Mary Chesnut's Diary

An unrivalled account of the American Civil War from the Confederate perspective. Documenting the period between 1861 and 1865, Mary Chesnut's Diaryis widely considered to be one of the most compelling personal narratives of the Civil War. As the daughter of a wealthy plantation owner and the wife of an aide to the Confederate President, Jefferson Davis, Chesnut was well acquainted with the Confederacy's prominent players and-from the very first shots in Charleston, South Carolina-diligently recorded her impressions of the conflict's most significant moments. Written with urgency and surprising nuance, Mary Chesnut's Diaryis an epic rich with commentary on race, status, and power within a nation divided. 'A great epic drama of our greatest national tragedy.' - William Styron Introduction by CATHERINE CLINTON