This book is about those who fought the Civil War. The genealogy of these veterans is revealed using obituaries. Although abstracted from the Elizabeth Daily Journal, the vets were from many states. They were Union and Confederate, black and white, men and women. Many descended from named 17th century immigrants. Others were recent immigrants, coming in either as a child, or as an adult, some being vets of Old Country wars. Some left large families, with 5 generations mentioned. Father and son vets are revealed, as are marriages between children of vets. Black vets include those who fled slavery to the North and those who fought for the Confederacy. Some mention the plantation where they were born, and their owner from whom they received their name. Journal articles relay vets’ experiences in battle. The final Gettysburg Blue and Gray Reunion shows how time mellowed war hatred. A fascinating controversy developed between 1900 and 1939 on who was the last survivor of the USS Monitor. As a “last survivor” passed, others claimed the position, with some giving in-depth descriptions of the battle. This book poses the question, was the last survivor a former slave?
Harry G. Woodworth
(2003), 2012, 5½x8½, paper, index, 324 pp.
ISBN: 9780788418945
101-W1894
