To commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the end of the Civil War, Diversion Books is publishing seminal works of the era: stories told by the men and women who led, who fought, and who lived in an America that had come apart at the seams. For those who did not die on the battlefield, but who were instead taken prisoner, the Civil War presented an even more intense version of hell. Prison conditions were abysmal, and the prisoners frequently died of starvation and disease. These accounts of prison escapes show what desperate men will do, fleeing unequivocal peril to land behind enemy lines, struggling to get back to their own side and live to fight another day. Searing and difficult, this account puts readers into the minds of men at the precipice, willing to risk death for freedom.

To commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the end of the Civil War, Diversion Books is publishing seminal works of the era: stories told by the men and women who led, who fought, and who lived in an America that had come apart at the seams. Thomas Jonathan Jackson earned his famous moniker during the Battle of Manassas, when an entire brigade was commanded to rally behind Jackson, whose own company was fighting like a stone wall. One of the finest generals of the Confederacy, Stonewall Jackson played a vital role in the Civil War, and an even more important role in the mythology of the South. This biography of Jackson, written by renowned military historian G.F.R. Henderson, strives to capture not only the man, but the legend that surrounds him to this day.

To commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the end of the Civil War, Diversion Books is publishing seminal works of the era: stories told by the men and women who led, who fought, and who lived in an America that had come apart at the seams. The events leading up to the Civil War reveal a country divided by more than just a belief in, or revulsion of, slavery. It reveals a country still forming, even as it fissures and breaks apart. It reveals an industrial north and an agricultural south evolving into enemies even as they mutually benefit one another. It reveals politicians playing to their bases, riling up young men especially to take up arms against their fellow countrymen. This astonishing historical work chronicles all this and more, exploring the fractious ideologies and the most important figures who led the country into its bloodiest conflict.

To commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the end of the Civil War, Diversion Books is publishing seminal works of the era: stories told by the men and women who led, who fought, and who lived in an America that had come apart at the seams. James Longstreet served under General Robert E. Lee and witnessed the Civil War from start to finish. This chronicle of his service is a must-have work for readers interested in the Civil War, its battles, and its legacy. As the chief strategist to the Commander of the Confederate Army, Longstreet generated many of the military plans that the generals of the South took into battle. After the war and to his death, some blamed Longstreet for the South’s surrender. In tones both blunt and candid, Longstreet writes what he saw, what he knows, and what he thinks the war meant to a country divided.

To commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the end of the Civil War, Diversion Books is publishing seminal works of the era: stories told by the men and women who led, who fought, and who lived in an America that had come apart at the seams. “(I) now present this volume as the only published record of that company, celebrated as it was even in that matchless body of men, the Army of Northern Virginia.” This boots-on-the-ground memoir, told by a man who enlisted barely out of childhood and lived through some of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, will entrance readers with its stirring narrative and attention to detail. Leander Stillwell’s stories mix the mundane, day-to-day life of a soldier with visceral accounts of fighting in a war.

To commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the end of the Civil War, Diversion Books is publishing seminal works of the era: stories told by the men and women who led, who fought, and who lived in an America that had come apart at the seams. One of the most important figures of the Civil War, Frederick Douglass, was born into slavery but rose to become a tremendous orator, an impassioned abolitionist, and a representative of all who remained voiceless through slavery and oppression. His narrative resonates today with its eloquence, its incendiary history, and its profound and moving arguments for the humanity, and the equality, of Americans.

Robert P. Watson provides the definitive account of the Confederacy’s infamous Libby Prison, site of the Civil War’s largest prison break. Libby Prison housed Union officers, high-profile foes of the Confederacy, and political prisoners. Watson captures the wretched conditions, cruel guards, and the story of the daring prison break, called “the most remarkable in American history.”

The following diary was originally written in lead-pencil and in a book the leaves of which were too soft to take ink legibly. I have it direct from the hands of its writer, a lady whom I have had the honor to know for nearly thirty years. For good reasons the author's name is omitted, and the initials of people and the names of places are sometimes fictitiously given. Many of the persons mentioned were my own acquaintances and friends. When, some twenty years afterward, she first resolved to publish it, she brought me a clear, complete copy in ink. It had cost much trouble, she said; for much of the pencil writing had been made under such disadvantages and was so faint that at times she could decipher it only under direct sunlight. She had succeeded, however, in making a copy, _verbatim_ except for occasional improvement in the grammatical form of a sentence, or now and then the omission, for brevity's sake, of something unessential. The narrative has since been severely abridged to bring it within magazine limits.In reading this diary one is much charmed with its constant understatement of romantic and perilous incidents and conditions. But the original penciled pages show that, even in copying, the strong bent of the writer to be brief has often led to the exclusion of facts that enhance the interest of exciting situations, and sometimes the omission robs her own heroism of due emphasis. I have restored one example of this in a foot-note following the perilous voyage down the Mississippi.From the archives comes the Civil War Classic Library. Dozens of books out of print for years is now back in print for the casual reader and the collector.Now is the time to collect and build a classic library and get them all before they fall out of print forever replaced by digital files.

Excerpt from Famous Adventures and Prison Escapes of the Civil War The followmg diary was originally w11tten In lead pencfl and In a book the leaves of whlch were too soft to take Ink legibly I have It dn ect from the hands of Its wntei, a lady whom I have had the honor to know for neaiiy thn ty years foi good reasons the author's name Is omitted, and the 1n1t1als of people and the names Of places are sometimes fictitlously glven Many of the persons mentloned we1e my own acqualn tances and f11ends When, some twenty years after ward, she first Iesolved to publlsh It, she bought me a clear, complete copy In Ink It had cost much trouble, she said, for much Of the pencll eting had been made under such dlsadvantages and was SO famt that at t1mes She could dec1pher It only under direct sunhght She had succeeded, however, In makmg a Copy, vmbatzm except for occasional Improvement In the glammatlcal foim of a sentence, 01 now and then. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.