author
Rufus H. (Rufus Harrison) Peck
1838–1923
A lifelong Virginian and Confederate cavalryman, he turned his wartime memories into a vivid firsthand account of scouting, battles, camp life, and comradeship. His memoir offers an unusually personal view of the Civil War from the saddle of the 2nd Virginia Cavalry.
1 Audiobook
Reminiscencies of a Confederate soldier of Co. C, 2nd Va. Cavalry
by Rufus H. (Rufus Harrison) Peck
About the author
Rufus Harrison Peck (1838–1923) was a Virginia cavalryman from Fincastle who enlisted in 1859 with the Botetourt Dragoons. When the Civil War began, the company became Company C of the 2nd Virginia Cavalry, and Peck served throughout the conflict. He later recalled taking part in 54 battles and surviving the war without being wounded.
Written nearly half a century after the war, his memoir combines battlefield recollections with colorful stories of scouting, camp pranks, difficult marches, and the men who served alongside him. In 1907, Peck also presented his company’s original wartime flag to Richmond’s Confederate Museum.
His book, Reminiscences of a Confederate Soldier of Co. C, 2nd Va. Cavalry, preserves the voice of an ordinary soldier looking back on extraordinary experiences, offering readers a direct and lively account of cavalry service during the Civil War.