Civil War Memoirs

[SouthernRebel772]

I was thinking about enlarging my collection of Civil War Memoirs and was wondering which ones were of better quality.

I bought a copy of Longstreet's at a sale in North Florida, but that is all I have in this regard. I have heard that Grant's is a fine read, also the diary of Mary Chestnut. Mainly I would like ones that arn't too historicaly inaccurate.

Any suggestions are welcome!

 

[K Hale]

My favorite: FIGHTING FOR THE CONFEDERACY by Edward Porter Alexander. These are his personal memoirs, not to be confused with his MILITARY MEMOIRS OF A CONFEDERATE which is a history book.

 

[bama46]

I was thinking about enlarging my collection of Civil War Memoirs and was wondering which ones were of better quality.

I bought a copy of Longstreet's at a sale in North Florida, but that is all I have in this regard. I have heard that Grant's is a fine read, also the diary of Mary Chestnut. Mainly I would like ones that arn't too historicaly inaccurate.

Any suggestions are welcome!

Grant's Memoirs are a great read if you have a month or so with nothing else to do. The twin volumes can be a bit of a struggle, but it is light reading when compared with Davis' The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government... That work is completely unreadable

 

[Nathanb1]

I love "The Artillery of Nathan Bedford Forrest" by Morton, and of course, I still love "I Rode with Stonewall," accuracy be darned.

 

[prroh]

I love "The Artillery of Nathan Bedford Forrest" by Morton, and of course, I still love "I Rode with Stonewall," accuracy be darned.

It has been suggested that Kydd Douglas' book should have been titled Stonewall Rode With Me

 

[Nathanb1]

It has been suggested that Kydd Douglas' book should have been titled Stonewall Rode With Me

Which is why it's so much fun. It's so.......20 year old egocentric.....

 

[IcarusPhoenix]

Joshua Chamberlain's Passing of the Armies should be on the list, along with Sam Watkins' Company Aytch. And of course the Grant and Chestnut books are required reading.

Longstreet's is, unfortunately, not the book it could have been - he had a selective memory about some things, and by the time he wrote it, he found himself in the unenviable position of having to defend every one of his actions against people who had made him a pariah for his post-war choices. That being said, I would absolutely get the fantastic Recollections of a Confederate Staff Officer by G. Moxley Sorrel, who was Longstreet's aide - and a far better narrative of the the actions of the corps than Longstreet's own book.

 

[Nathanb1]

Von Borcke's memoirs are fun, too.

 

[Nathanb1]

Just a little trick--on Amazon you can click on "see all 999 other recommendations" and you'll pull up a list of all kinds of things. In my case, I googled "confederate Memoirs" then when Alexander's book came up, hit that "see all...." and whoopie! Most will have some kind of blurb or review, so you can look through and see what tickles your fancy. You could also use our own search function to see if someone here has mentioned any you think look like possibilities--don't forget our book review forum! Happy reading.

One more idea--I know many of us want the books themselves to fondle and gloat over--but a lot of these are free if you have an e-reader (Morton, for example). So if you're on a budget, it's something to think about (I've been thinking VERY hard about one!)

 

[kholland]

Mainly I would like ones that arn't too historicaly inaccurate.

Any suggestions are welcome!

If that's the case something about George McClellan would probably fit. I just finished the Memoirs of John S. Mosby and got more insight into cavalry and partisan troops. It is an easy read although he throws in too much of general orders verbatim. It is on the web if you have a kindle.

PS It is also available for audio download for free at http://www.booksshouldbefree.com/book/the-memoirs-of-colonel-john-s-mosby-by-john-s-mosby

 

[Karen Lips]

It is a shame that Lee did not write his memoirs. Does anybody know why he didn't.

 

[Nathanb1]

It is a shame that Lee did not write his memoirs. Does anybody know why he didn't.

He lacked a "Round Tuit." And then he died.

He did write letters and gather info, which his son put into a book. He truly spent more time trying to make a living for his family, worrying about treason charges, and then trying to make Washington U. a paying proposition and a success....and then he had his stroke.

 

[K Hale]

Von Borcke's memoirs are fun, too.

Oh God, how could I forget this. Yes, these are amazing... but should be taken with a Von Borcke-sized grain of salt.

 

[Nathanb1]

Of course, to have memoirs, you have to survive. So unfortunately, there are several colorful characters that are missing. However, there IS Mosby.

 

[K Hale]

Sherman, speaking of colorful characters, also wrote a good memoir. I knew I was going to enjoy that book when I read his intro to the 2nd edition, wherein he basically said, "These are MY memoirs. If YOU remember something different, write your own."

 

[Nathanb1]

Grant's are excellent and certainly more factual than, say, Douglas' or Von Borcke's. I just get depressed because I have this vision of him sitting there dying writing like mad to finish.

 

[M E Wolf]

SouthernRebel772;

Four Years with General Lee (Major Walter H. Taylor...who made Colonel towards the end)

Recollections of a Confederate Staff Officer - General M. Sorrel (He was on Longstreet's Staff until his promotion right after Longstreet was wounded at the Second Wilderness)

The Life And Campaigns
Of Major-General J. E. B. Stuart
Commander Of The Cavalry Of The Army Of Northern Virginia
by
H. B. Mcclellan, A.M.
Late Major, Assistant Adjutant-General And Chief Of Staff Of The Cavalry Corps, Army Of Northern Virginia

Stonewall Jackson by G.F.R. Henderson (Two Volume Set)

Reminiscences Of The Civil War by General John B. Gordon

Manassas to Appomattox by Lt. General James Longstreet

NOTE: Both Manassas to Appomattox and Reminiscences of the Civil War must be read with the understanding that both of these Generals were under personal attacks by Early, Pendleton and a few others. Strip them of the 'drama'--but for the historical occurrences in sequential order along with the Official Records of the Rebellion and some well placed staff officers--e.g. Longstreet's memoirs` and Sorrell's they balance well what happened. Add memoir` of Captain Goree` and you have a nice 'tripad' to which bounces the three nicely. Add to that General E. P. Alexander's memoir` and Lee's famous Major Taylor--you can then see amazingly how one event is seen in many different ways.

I highly recommend finding original copies of "Under Both Flags" published in 1896 by Graham. Its not filled with finger-pointing, "Lost Cause" hypes but memories of those who lived through the Civil War as 'veterans.' (Actually a breath of fresh air and mutual respect for one another on both sides). Its also the only documentation of Major/Colonel Charles Marshall's eulogy at Grant's memorial service. Has pictures of the various battlefields. I have my grandfather's very well used/worn copy.



Sometimes to know Generals, its better to find out from the Staff Officers (in my personal opinion)

M. E. Wolf

 

[Nathanb1]

SouthernRebel772;

Four Years with General Lee (Major Walter H. Taylor...who made Colonel towards the end)

Recollections of a Confederate Staff Officer - General M. Sorrel (He was on Longstreet's Staff until his promotion right after Longstreet was wounded at the Second Wilderness)

The Life And Campaigns
Of Major-General J. E. B. Stuart
Commander Of The Cavalry Of The Army Of Northern Virginia
by
H. B. Mcclellan, A.M.
Late Major, Assistant Adjutant-General And Chief Of Staff Of The Cavalry Corps, Army Of Northern Virginia

Stonewall Jackson by G.F.R. Henderson (Two Volume Set)

Reminiscences Of The Civil War by General John B. Gordon

Manassas to Appomattox by Lt. General James Longstreet

NOTE: Both Manassas to Appomattox and Reminiscences of the Civil War must be read with the understanding that both of these Generals were under personal attacks by Early, Pendleton and a few others. Strip them of the 'drama'--but for the historical occurrences in sequential order along with the Official Records of the Rebellion and some well placed staff officers--e.g. Longstreet's memoirs` and Sorrell's they balance well what happened. Add memoir` of Captain Goree` and you have a nice 'tripad' to which bounces the three nicely. Add to that General E. P. Alexander's memoir` and Lee's famous Major Taylor--you can then see amazingly how one event is seen in many different ways.

I highly recommend finding original copies of "Under Both Flags" published in 1896 by Graham. Its not filled with finger-pointing, "Lost Cause" hypes but memories of those who lived through the Civil War as 'veterans.' (Actually a breath of fresh air and mutual respect for one another on both sides). Its also the only documentation of Major/Colonel Charles Marshall's eulogy at Grant's memorial service. Has pictures of the various battlefields. I have my grandfather's very well used/worn copy.



Sometimes to know Generals, its better to find out from the Staff Officers (in my personal opinion)

M. E. Wolf

And Goree! Glad you mentioned him......his writings are phenomenal--just a really great observer and a sharp young man, IMO. I like those guys who ended up going home and doing something useful--like setting the Texas Prison System on a paying footing.

 

[K Hale]

Henry McClellan's memoirs put me to sleep. Dang but they were dry.

 

[johan_steele]

Porter Alexander, Sherman & Grant all had good memoirs for the general officer. I didn't care for most other General Officer memoirs.

It is the work of the enlisted man that trips my trigger. In the shadow of the eagle, Si Klegg, Hardtack & Coffee, 4 years a soldier, An Illinois boy goes to war, Company Aytch, Citizen Soldier, A Business of War, Love & Valor, Hell & Gone, Seeing the Elephant, A bit of glory & a lot of hell, We are in a fight today, Drummer Boy's Diary, All for Union , A shade of blue, are all pretty good memoirs from the standpoint of the private soldier or lower ranked officer but my absolute favorite will always be Soldier Boy's Letters. Many are out of print but well worth looking up via interlibrary loan. A suprise to me were the various writings of Gov Joe Brown, they weren't so much memoirs as... well almost scholarly writings of the goings on in Georgia.

Another long out of print is To the last fool, it is a very moving and evocitive look at the war from a man who didn't want to be there, a conscript from near Birmingham Alabama IIRC. He touches upon the absolute terror of combat Vicksburg & Chickamauga in particular w/ details of the rout after Missionary Ridge, being wounded & captured @ Atlanta & his imprisonment @ Rock Island. His jaded view of disease & death as well as the slow realization that every man was "merely a dead man waiting his last dusk" is unsettling. WARNING: You CANNOT read this book w/out ending up horribly depressed & sad. IIRC the author worked on the Trans Continental RR post war and died all but penniless & stove up in the 1880's publishing the book in an effort to provide for his family. As the book had a rather limited run and was not a big seller... well you get the picture.