Book Description

"Walker has done an outstanding job of explaining the Confederate war effort to protect this area of land and its vital resources. . . . It is the Confederate classic on this particular area of study." --Ed Porter, The Lone Star E-Newsletter During the Civil War, Southwest Virginia's resources were essential to the South's war effort, and its railroads were a lifeline to the rest of the Confederacy. The separation of West Virginia left the area vulnerable to invading Northern armies and led to continual invasions and battles. This area was vital in supplying salt to preserve Southern food and lead for Southern guns. Although Southwest Virginia originally voted to remain part of the Union, support for the developing Confederacy soon grew. Virginia elected to secede from the nation and greatly aided the South in the war. Walker presents a detailed account of the operations in Southwest Virginia. In gripping narrative, he relates the effects of the war on the individual soldier and the nation as a whole. Each major battle over the course of four grueling years is retold, and each strategic decision is examined so that the war itself turns into a human effort, an exhausting struggle to retain the lands in Southwest Virginia for the South. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Gary C. Walker has been a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans for more than thirty years and has been recognized by the State of South Carolina Legislature for his many accomplishments in Civil War history. Walker is a member of several historic and preservation groups and often participates in Civil War reenactments. He is the author of Civil War Tales, Hunter's Fiery Raid through Virginia Valleys, Confederate Coloring and Learning Book, A General History of the Civil War: The Southern Point of View, and Son of the South, a novel set in Civil War-era Virginia, all published by Pelican.