Tithes of Blood: A Confederate Soldier's Story (Journal of Confederate History Series)

Rating:
Summary: Historians beware!
Review:
Page X says it all

Addendum to the Reader

All of the events and names of the soldiers involved in the valorous history of the 11th Mississippi Infantry Regiment are real. Some of the narration and dialog, however, is my own.

This is an actual account of the courageous deeds of simple country boys. I have a sacred trust with their precious memory which I can never betray. Billy Ellis.

"Some of the dialog" is putting it lightly, it was very distracting.



Rating:
Summary: Good -- but could have been great
Review: This is a perfect example of editorial intrusion. It's based on the diary of the editor's great-grandfather, a member of the high-casualty 11th Mississippi. But the editor has fictionalized it. It's impossible to tell what was originally there and what has been added, and of course all the authenticity of the authorial "voice" has been lost. Does Wilkins' diary really contain one of the best first-person accounts of Pickett's Charge out there, or has Ellis made that part up? I'd love to see an edition of Wilkins' diary permitting him to speak in his own voice. The tiny quote in the introduction only serves to tease. As it is, this book is an interesting, but frustrating, portrayal.

Rating:
Summary: An insightful view of the Southern privates perspective.
Review: This is an excellent read. Although the actual dialogue is fictionalised, the facts portrayed in this book are all true. Tithes of Blood presents the War Between the States from the Southern private's point of view. It is not overly moralistic but conveys very well the feelings that may have been experienced by the common soldier, from the excitement of first mustering out to the fear and dread that accompanies battle. The unique perspective of the author, having received much of his information through the oral histories of his family, add a personal dimension to the book that many authors with no connection to the subject matter cannot acheive. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the War Between the States or historical military life.