This War So Horrible : The Civil War Diary of Hiram Smith Williams, 40th Alabama Confederate Pioneer

A different sort of Civil War diary. "[M]ost intriguing . . . for it is the diary of a Confederate who spent most of his military service as a noncombatant . . . a soldier who was also an outspoken opponent of military life and war in general and of the Civil War in particular. Hiram Smith Williams was a native Northerner who moved to the South shortly before the war but enlisted as a private in the 40th Alabama Infantry. . . . This truly unique diary, which is enlivened by Williams’s keen eye for detail, a certain literary flair, and his frank assessment of the Confederate army and cause, also includes extensive notes and a perceptive introduction."—Civil War History "Hiram Smith Williams, born in New Jersey, was an unusual individual. A skilled carriagemaker and carpenter, he traveled throughout the Midwest in the 1850s as an organizer for the Know Nothing Party and the candidacy of Martin Van Buren. When Van Buren failed to win the presidency in 1856, Williams spent two years wandering around Missouri, teaching school and writing poetry. In addition to his political activities, he served as a correspondent for several midwestern newspapers." "In 1859, Williams settled in Livingston, Alabama, where he worked as a carriagemaker. He quickly identified with the people around him and when the Civil War erupted in 1861, he supported the Southern cause. In 1862, he enlisted in the 40th Alabama Infantry Regiment, and through 1863 he served on detached duty as a skilled naval carpenter in Mobile. While in Mobile, Williams was active in the cultural and social life of the city and frequently appeared in plays as a semi-professional actor." "In 1864, he was reassigned to his regiment, part of the Army of Tennessee, which was camped in Dalton, Georgia. From February 1864 until autumn of that year, he participated in the Atlanta campaign as a member of a Pioneer unit, which was composed of men with construction skills. In that capacity he helped build bridges, roads, and fortifications, came in close contact with various headquarters, and sometimes worked as a hospital orderly. In late 1864, he accompanied the remnants of the Army of Tennessee on its retreat from Atlanta into Alabama. He then rejoined the 40th on duty in defense of Mobile harbor until March 1865, when he rejoined the Army of Tennessee in its attempt to stop Sherman." "Williams was taken prisoner just a few days before the end of the war, and spent three months in a prison camp at Point Lookout, Maryland. His diary records the anxiety of the prisoners in Federal camps immediately after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the harsh living conditions, and the continual desire for repatriation." "This War So Horrible is a remarkable diary. It provides a rare look at the concerns, activities, and experiences of the common soldier in a major Confederate Army during a critical campaign. What makes it so unusual is that Williams was well educated and literate. He did not write terse entries in his diary, but rather expounded at length on what he saw, felt, and hoped. While not anti-Southern, Williams was intensely anti-war and anti-military. Civil War students will find this diary useful because it is the only fully descriptive record of a member of the Pioneer Corps. Little is known about how these units operated and what the internal organization was like. The editors have deliberately chosen to let Williams speak for himself ... and the readers will find him lucid, cogent, compelling, and always interesting."--Jacket

hiram Smith Williams, Born In New Jersey, Was An Unusual Individual. A Skilled Carriagemaker And Carpenter, He Traveled Throughout The Midwest In The 1850s As An Organizer For The Know Nothing Party And The Candidacy Of Martin Van Buren. When Van Buren Failed To Win The Presidency In 1856, Williams Spent Two Years Wandering Around Missouri, Teaching School And Writing Poetry. In Addition To His Political Activities, He Served As A Correspondent For Several Midwestern Newspapers. In 1859, Williams Settled In Livingston, Alabama, Where He Worked As A Carriagemaker. He Quickly Identified With The People Around Him And When The Civil War Erupted In 1861, He Supported The Southern Cause. In 1862, He Enlisted In The 40th Alabama Infantry Regiment, And Through 1863 He Served On Detached Duty As A Skilled Naval Carpenter In Mobile. While In Mobile, Williams Was Active In The Cultural And Social Life Of The City And Frequently Appeared In Plays As A Semi-professional Actor. In 1864, He Was Reassigned To His Regiment, Part Of The Army Of Tennessee, Which Was Camped In Dalton, Georgia. From February 1864 Until Autumn Of That Year, He Participated In The Atlanta Campaign As A Member Of A Pioneer Unit, Which Was Composed Of Men With Construction Skills. In That Capacity He Helped Build Bridges, Roads, And Fortifications, Came In Close Contact With Various Headquarters, And Sometimes Worked As A Hospital Orderly. In Late 1864, He Accompanied The Remnants Of The Army Of Tennessee On Its Retreat From Atlanta Into Alabama. He Then Rejoined The 40th On Duty In Defense Of Mobile Harbor Until March 1865, When He Rejoined The Army Of Tennessee In Its Attempt To Stop Sherman. Williams Was Taken Prisoner Just A Few Days Before The End Of The War, And Spent Three Months In A Prison Camp At Point Lookout, Maryland. His Diary Records The Anxiety Of The Prisoners In Federal Camps Immediately After The Assassination Of Abraham Lincoln, The Harsh Living Conditions, And The Continual Desire

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the Diary Of An Unusual Soldier--he Had Campaigned For Martin Van Buren, Taught School, Corresponded For Newspapers, And Written Poetry Before Enlisting In The 40th Alabama Infantry Regiment And Contributing His Skills As A Carriage-maker And Carpenter To The Southern Effort. His Entries Are Literate And Evocative. Annotation C. Book News, Inc., Portland, Or (booknews.com)

“Riveting reading.'—Georgia Historical Quarterly The Civil War diary of Hiram Smith Williams is extremely unusual. A carriage maker and native of New Jersey, Williams only arrived in the Deep South in 1959 and yet enlisted in the Confederate Army. As a middle-class craftsman, he represented neither wealthy Southern planters nor yeoman farmers. Part of the 40th Alabama Volunteer Regiment, he was first in Mobile, where he attempted to transfer to the CSA Navy. Failing that, he went with his regiment to Atlanta to engage in the great battle there. A careful writer, Williams paid the same attention to his composition as he did to his carriages. Unlike many Civil War veterans, he never revised his diary to embellish his record or heroism. Prized by historians both for providing an unique point of view as well as an exceptionally articulate narrative, Williams'diary is an important addition to any Civil War library. A different sort of Civil War diary. "[M]ost intriguing . . . for it is the diary of a Confederate who spent most of his military service as a noncombatant . . . a soldier who was also an outspoken opponent of military life and war in general and of the Civil War in particular. Hiram Smith Williams was a native Northerner who moved to the South shortly before the war but enlisted as a private in the 40th Alabama Infantry. . . . This truly unique diary, which is enlivened by Williamss keen eye for detail, a certain literary flair, and his frank assessment of the Confederate army and cause, also includes extensive notes and a perceptive introduction." Civil War History The diary of Hiram Smith Williams, who, when the American Civil War erupted in 1861, supported the Southern cause, and in 1862 enlisted in the 40th Alabama Infantry Regiment, serving on detached duty as a skilled naval carpenter in Mobile and as a participant in the Atlanta campaign.