Book Description

"Slack's War" consists of 121 letters written from 1862 to 1865 by General James R. Slack, 47th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, to his wife, Ann. Slack's letters span the entire length of his service and include not only his commentary on all the events and battles he participated in (New Madrid, the White River and Yazoo Pass Expeditions, Grant's March, Port Gibson, Champion Hill, Vicksburg, Jackson, the Bayou Teche and Red River Campaigns, Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, New Orleans, and Mobile), but also his commentary on the Indiana home front and the Indiana Treason Trials, life in the occupied Mississippi Valley, life in occupied Mobile and Spring Hill, Alabama, and postwar service at Brazos Santiago Island and Brownsville, Texas. The Indiana State Library (ISL) permitted use of only one-half of the James R. Slack inventory and these letters, transcribed verbatim by the editor, comprise the half he selected from the ISL's annotated bibliography. Excerpts of some of Slack's letters appear in his book, "The 47th Indiana Volunteer Infantry: A Civil War History," Jefferson, NC, and London: McFarland & Company, Publishers, 2012. ------------------------------------------------------------------