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HomeShop at BookSurgeSelf-HelpDreamsThe 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 Oct 28, 2009
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).
Civil War Insight Sep 15, 2009
This reprinting of a Civil War soldiers diary gives a perspective of the war from every day actions and life in the field.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
The Civil War Diary of William R. Dyer Jul 17, 2009
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!
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Good Addition to Forrest's Escort Materials Jul 16, 2009
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.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Forrest's Escort Jul 16, 2009
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!
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