
Notes of a Private
PREFACE. First Edition.
PREFACE. Souvenir Edition.
CHAPTER I. MUSTERING IN—“GOOD-BYE, SWEETHEARTS.”
CHAPTER II. SERVICE IN FIVE STATES. The Armstrong Raid.
CHAPTER III. DAVIS’ BRIDGE AND CORINTH.
CHAPTER IV. VAN DORN AT HOLLY SPRINGS.
CHAPTER V. SOME PERSONALS AND PORTRAITURES.
CHAPTER VI. ORGANIZATION OF “FORREST’S CAVALRY CORPS”—THE SOOY SMITH RAID—FORT PILLOW.
CHAPTER VII. BRICE’S CROSS ROADS.
A candid memoir from the perspective of a young Confederate cavalryman, this work brings the early days of the Civil War to life through the eyes of a private who enlisted with a handful of friends from rural Tennessee. He recounts the bustling mustering at Bills Corner, the camaraderie of a rag‑tag company, and the raw excitement of setting out on horseback for a conflict that would shape a nation.
Drawing on vivid recollections, the author sketches the personalities of his comrades, the hardships of long marches across five states, and the chaotic swirl of early engagements. His straightforward narrative offers both the grit of battlefield life and the quieter moments of camp, making the experience accessible to listeners who appreciate personal history. Whether you’re a student of the era or simply curious about the human side of war, the book provides an intimate glimpse into the hopes, fears, and daily realities of those who rode into the first major clashes of the conflict.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (251K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Chuck Greif and The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2015-07-17
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

A Confederate cavalryman turned memoirist, he left behind a vivid firsthand account of Civil War camp life, marches, and combat. His writing stands out for its plainspoken detail and the immediacy of someone who lived the events he described.
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