Wearing of the Gray: Adventures of the War

This book is a narration of his experiences as a Confederate soldier; a staff officer under JEB Stuart. Cooke makes it plain in his introduction that this is not a technical history, but a collection of his war-time experiences and observations of the important battles and officers he met. He …

This book is a narration of his experiences as a Confederate soldier; a staff officer under JEB Stuart. Cooke makes it plain in his introduction that this is not a technical history, but a collection of his war-time experiences and observations of the important battles and officers he met. He includes amusing stories of camp-life, and exciting ventures of scouts and narrow escapes. He is a laudatory in his offerings of his comrades, and his native Virginia, but it is to be expected that a man of his time would feel patriotic fervor deeply. He brings the war to the reader as "a mighty drama, all life, passion, movement, incident, and romance--a singular mélange, wherein tears, laughter, sighs, and smiles, rapidly followed each other, communicating to the bitter and determined struggle all the profound interest of a tragedy whose scenes sweep on before the spectator to the catastrophe." An enduring classic that those interested in the "Civil War," will find great pleasure in reading.\nAbout the author: Virginian John Esten Cooke (1830-1886) was a prolific writer of histories, novels, and personal narratives. He died in mid-life typhoid fever.