer force in American history to have been issued riflesrather than smoothbore muskets, served in the war againstMexico that followed the annexation of Texas in 1845. InPanting for Glory, Richard Bruce Winders skillfully uncovers the contrasting wartime experience of two regiments, the 1st and 2ndMississippi Rifles.

The 1st Mississippi Rifles were lauded for their service andremain a familiar part of the history of the Mexican War. Underthe leadership of Col. Jefferson Davis—later the President ofthe Confederate States of America—the 1st enjoyed significantvictories at the Battle of Buena Vista and the Battle of Monterey.The 2nd Mississippi Rifles, by contrast, saw little action andreturned home overlooked and largely forgotten.

Panting for Glory contrasts these two experiences to show that the contours of history were sometimes arbitrary and that militaryhistorians, in their analysis of failure, should take into account awide range of factors that influence outcomes, not merely recordsof wins and losses. As Winders concludes, “the 1st and 2ndMississippi Rifles . . . offer the perfect opportunity to examine twosides of war: glory gained and glory denied.”