A Maryland Boy writes a powerful memoir of his service in the Army of Northern Virginia

A Maryland Boy in Lee's Army Personal Reminiscences of a Maryland Soldier in the War between the States, 1861-1865 By George Wilson Booth Introduction by Eric J. Mink Review

Friday, February 9th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

A Maryland Boy in Lee's Army Personal Reminiscences of a Maryland Soldier in the War between the States, 1861-1865
By George Wilson Booth
Introduction by Eric J. Mink

Review by Eric J. Mink

"I have told a plain unvarnished story; what is lacking in style may, I trust, find compensation in the fairness and absolute truthfulness of the facts and figures. I have spoken of things as I saw them, without malice and free from passion or fear. If I have overstepped the bounds of modest propriety, or grown rosy and uninteresting, this must be ascribed to the natural arrulity of an old soldier in fighting over his battles. "
- George Wilson Boot.

The Civil War tore Maryland in half. Young George Wilson Booth followed
the call of the Confederacy and served four years under the banners of the
Army of Virginia. During the bright days of the early successes at both
Manassas battles and in smaller tussles, from the Peninsula to the Valley,
Booth saw history being made. He served with Stonewall Jackson,
"Grumble" Jones, Dick Ewell, Jubal Early, and John Imboden.

Wounded at Greenland Gap, he arrived late at Gettysburg, probably to his good fortune. Promoted to captain, Booth was in the Valley in the final days, was present at the burning of Chambersburg, and was taken prisoner after Winchester. An unreconstructed rebel, Booth tells his story simply and
straight-forwardly, perhaps because he intended this book for friends and
family and therefore felt no need to be "literary." The result is a dramatic,
powerful, and honest account that takes its place among the best of the
Confederate memoirs.

Introducing this Bison Books edition is Eric J. Mink, a national park service historian at Richmond National Battlefield Park.

Paper ISBN: 0-8032-6175-6; ISBN: 0-8032-6175-6 U.S. Price: $12.00; 184 pages, 6 x 9 inches, Index $12.00 paper