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“I honestly don’t usually review non-fiction books. However, something called me to review this one, and quite frankly, I really enjoyed this book. It was surprisingly a really great book written by an author who knows what he is researching. I liked it because it is a true and informative account of a Confederate soldier who braved the battle and went across the Mason-Dixon line to take control of Union held Newburgh, Indiana. Reading the scenes and what happened during the Civil War was awe-inspiring and really held my interest. I felt, if but for a time, that I was among those men in the raging battle of war. It is very vividly detailed.
       This non-fiction book is an easy-to-read book and really can pull the reader in, almost like a really good novel. It is richly detailed and researched to the point, if you’re like me, you’ll love it whether you are a fiction or a non-fiction reader.
       I do highly recommend, if you are a fan of history or the Civil War, or both, that you get your copy of this informative book today. Well done, Mr. Mulesky!”

Reader’s Favorite Book Reviews
April 3, 2011


"As a career officer in the USAF, a Vietnam veteran, and a student of our United States history, the book evoked all sorts of feelings about patriotism, war, the futility of war, brothers against brothers, etc. What really drew me in was the style in which the story was presented. It seemed to me as though I was reading an account written by a person who was there at the time."

Captain William T. Lohman, USAF (retired)
August 11, 2007


"The author writes very well and his deeply researched chronicle of the Newburg Raid is an excellent piece of military history. I would suspect that anyone interested in Civil War irregular operations, and the war in general in Kentucky and Indiana, would benefit from reading this fascinating history of the Newburg Raid. Ray Mulesky is to be congratulated on bringing an obscure event to light, while at the same time fleshing the story out into a book length study that examines the events preceding the raid in depth and also analyzes its strategic consequences. I look forward to this talented author's next project."

Andrew Wagenhoffer
Civil War Books and Authors blog
February 25, 2007
For the full review, click here
For an extended interview with the author, click here and here.


"Written by Ray Mulesky, Thunder From a Clear Sky is the breathtaking true story of Confederate cavalry officer Adam "Stovepipe" Johnson, who led the first Confederate raid across the Mason-Dixon Line to seize the river-port community of Newburgh, Indiana, during the American Civil War. Not a shot was fired. A highly accessible true story of how an ordinary man proved capable of a military master stroke, and the fallout thereafter when the territory he claimed was retaken by Union troops. A welcome contribution to Civil War and military history shelves."

Midwest Book Review
January 5, 2007

"Ray Mulesky's outstanding book provides the first detailed account of Adam R. "Stovepipe" Johnson's raid on Newburgh, Indiana. Based on extensive research in primary sources, the book is well organized and clearly written; and Mulesky's conclusions are well founded and balanced. His description of Johnson's use of guerrilla tactics and the Union response is a valuable contribution to Civil War historiography."

Dr. James A. Ramage
author of Rebel Raider: The Life of General John Hunt Morgan
and
Gray Ghost: The Life of Colonel John Singleton Mosby
December 2, 2006

“A wonderful read, filled with information that I had not previously been exposed to. Mulesky has a terrific writing style that weaves the information together in a manner that resembles the work of a good reporter. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.”

Robert P. Broadwater
author of The Battle of Perryville 1862
and
Of Men and Muskets: Stories of the Civil War
September 17, 2006


"History buffs will undoubtedly appreciate this illuminating account of an event outside the periphery of most history books."

Kirkus Discoveries
August 2006


"A tremendous work. It brings this piece of history to life."

Mike Whicker
author of
Invitation to Valhalla
and
Proper Suda
March 2005

"Thunder From a Clear Sky tells an important and, until now, largely neglected story about the American Civil War. After sifting through a number of hard to find records, Ray Mulesky has produced an especially detailed and interesting account of how one particular border region of America suffered during the Civil War. Mulesky's book also reminds us how dark the days were for the Union cause and how divided the border areas were during the first year or so of the conflict. Thunder stands as a fresh and important contribution in a field long studied."

Professor Randy K. Mills, Ph.D., Oakland City University,
author of
Jonathan Jennings: Indiana's First Governor,
Unexpected Journey: A Marine Corps Reserve Company in the Korean War
and
Honoring Those Who Paid The Price
April 2005

"Thunder From a Clear Sky shares the story of Adam Johnson's military raid on Newburgh- the first Confederate raid to cross the Mason-Dixon Line during the Civil War. Mulesky, a student of Indiana history, weaves the legends and events that transpired while adding details of Civil War-era Kentucky and the divided political views surrounding the region."

Evansville Living Magazine
June 2006

"The story of how one man, Adam Rankin Johnson, scoured the countryside near Henderson, looking for recruits for the Confederacy, and ended up heading the group that was the first to invade the Northern state of Indiana. This is a MARVELOUS book and I highly recommend it to you."

Bluegrass Roots
The Quarterly Journal of the Kentucky Genealogical Society
June 2006

"Ray Mulesky, a local historian with a deft writing touch, has captured the essence of the [Newburgh] events and provides us juicy behind the scenes details."

Barnes & Noble Author Fest
April 2006

"Well written...I found Thunder From a Clear Sky to be a fascinating read...I think anyone interested in Texas history would enjoy this book..."

Texas Hill Country Magazine
June 2005

"The story of Adam Rankin Johnson's 1862 raid on Newburgh - the first Confederate invasion of the North during the Civil War - had not been fully told until Ray Mulesky took hold of it."

The Henderson Gleaner
July 8, 2005

"The outcome of Ray's effort is an accurate historical account and an excellent read, a rare combination for a first-time author and one that makes me look forward to reading his future works!"

Southern Indiana Civil War Roundtable
July 2005

"Well written and well documented, this book provides a fascinating view of events of the raid on Newburgh."

Tri-State Genealogical Society Book Reviews
December 2005

"Thunder From a Clear Sky ...is a fascinating account of how a skilled former Indian fighter gathered a few Kentucky rebels and "woke up" the slumbering Indiana Home Guard. Mulesky sees the humor in a motley contingent stealing an unguarded cache of weapons from a riverfront warehouse owned by one of Newburgh's leading citizens (without a shot being fired), but also focuses on divisions between neighbors in Civil War border states."

Evansville Courier & Press Book Reviews
February 26, 2006

"His book is the most accurate that's been written about the raid."

Michael L. Johnson,
Civil War authority,
as quoted in the Evansville Courier & Press
June 10, 2005