One of the most delightful and important works in the body of American Civil War memoirs, George Eggleston's account is funny, informative, bitter, and sad. Written ten years after the end of the war, he extends a hand to his former Union foes, not to excuse or define the war from the Confederate point of view, but to explain in very human terms what it meant to fight for the South.
Eggleston pulled no punches in his assessments of the failings of the rebellion. He was literate, intellectual, and somehow maintained his wit throughout.
He met some of the most important and interesting figures of the Southern cause, while casting a keen eye on the character of the common soldier. He writes wonderful anecdotes on J.E.B. Stuart, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Ripley and more.
By 1905, this popular work was in its fourth edition. It continues to be well-regarded for its insightful analysis and delightfully ironic prose.
But it's not all fun and games. Eggleston's bitterness at the Confederate failures of government, his tender appreciation of Southern womanhood during the war, and his acknowledgement of the horror and devastation wrought are all here too.
Every memoir of the American Civil War provides us with another view of the catastrophe that changed the country forever.
For the first time, this long out-of-print volume is available as an affordable, well-formatted book for e-readers, tablets, and smartphones.
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