ePub Another Year Finds Me in Texas: The Civil War Diary of Lucy Pier Stevens by Vicki Adams Tongate in History

Review

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. This Outstanding Diary is a GemBy William BozicHistorian Vicki Tongate of Southern Methodist University has done an excellent job of annotating the diary of Lucy Pier Stevens who traveled to Travis (now a ghost town) near Bellville; Austin County; Texas before the outbreak of hostilities and was unable to return home to Ohio due to the war until escaping via a blockade runner from Galveston. Lucy was an extremely well educated woman and an avid reader for her era; so she was influenced by Northern propaganda prior to the war but her opinions changed dramatically by experiencing the reality of life in Texas. Lucy's longing for home and her immediate family; gives rise to the title of this book.Lucy's family and associates were mostly self-sufficient farmers before the war so the blockade did not hurt them as badly as others in Texas; however the loss of loved ones to military service; childbirth; and to illness/disease illustrates just how tough life was. The regular use of morphine to cure ailments like a sore throat described by Lucy Pier Stevens was also kind of shocking for the modern reader..Having a diary of a well-educated woman from the north living in rural Texas during the war makes this diary extremely rare; but the quality of Lucy's diary and editor Vicki Adams Tongates' work makes this a gem.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. the very interesting journal of an educated Yankee in TexasBy Linda035This is a collection of journal entries made by a young lady caught visiting Texas relatives when the Civil War comes to Texas. She cannot safely return home to Ohio. The book provides insight into life for an upper middle class household during this period in our history. The writer records her thoughts on family relationships; the political situation; daily living in rural Texas; and her adventurous journey home with a blockade runner. This book provides a way to study the Civil War era from a personal viewpoint. Very entertaining.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Four StarsBy Joe GarzaVery interesting description of life in Civil War Texas.