Reviews
"[title], a collection of Civil War letters written by brothers Charles and Henry Trueheart, members of a pioneer Galveston family, adds much to our knowledge of the American Civil War. The letters will be of particular value to those interested in the campaigns in Virginia and Maryland, as well as to those concerned with Texas' participation in the Civil War. In addition to the rich accounts of soldier life, the letters provide new descriptions of the Seven Days, the Wilderness, Early's raid on Washington, and the siege of Petersburg. Both brothers displayed real literary talent in describing the scenes of war. Some of the letters are particularly poignant; others provide glimpses of Confederate military leaders such as Robert E. Lee not found elsewhere.The Trueheart letters are unique. Unlike most Texans who were in military units recruited in the state and made up entirely of Texans, the Trueheart brothers served with Virginia and Alabama regiments. Their letters provide a different perspective than found in accounts written by other Texans in the war. In addition, one of the brothers became an assistant surgeon, the other a member of a partisan ranger company. Published letters from such individuals are rare.[title] is a work that anyone interested in Texas' role in the American Civil War will want to read. It is a solid contribution to our understanding of America's bloodiest war and Texas' part in it."--Ralph A. Wooster, Lamar University, "[title], a collection of Civil War letters written by brothers Charles and Henry Trueheart, members of a pioneer Galveston family, adds much to our knowledge of the American Civil War. The letters will be of particular value to those interested in the campaigns in Virginia and Maryland, as well as to those concerned with Texas'' participation in the Civil War. In addition to the rich accounts of soldier life, the letters provide new descriptions of the Seven Days, the Wilderness, Early''s raid on Washington, and the siege of Petersburg. Both brothers displayed real literary talent in describing the scenes of war. Some of the letters are particularly poignant; others provide glimpses of Confederate military leaders such as Robert E. Lee not found elsewhere.The Trueheart letters are unique. Unlike most Texans who were in military units recruited in the state and made up entirely of Texans, the Trueheart brothers served with Virginia and Alabama regiments. Their letters provide a different perspective than found in accounts written by other Texans in the war. In addition, one of the brothers became an assistant surgeon, the other a member of a partisan ranger company. Published letters from such individuals are rare.[title] is a work that anyone interested in Texas'' role in the American Civil War will want to read. It is a solid contribution to our understanding of America''s bloodiest war and Texas'' part in it."--Ralph A. Wooster, Lamar University
Synopsis
Rebel Brothers gathers the remarkable letters written by Charles and Henry Trueheart to their family, friends, and each other. As members of a prominent Galveston family, both men bring to their correspondence the breeding, education, and class attitudes regularly associated with Old South genteel society. Yet, their widely diverse wartime experiences offer a multiple perspective rarely found in Civil War-era letters and journals. Charles, who entered the war as an infantryman in a company composed of University of Virginia students, eventually served as an artillerist in the 1st Rockbridge Artillery with the legendary "Stonewall Brigade" and as an assistant regimental surgeon, 8th Alabama Infantry, with Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. He ended the war at Appomattox Court House as an assistant surgeon with the 1st Regiment Confederate Engineers. Henry's letters include a firsthand account of the Battle of Galveston and of his experiences riding with the 7th Virginia Cavalry and McNeill's Partisan Rangers. Offering the reader a rare glimpse into the life of a Confederate cavalryman, the letters also chronicle Henry's participation in McNeill's famous raid on Cumberland, Maryland, in which Union generals George Crook and Benjamin Kelly were captured. The correspondence shows two men who possessed a keen understanding of Confederate military tactics and strategy, as well as of the political and social motivations that drove the Southern cause. Many important Civil War engagements are described by the brothers, and the particular tactics and events of major campaigns, such as the beginnings of trench warfare and the bloody Crater fight that marked the struggle for Petersburg, are rendered in vivid detail. Edward B. Williams has culled and annotated these letters, which are drawn from the Trueheart collection housed at the Rosenberg Library, Galveston, Texas.
