A better bargain than this smashing little paperback will be hard to find. The blended letters of Susan and Charles Blackford, two erudite, observant members of the Virginian gentry, tell the story of one family's Civil War struggle in the frontlines and on the homefront beautifully. Susan describes the loss of children, the battle to feed family, and the "impression" she made in front of her husband's unit plunging headfirst into a mudpile. Charles observes the war from the vantages of both the line and the staff, and supplies some incredible character studies ranging from Jeff Davis to Lee and Jackson, down to the private soldier (with the impudence of a town cow). A collection of letters from someone who wrote on a warmed frying pan to keep his hand from freezing probably deserves reading regardless! My third reading...

My Uncle Minor was the author of this book. It was first published 40 years ago.We would sit on his front porch and he would talk about his work. He told me how proud he was that when it went out of print and became a library issue that he would get a phone call about once a year from a college student challenging him on one General he misquoted the name. My Uncle is deceased now but going through the house after his death I accidently found a stack of unpublished manuscripts that would headed for the dumpster as no one knew about them. I salveged them and working on getting them in print as they are wonderful cival war historical novels. The first one is named Cry Liberty as is centered around Lychburg and Col Lynch and the war. I am sure he would be proud that I saved his work so many can enjoy it in print.