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Title: Berry Benson's Civil War Book: Memoirs of a Confederate Scout and Sharpshooter by Susan Williams Benson, Berry Benson, Herman Hattaway ISBN: 0-8203-1487-0 Publisher: University of Georgia Press Pub. Date: January, 1993 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $21.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.56 (9 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A soldier's story
Comment: From the point of view of the enlisted man, this is a really good book. It held my interest well. Let's face it, the enlisted man's perspective of the War Between the States, or any war for that matter, is going to be very narrow. The rank and file do not have the luxury of having access to the grand strategy of general officers. All they can relate is what went on in front of them. Otherwise it wouldn't be their story. This book is about what one common soldier saw, experienced, and felt. And it let me see a refreshing point of view.
Rating: 4
Summary: Interesting escapes from Union hands!
Comment: Not many books seem to cover a scout's exploits during the Civil War in the form of a personal memoir. Berry Benson's account seems to be a diary mixed with recollection and struggle. Benson's writing is vague at times and a bit hard to follow. He seems to jump from event or time frame without much flow or detail. His involvement at Sharpsburg, Chancelorsville and Petersburg is disappointing when it comes to detail and the action. Had an author placed this book together to build the time frame up and then switch to Benson's accounts would have made this book easier to follow or had Benson been more descriptive in his story it would have completed this book.
What made this book interesting was his escapes from two Union prisons and his personal struggle to survive and get back to Virginia. His descriptions of his escapes and his run for freedom was very interesting and made this book come to life.
The title itself which mentions sharpshooter fails to live up to it's name as very little is written about his involvement as one and again the detail is missing. Had the title mentioned escaping twice from Union hands, it would have been properly titled. Though the lack of details and vague approach stumbles the reader an opposite read is featured in regards to his survival and escaping Union control. Without his prison stories which fortunately takes up a large portion of this book, it would have been confusing and frustrating. Because of those stories I felt this book deserves a 4 star rating.
Rating: 4
Summary: While not splendidly written, a unique and must read memoir.
Comment: Berry Benson tells it as it was. He does not fill the pages with fluff, but merely gives a straightforward account of his trials and tribulations during the war. At first, I was skeptical about all that he claimed to have gone through, but after some research, his story holds true. Benson was just shy of 18 when he joined the Confederate army. During his service, he was a sharpshooter, fought under Gen. "Stonewall" Jackson, was captured and escaped TWICE: once from Point Lookout and once from Elmira. At times, I wished that he would have gone into more detail, and that is the only downfall of this book. For example: he goes into some description of Point Lookout yet fails to give a good picture of Elmira. However, his story is not one to miss and I suggest it for anyone wanting to read a more personal account of the war that is a little out of the ordinary.
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Title: Rebel Private: Front and Rear: Memoirs of a Confederate Soldier by William A. Fletcher, Richard Wheeler ISBN: 0452011574 Publisher: Plume Pub. Date: March, 1997 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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Title: Fighting for the Confederacy: The Personal Recollections of General Edward Porter Alexander by Edward Porter Alexander, Gary W. Gallagher ISBN: 0807847224 Publisher: Univ of North Carolina Pr Pub. Date: March, 1998 List Price(USD): $22.50 |
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Title: The Bloody Crucible of Courage: Fighting Methods and Combat Experience of the Civil War by Brent Nosworthy ISBN: 0786711477 Publisher: Carroll & Graf Pub. Date: June, 2003 List Price(USD): $35.00 |
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Title: The Life of Johnny Reb: The Common Soldier of the Confederacy by Bell Irvin Wiley ISBN: 0807104752 Publisher: Louisiana State University Press Pub. Date: February, 1989 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
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Title: All for the Union : The Civil War Diary & Letters of Elisha Hunt Rhodes by Elisha Hunt Rhodes ISBN: 0679738282 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 28 July, 1992 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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