Virginia at War 1863

by: William C. Davis and James I. Robertson Jr., Editors

Published by: The University Press of Kentucky

Reviewed by Gene Hayworth

Virginia at War 1863 is the third volume in a series sponsored by the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies at Virginia Tech. When completed, the series will consist of five volumes, each containing essays by venerable scholars who have written extensively about the Civil War.

The contributions in the current volume cover a wide range of topics, including land operations, the effect of the war on Virginia’s youth, the educational opportunities that missionary teachers provided to escaped Virginia slaves, the popularity of scrapbook making, and the hardships on Virginia’s churches caused by war.

In 1863 Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address and Stonewall Jackson died. That year, only one major battle occurred in Virginia in 1863, when the Northern Virginia Army won a major victory at Chancellorville.

The essays in this volume put those national events into a much more personal perspective, by examining the social, political and psychological effects of the war on everyday life in Virginia. Many readers will especially delight in the essay, “The Devil at Large: Anse Hatfield’s War” by James A. Pritchard, which narrates the origins of feud between the Confederate Hatfields and the Pro-Union McCoys in a fascinating account of wartime animosity.

As in the two previous volumes, the final section of the book includes an excerpt from the Diary of a Southern Refugee by a contemporary, Judith Brockenbrough McGuire, covering the period of September 1862 through May 1863. This account of daily life is filled with poignant personal details that reinforce the suffering and hardship that the war inflicted on Virginia’s citizens.

This well-research volume is a delight to read and it is an exceptional addition to an important series on the Civil War.

Armchair Interviews says: Another excellent read for history lovers.