“A better book there never was.” Margaret Mitchell, from Gone with the Wind Letters
Description
Early in May 1861, twenty-one-year-old Sam R. Watkins of Columbia, Tennessee, joined the First Tennessee Regiment. He fought in all of its major battles, from Shiloh to Nashville. Twenty years later, with a "house full of young 'rebels' clustering around my knees and bumping about my elbows," he wrote the remarkable account of "Co. Aytch," its common foot soldiers, its commanders, its Yankee enemies, its victories and defeats, and its ultimate surrender on April 26, 1865.
Co. Aytch is the work of a natural storyteller who balances the horror of war with his irrepressible sense of humor and his sharp eye for the lighter side of battle. Among Civil War memoirs, it stands as a living testament to one man's enduring humanity, courage, and wisdom in the midst of death and destruction.
Praise
“A better book there never was.” Margaret Mitchell, from Gone with the Wind Letters
“Sam’s bird’s-eye view, coupled with his almost ‘Forrest Gumpian’ ability to be in the right place at the right time, has drawn historians, scholars, and boy soliders like myself to his tales for over a century.” Robert Hicks, New York Times bestselling author of The Widow of the South
“Anyone who wishes to hear a Southern view of why they fought should hear Watkins…This work is moving and always fascinating because it is a great text penned by a man who has seen the spectrum of human cruelty, horror, and kindness.” AudioFile
“No memoir by a rebel participant is richer in intimate details than this engaging story.” Bell Irvin Wiley, the author of The Life of Johnny Reb
Details
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Release Day | Dec 31, 2008 |
| Release Date | January 1, 2009 |
| Release Date Machine | 1230768000 |
| Imprint | Blackstone Publishing |
| Provider | Blackstone Publishing |
| Categories | Biographies & Memoirs, Military & War, History, Americas, Historical, Most Popular, Most Popular, Nonfiction - Adult, Nonfiction - All |
Author Bio
Samuel R. Watkins was born on June 26, 1839, near Columbia, Tennessee. He enlisted in the First Tennessee Infantry, Company H, at the beginning of the Civil War. Upon surrender, Watkins was one out of only seven men remaining from the 120 originally enlisted in his regiment. Sam was encouraged by friends and family to write down his memories. First run as a newspaper series, his memoirs were put into book form in 1882 and almost immediately hailed as an important Civil War work.
Narrator Bio
Overview
Early in May 1861, twenty-one-year-old Sam R. Watkins of Columbia, Tennessee, joined the First Tennessee Regiment. He fought in all of its major battles, from Shiloh to Nashville. Twenty years later, with a "house full of young 'rebels' clustering around my knees and bumping about my elbows," he wrote the remarkable account of "Co. Aytch," its common foot soldiers, its commanders, its Yankee enemies, its victories and defeats, and its ultimate surrender on April 26, 1865.
Co. Aytch is the work of a natural storyteller who balances the horror of war with his irrepressible sense of humor and his sharp eye for the lighter side of battle. Among Civil War memoirs, it stands as a living testament to one man's enduring humanity, courage, and wisdom in the midst of death and destruction.
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