The great strength of this book is in highlighting the ethos of Southern gentlemen like Willy Pegram. Carmichael demonstrates that men like Pegram were engaged in a holy war and as such, performed heroic feats on the battlefield. So if you're one of those people who are still facinated by "the cause" of this war, then this is a book for you. If you're looking for a book on Confederate artillery tactics, techniques, and procedures, however, you'll have to look elsewhere.

I found this book a very interesting read. In it, Peter Carmichael describes the military career of the young Confederate officer, William Pegram. The books gives a nice overview of his successful role in the Army of Northern Virginia as an artillery officer. Most of the text chronicles Pegram's swift rise through the ranks as he boldly leads his men, cannons, horses and caissons on the battlefield. Mr. Carmichael uses many of Pegram's letters home to tell his story. More importantly, Pegram's view of the war, slavery, and the Confederate Cause, come through as well.

Mr. Carmichael does a fantastic job of revealing how some of the young Confederate officers like Pegram viewed the Civil War. Since most Civil War books focus more on the Generals than the junior officers who actually fought the battles, I felt that this book really brought a new perspective to my understanding of the conflict.

I do not recommend this book for those who do not already possess a good understanding of the Civil War. Instead, I highly recommend this book to anyone who has gained an appreciation for the war, and is looking to find out more about its participants. This book really opened my eyes about "the Southern Cause", and how it meant different things to different people.

More than just a blood-and-guts biography of a incredibly brave young officer, this book provides really very interesting insight into the minds and motives of educated Southern twentysomethings before and during the war. This is a fine offering from one of the better young historians working today.

Phillip Katchers' book is so far the best on the army of Lee. It is good to see that there is no references on the "romantic" side of Lee, but rather an objective, concise outline of him as a general, and his army. I really liked the way in which Katcher explained the different ranks in each unit. For this has been not one of my strengths. However, there are some very odd spelling errors in it. But we are only human aren't we ? The only reason that i gave it 4 stars is because i am not widely read in this kind of text. If anyone reads this, can someone tell me how i can get the periodical "AMERICAS' CIVIL WAR"? thankyou.

Author Anna Lee Robe-Terry is a distant cousin of mine, who has written not just a book of recipes, but an evocation of the atmosphere of our northern West Virginia roots. Disabled by a chronic disease, she lost home, job and possessions until she moved onto the old Robe homestead in Marion County determined to survive. "If life gives you wild grapes, then make jelly" is her philosophy. She began investigating the wild plants that she had grown up with and educating herself in botany and the ways of the old settlers. Her recipes are wonderful just to read. I have tried the Snapping Turtle soup recipe myself and can recommend it as a definite change of pace from clam chowder. She also has a recipe for skunk (!) that resulted from a hilarious end to a hunting trip. I would recommend this book not only to people in the area, but those interested in its pioneer culture and folklore.

This book is great! I really liked the three different views, a boy who lives in the South and isn't bothered by slavery, a Union girl forced to live in the South, and a slave trying to get to freedom. READ IT!!

Roberson gives a lot of good information in a concise and easy to read manner. It is a good book for general information and reference, but it lacks the depth that I was looking for.

A beautifully done baedeker of historic information on settlement patterns and architecture of the American West. As in their other books, Lee and McAlester weave local historiography with the creation of venacular architecture into entertaining narrative.

There are two apparent shortcomings: a relative dearth of good photos--for a quasi-reference work, there is simply not enough visual stimulation, and a highly cryptic reference system wherein the photo captions are not cross referenced properly with the notes. Otherwise, this is a book to be valued by those with an interest in housing and architecture.

This is an alphabetical list of colonels in the Army of Northern Virginia. Information provided includes service record, when/if wounded, etc.; there's little or no narrative material. Lee's Colonels will be irrelevant to the non-specialist but essential to the scholar. It may not be entirely complete -- I noticed that Col. Echols is missing -- but seems fairly comprehensive.

Having met the author some years ago on October 19th, the annual Yorktown Day celebration of Cornwallis's surrender, and with Thomas Nelson, Jr., being my fourth-great grandfather, I am a bit partial to this book. The detail gives a since of being there as Thomas Nelson grows up in the aristocracy surrounding him. The authors ability to pull together daily newspaper items, wills, government documents, family genealogy, and wide source of information into a flowing lifespan of a great patriot. Descendants of the Virginia Page or Nelson family will find this book a great joy as they will learn more than any other book about the Signer of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Nelson, Jr. Enjoy and live the past in this remarkable recovery of our Revolutionary history.

I wanted to preview Roddy's books on the Civil War and chose this one first. I enjoyed the victories after families had been torn apart by different loyalties and how they came to grips with them.

This particular book deals with a widower trying to cope with a farm alone - and her young son, Gideon. It chronicles the divided home of the wealthy cousin of Emily Lodge. She postpones her own move to safety and happiness to help the slave owner-cousin even though she opposes his beliefs. In this capacity, she is allowed to teach illiterate children to read.

Slaves escape, soldiers are wounded and running. Families are split up while others try to stay emotionally together while physically apart. Faith in God and love of family are tested because of the opposite beliefs of both sides of the war.

There is a lot of sadness, suspense and danger involved in the story telling and I believe children age 10 - 12 would get a pretty clear and acurate picture of family life during the Civil War. It causes the reader to want to read the entire series.

I very much enjoyed reading Tim McKinney's Civil War Chronicle "Robert E. Lee at Sewell Mountain". I read the book because several of my ancestors and their relatives were members of the 19th and 27th Brigades of The Virginia Militia (from Southern West Virginia). The book chronicles the conflict of Union and Confederate troops in West Virginia during August through October of 1861. The author provides a good description of the feud between Confederate generals Floyd and Wise - an important factor in the logistics of the Confederate retreat. The book emphasizes the cold rains, which nearly immobilized both Union and Confederate Armies. The author provides several good photographs and sketches to help document his chronicle. The book includes an extensive bibliography.