Brothers in gray

This extensive collection of Civil War letters, written by three sons of William H. Pierson of Bienville Parish, Louisiana, offers riveting glimpses of almost every variety of experience faced by the Rebel soldier. Prolific letter writers, the Piersons were articulate, observant, and well placed to comment not only on the battles and campaigns of their regiments but also on their commanding officers, the effect of political activity on soldier morale, and, most of all, their entire family's understanding of and commitment to the Confederate cause. The letters vividly depict the life and duties of the private soldier, the noncommissioned officer, the company-grade officer, and the field-grade officer. They range in subject from the early battles of the Trans-Mississippi - including the campaigns at Wilson's Creek and Pea Ridge - to the epic battles of the Army of Northern Virginia, and from the brutal trenches of Vicksburg to provost guard duty in north Louisiana in the waning days of the war. In addition to military matters, the letters reflect the social history of the South at war. They disclose much fascinating detail about the importance of extended family, attitudes toward religion and the typically firm belief in Providence's shaping the destiny of the Confederacy, and the unshakable view of southern womanhood as the guardian of the embattled republic. Idealistic and patriotic, the Piersons excoriate prostitutes, profiteers, draft dodgers, and others whom they see as polluters of their country and its uniquely righteous cause.