Bluegrass Confederate: The Headquarters Diary of Edward O. Guerrant

I currently have 15 books that I use in researching information about Morgan's Raiders. While this book touches on part of those events, it is hard to find a book that gives better description of the day to day boredom and survival of the Confederate forces in western Virginia and eastern Tennessee during that time. It also helps reinforce the unending confusion among the officers and the struggles of vanity that were taking place. There is MUCH information here that is missing from any of the other books. I found Guerrant a likeable young man whose concerns for his appearance, young ladies and a good horse not so different than the standard concerns of young men today. At one point he commented that he had written a thought with the idea that no young woman would ever be reading it. I considered that this older woman was reading it, but then realized that he had died long before I was born. It really puts life cycles and our communications by writing into perspective. I am not a scholar, but have enjoyed this book tremendously. When it ended, I felt I had lost a friend. I often go back and read about his life afterwards that is in the introduction. I have been to his area of Kentucky to visit. There is a display about him, his father, son and grandson in the Bluegrass Heritage Museum in Winchester.

This is the best day to day reading of everyday life in the CSA stationed in SW Virgina by people from Kentucky. I have read and re-reading it and use it for a reference all the time. I cannot say that I have read any better book of the everyday life of a conman solider as well as with decisions made by generals. Great book.

Excellent diary with lots of good information. Editors did a poor job as town names such as Jonesburg Tennessee should be Jonesbough, and a couple others that never existed or are badly mis-spelled. It is sad these errors had to get into the book. Otherwise an excellent read.