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The Civil War Diary of William R. Dyer: A Member of Forrest's Escort

 
 
The Civil War Diary of William R. Dyer: A Member of Forrest's Escort
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The Civil War Diary of William R. Dyer: A Member of Forrest's Escort

Most Civil War Generals commanded an "Escort" or "Bodyguard" (usually 100 men)which provided personal protection, acted as messengers and scouts, etc. Fortunately William R. Dyer, a member of Nathan Bedford Forrest's Escort, kept a diary as he rode through Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Mississippi with The Wizard of the Saddle. Dyer's diary gives insight into duty at Forrest's side describing events from his unique perspective. Like so many young men of the era, Dyer experienced war on the front line. Terror, boredom, illness, and fun all make appearances in the narrative. Readers will recognize many of the characters and engagements and be introduced to new ones along the way. This entertaining and educational look at The Civil War Diary of William R. Dyer will compliment any collection of works on Forrest. Enjoy the ride!

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6705187

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Product Details:
Author: Wayne Bradshaw
Paperback: 148 pages
Publisher: BookSurge Publishing
Publication Date: June 15, 2009
Language: English
ISBN: 1439237727
Product Width: 225.25 centimeters
Product Height: 149.5 centimeters
Product Weight: 0.53 pounds
Package Length: 8.8 inches
Package Width: 5.9 inches
Package Height: 0.6 inches
Package Weight: 0.6 pounds
Average Customer Rating: based on 7 reviews
 
 

Customer Reviews:
Average Customer Review:4.5 ( 7 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 found the following review helpful:

5Forrest's Escort  Jul 16, 2009
By L. Allsbrook
As a first time reader of a Civil War diary, I was fascinated by William R. Dyer and his life as one of Nathan Bedford Forrest's escort soldiers during the Civil War. This book, by lifelong Civil War researcher Wayne Bradshaw, presents Dyer's diary as well as interesting appendices which give additional background into the locations and people mentioned in the diary. Readers come away with a perspective of what it was like to act as an escort of a famous Civil War General. I especially enjoyed reading about Forrest's Farewell Address to his Command, the Forrest/Gould Affair and Forrest's Interview with Bragg. This book belongs in any Civil War enthusiast's library. I enjoyed the ride!

6 of 6 found the following review helpful:

5The Civil War Diary of William R. Dyer  Jul 17, 2009
By J. C. Mann
The Civil War Diary of William R. Dyer, by Wayne Bradshaw, gives the reader a rare first hand account of the day to day life of a Confederate cavalryman, escort to military genius Nathan Bedford Forrest. A sense of mores held by Dyer and Forrest, and the tenacity with which they gave allegiance to their cause, are vividly revealed in diary entries. The author has expertly edited for clarity, researched the time period and locations, and provided full documentation. I find Bradshaw's book to be extremely informative and factually accurate. The appendices add organization and enhance the diary's authenticity through use of actual newspaper accounts, scholarly works, and maps. The reader finds more documentation and excellent sources to be explored in the bibliography. I enjoyed reading and rereading every detail!


3 of 3 found the following review helpful:

5The Civil War Diary of William R. Dyer: A Member of Forrest's Escort  Oct 28, 2009
By G. Harding
Wayne Bradshaw's treatment of the diary--first reprinting as it was written day by day and then adding clarity and further explanation--gave me a much better understanding of what an historian must do when dealing with original documents. At my request, he sent maps of the area which were also very helpful. I was fascinated by the details of the movement of the unit (they traveled well over 3,000 miles during the 18 months covered by the diary) much of which was over the same ground on multiple occasions. The tiny details like attending church or attending a Christmas "ball" really made the history of the period come alive for me. Would have been wonderful if it could have continued to the war's end (and perhaps beyond).

5 of 6 found the following review helpful:

5Good Addition to Forrest's Escort Materials  Jul 16, 2009
By Michael R. Bradley
The Escort Company of Gen. N.B. Forest was a fabled group of men. This diary provides an interesting look at the daily life of one of them, W.R. Dyer, who fought in the Escort from 1862 until the end of the war. The boredom of daily routine and the terror of deadly combat are depicted in the pages of this book.

This book adds another dimension to "Nathan Bedford Forrest's Escort and Staff" which is also available on Amazon.

4Helpful, but not scholarly  Oct 04, 2011
By James A. Moshier
Nice little book that presents the diary of a soldier with little editorializing or heavy-handed editing. While probably not the most technically "scholarly" work, but it is a nice little resource and aid to see glimpses of Civil War life in the saddle. In all well done.

See all 7 customer reviews on Amazon.com
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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