Civil War Talks: Further Reminiscences of George S. Bernard & His Fellow Veterans
Edited by Hampton Newsome, John Horn and John G. Selby; University of Virginia Press
In 1892 George Bernard published War Talks of Confederate Veterans, a collection of speeches and letters by Civil War soldiers, in particular fellow survivors of the 12th Virginia Infantry and William Mahone’s Brigade. That compilation is still regarded as one of the most useful sources on the first day’s fighting at Chancellorsville, for example. The primary narratives in this new book supply even more valuable evidence on a variety of topics.
When he died in 1912, Bernard left a cache of unpublished material that he had accumulated for a second volume—the basis for this new book. The editors’ decision not to include articles published elsewhere, notably in the Southern Historical Society Papers, surely makes good sense. So does their omission of lengthy Official Records excerpts, which add nothing to the body of available knowledge. Late-war topics predominate, including a large section on the Weldon Railroad battles. The earlier portion focuses at greatest length on the 1862 Peninsula Campaign, in which Mahone’s Brigade fought extensively only at Malvern Hill.
Although a dust-jacket blurb enthuses over this new volume’s “superbly edited” sources, in fact the editors do not display exhaustive familiarity with the subject. For example, they rue the disappearance of some articles that Bernard had intended to include, “for which no transcript or published account has been found.” Their first example, John B. Gordon’s Last Days of the Confederacy, actually reached print and survives in multiple editions.
Because Bernard’s own 12th Virginia dominates the narratives, most editorial notes apparently rely entirely on the published regimental rosters and explore no further. When the Rev. John Cowper Granbery shows up in 1864, a note cites only his brief service in the 11th Virginia, and ignores his record on a broader stage (he became a bishop in the Southern Methodist Church). Others get short shrift, and some of the names spelled accurately in the original are garbled here. Despite its shortcomings, this mix of primary narratives makes a substantial contribution to what we know about a sturdy regiment in the Army of Northern Virginia.
Originally published in the April 2013 issue of Civil War Times. To subscribe, click here.
