Theodore Parker was one of the most controversial theologians and social activists in pre-Civil War America. This book argues that Parker's radical vision and contemporary appeal stemmed from his abiding faith in the human conscience and in the principles of the American revolutionary tradition.
#2352896 in Books 2006PDF # 1 #File Name: 0760773726273 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Belongs in Any Civil War LibraryBy Richard WaltersWhen in high school; a TV series on Mosby's Rangers was popular. As a civil war buff; I did some additional research and wrote my term paper on this gentleman. If one believes his exploits as a Confederate partisan leader in the Shenandoah Valley were the things of legend; reading this memoir will definitely reinforce the notion!! Mosby is not shy about discussing his successes; nor does he omiit the occasional failures either. The fact of the matter is that this first hand account reinforces the value of irregular or "special" forces when pitted against regular army units. Of particular interest is Mosby's apologetics for JEB Stuart ( his nominal boss for much of the war) regarding Stuart's role in the Gettysburg campaign. Indeed it exonerates Stuart of any misdeeds in carrying out his orders from Lee; whose staff used Stuart as a scapegoat for some bad Confederate decisions.The book is not necessarily a chronology of events; but hits on the major efforts of Mosby's role in the Confederacy's losing cause. One comes away with a great deal of respect for this officer after reading the account.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Outstanding First Hand Account by A Remarkable OfficerBy RoninFrom the back cover:"Daring; fearless; and often reckless to a fault; the Confederate cavalry officer provides a captivating image of the Civil War. Perhaps the most enigmatic cavalry officer on either side during the war was the venerable rebel colonel Mosby. A master horse soldier; Mosby was the scourge of the Union forces in Northern Virginia or; as the region came to be known; "Mosby's Confederacy." First published posthumously in 1917; Mosby's Memoirs provides an extraordinary record of the war in Virginia as well as the studied; firsthand insights of one of the Confederacy's most formidable soldiers."He was born in 1833 at the home of his grandfather; a Revolutionary War veteran; in Powhatan County; Virginia. Mosby participated in the first Battle of Bull Run and later received a commission as a lieutenant and then a captain. He formed his own cavalry unit; which became known as "Mosby's Rangers;" under the Partisan Ranger Act.Mosby was a lawyer who enlisted as a private and declined an early officer commission in order to learn the business from the ground up; and served under JEB Staurt's Virginia Cavalry. The book is filled with letters; many to his wife as well as many correspondences between key officers and politicians of both North South. It is clear that his experience in the war garnered strong opinions that led him to post-war research in order to set the record straight and call some dishonest people to account. This process culminates in a book that is essential reading for anyone seriously interested in Civil War history; particularly from a southern perspective.What unfolds is the remarkable perspective of a very impressive individual. I particularly like the chapter describing his association with Lee; whom he clearly held in the highest regard and affectionately referred to as "the most aggressive man in the war." Mosby suffered many wounds; and once while getting out of an ambulance near General's Lee Longstreet; Lee came over and greeted him with; "Colonel; the only fault I have ever found in you is that you are always getting wounded"; a praise that Mosby felt was worth the price of the wound.I highly recommend this book.Contents:Intro1. Early Life2. The War Begins3. A Private in the Cavalry4. Johnston's Retreat from Harper's Ferry5. Recollections of Battle of Manassas6. The Strategy of the Battle of Manassas7. About Fairfax Courthouse8. Campaigning with Stuart9. The Campaign against Pope10. 1st Exploits as a Partisan11. The Raid on Fairfax12. Stuart the Gettysburg Campaign13. The Year After Gettysburg14. The Campaign Against Sheridan15. The Greenback Raid16. The Last Days in the Valley17. Final Scenes18. In Retrospect19. My Recollections of General Lee20. My Recollections of General Grant0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great BookBy B. HighfillMosby's Memoirs the memoirs of Colonel John Singleton MosbyI love to read history and especially those written by someone that was there. I would much rather read a book by the person him or her self than by someone that tries to interpret what they think a person was thinking or doing. This was an enjoyable book to read. You have to admire the men of the Civil War (that is if you try and get to know them). I do try and get to know them thru all the history books but this one is written by the man himself and I didn't want to put it down. Thank God some of the Hero's survived the Civil War to write their own story.
