. >> booktv recently sat down with wayne hsieh, author of "west pointers and civil war." he was interviewed as part of the college series. it is just under 20 minutes. >> host: u.s. naval academy professor, wayne hsieh. "west pointers and civil war" is the name of your book. "west pointers and civil war: the old army in war and peace" but the subtitle. first of all, what do you mean by the old army? >> guest: the old army is used by historians referring to the regular army. there's a joke the old army is before everywhere. my book starts with a professionalization right after the war of 1812 and. it's about how the process occurs in the old army and how that plays out in the civil war. >> host: give us a snapshot of what the old army prior to the 1812 was late. >> host: before the war of 1812 and this is trying unhistorical literature by historians such as william skelton. we call it a nonprofessional. its officer corps is mostly obtaining positions through political influence as a part of the american political history system is a consequence they are not professionals w

. >> host: professor wayne hsieh, civil war 1861, page 61, did the u.s., the north has professional armies? >> guest: is very small and very successful in the mexican war, the crucial place where you see it have its the problem is in 1861 the army is a little over 16 and officers thought there is strength. the officer corps will split. so there is a professional army at its core cadre small and it has to be dispersed again. for that reason, the early american armies during civil war are quite poor in their proficiency. they learn quickly, but they learned the hard way really. that's one of the reasons why west pointers are catapulted to prominent because they are the only people of any expertise in a relied on quickly and therefore give a disproportionate amount of an. the irony again is that scott conquers mexico city during the veracruz campaign with an army usually ranges about 10 or 11,000. this is a third of the size of first paul rudd and much smaller than the armies of places like gettysburg. the only person with much experience with this thing and is too old to take the field. othe