Discover the American Civil War through the personal letters of two ordinary Confederate soldiers — Lieutenants George Job Huntley and Burwell Thomas Cotton — serving from 1861–1864.
About the Book
Historian Michael W. Taylor presents the correspondence of two young lieutenants from the 34th North Carolina Regiment in the Pender–Scales Brigade of the Light Division. Both men came from remote parts of North Carolina. Both were teachers. Both were in their early twenties. And both were devoted family men committed to the Confederate cause.
Their letters offer a clear and honest look at daily life in the Army of Northern Virginia. You’ll read about long marches, sudden battles, camp routines, and the small comforts they hoped for. As members of A. P. Hill’s fast-moving Light Division, they saw some of the hardest fighting of the war.
What makes these letters stand out is their simplicity and sincerity. Huntley and Cotton describe their excitement at the start of the conflict, followed by illness, wounding, and a growing desire to return home. Taylor adds helpful historical notes throughout, making it easy to follow the regiment’s movements and understand the events surrounding each letter.
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