The Selected Letters of Dolley Payne Madison Book

"Gunner with Stonewall" - Civil War Memoir of a Confederate Artillery Man  W.T. Poague was a Confederate officer during the Civil War who not only served under Stonewall Jackson, but also for the duration of the fighting - being on hand at the final surrender at Appomattox Courthouse.  This account was written by him in 1903, a work for his children.I enjoyed reading Poague's account of his role in the Confederate effort.  It is a short read, hops around a lot and reflects his opinion on various Union and Confederate officers and men. You see in him the great fondness for his men, his cause, his army and his commander. While Poague's narrative is no literary masterpiece,it is a valuable window into the efforts of the Southern armies. Our history books have for too long misrepresented the Civil War - have only told part of the story. Accounts like Poague's give us back the humanity of the war. Who were these soldiers? Poague writes with little emotion, until that day at Appomattox, where he learns of the surrender.  What a hollow and heartbreaking day for the men in gray.  Could not read it without some emotion.Just for the record, I grew up in the North, but have been enjoying reading various accounts of both sides of the Civil War, and learning the full story.  This little book surely adds to the mix.Recommend for:Civil War enthusiasts.

EDITED on APRIL 12, 2015

It's been almost two years since I first read this account, and in that time, my knowledge and understanding of the events in the book has changed, making it an even better read. In this last week we commemorated the last events of the war in a CW group I am part of online, and as I read the last chapter that Poague wrote, it very much lined up with the action, adding to the story of the march from Petersburg to Appomattox and the encounters that took place along the way.

Highly recommend this one for CW enthusiasts.