Virginia at War, 1863
This book, part of a series, is a compilation of essays and diary excerpts for the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies. The theme is to demonstrate the effect of the war on segments of Virginia’s society at the war’s midpoint. With the exception of the battle of Chancellorsville, there were few major military events in the state affecting the populace directly in 1863. Therefore, the focus is on the transformation of Virginia society. A. Wilson Greene’s overview of military operations provides the introduction for a series of discussions ranging from the war’s intrusion on the lives of children by James Marten, the education of slaves and freedmen by missionary teachers written by Benjamin H. Trask, and the origins of the Hatfield/McCoy feud by James M. Pritchard. David Rolfs’ article on the ordeal of Virginia’s churches as they wrestled with whether to incorporate political preaching as part of their ministry provides an interesting slant on that difficult issue. Co-editor William O. Davis brings to life the oft-neglected topic of scrap booking. The collection of newspaper articles, poems and other memorabilia in scrapbooks is reflective of what Virginians considered important at the time as well as being a resource for historians. Even though the state was part of the Confederacy, residents were not isolated from events occurring in the North. Jared Peatman discusses the reporting of the dedication of the cemetery at Gettysburg and Lincoln’s brief address. Finally, co-editor James I. Robertson Jr. presents an edited portion of Judith Brockenbrough McGuire’s diary of a Southern refugee from September 1862 to May 1863. Since the balance of the coverage is unequal for every year, the entries presented do not correspond strictly to the year 1863. They depict a strong woman with religious convictions and decidedly pro-Confederate sympathies who was not reticent in expressing them. Each essays and diary is supported by endnotes, and the bibliography provides some interesting leads for further study on these topics. For those interested in a sociological perspective of the war on Virginia’s society after two years of fighting and before the ravages of 1864, this book is certainly a worthy study. Reviewer: Frank Piatek graduated from Geneva College with a B.A. in history. He received his J.D. from Duquesne University in 1972. He is a member of several reenactment groups and past president of the Mahoning Valley Civil War Round Table. |
Notes, bibliography, index, 218 pp., 2009. The University Press of Kentucky, 663 South Limestone St., Lexington, KY 40508-4008, $35 plus shipping.