Campaigning with Old Stonewall - by Randall Allen & Keith Bohannon (Hardcover)

About the Book

Confederate infantryman Ujanirtus C. Allen wrote his wife twice weekly before he was killed at Chancellorsville. Whether focused on the war or on his farm and family, Ugie Allen exhibits a talent for communicating his observations and opinions. His letters make a valuable resource for Civil War enthusiasts and social and military historians. Photos and drawings.

Book Synopsis

Orphaned at age three, Ujanirtus Allen grew up in foster homes and boarding schools. In the spring of 1861, when he turned twenty-one, "Ugie" inherited a substantial estate in Troup County, Georgia, replete with slaves, livestock, and machinery. Unfortunately for Allen, the outbreak of war made it impossible to build the stable life and permanent home he so desperately wanted for himself, his wife, Susan, and their infant son.

In April 1861, Allen, fueled by pride and patriotism, joined the Ben Hill Infantry, which eventually became Company F, 21st Georgia Volunteer Infantry. He wrote his wife twice weekly, penning at least 138 letters before he received a mortal wound at Chancellorsville on May 2, 1863. Allen's ability to convey his observations and feelings on a variety of topics combined with vivid descriptions of his environment set Campaigning with "Old Stonewall" apart from other collections of Civil War letters.

More than simply personal, Ugie's missives to his beloved Susie abound with vibrant portrayals of wartime Richmond and the beautiful Virginia countryside as well as battlefields such as Cross Keys, Gaines's Mill, Cedar Mountain, Antietam, and Fredericksburg. A discerning observer of people, Allen filled his letters with deft characterizations and gossipy accounts of regimental officers, lowly privates, and generals from Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson to Robert E. Lee. Allen was responsible for dozens of enlisted men, and his correspondence makes clear the myriad duties of a company-grade officer in the Confederate army.

Editors Randall Allen and Keith S. Bohannon expertly weave Allen's letters with valuable commentary and annotations and include a useful index that identifies every person Allen discusses. Whether focused on the war or on his farm and family, Ugie Allen's talent for communicating his perceptions and opinions makes Campaigning with "Old Stonewall" a valuable resource.

From the Back Cover

Orphaned at age three, Ujanirtus Allen grew up in foster homes and boarding schools. In the spring of 1861, when he turned twenty-one, "Ugie" inherited a substantial estate in Troup County, Georgia, replete with slaves, livestock, and machinery. Unfortunately for Allen, the outbreak of war made it impossible to build the stable life and permanent home he so desperately wanted for himself, his wife, Susan, and their infant son. In April 1861, Allen, fueled by pride and patriotism, joined the Ben Hill Infantry, which eventually became Company F, 21st Georgia Volunteer Infantry. He wrote his wife twice weekly, penning at least 138 letters before he received a mortal wound at Chancellorsville on May 2, 1863. Allen's ability to convey his observations and feelings on a variety of topics combined with vivid descriptions of his environment set Campaigning with "Old Stonewall" apart from other collections of Civil War letters. Editors Randall Allen and Keith S. Bohannon weave Allen's letters with valuable commentary and annotations and include a useful index that identifies every person Allen discusses.

About the Author

Randall Allen is an archivist for Troup County, Georgia. Keith S. Bohannon is completing his Ph.D. in history at Pennsylvania State University and has written for the Georgia Historical Quarterly and the Journal of Southwest Georgia History.