Reminiscences of a Private

About

Reminiscences of a Private is William Bevens’s personal chronicle of his participation in such famous Civil War battles as Shiloh, Chickamauga, Atlanta, and Nashville. There is no supernal heroism here, no pretension, no grandiose analysis. Bevens is neither introspective nor philosophical, and he rarely dwells on the larger issues of the war. He concerns himself with what mattered to him as a common foot soldier. There are longer and fuller accounts of the war; however, few are as honest or as direct as this frank and forthright journal. By confining his contributions as editor to filling gaps in Bevens’s narrative, to correcting some misspellings, and to providing dates and explanatory notes, Daniel Sutherland allows Bevens to tell his story of a young Arkansan at war. His unassuming voice will speak to all readers with compelling candor.

Praise

“Sutherland’s meticulous annotations give depth and lend greater credibility to this valuable memoir—one of the few extensive personal accounts by an Arkansas veteran.”
—Joseph G. Dawson, Texas A&M University

“This memoir is a rare treasure. It is a perspective of combat from the viewpoint of a young, nonslaveholding Arkansan from Jacksonport who served as a lowly infantryman for the duration of the Civil War. This work is made even more valuable by the skilled editing, copious notes, and full introductions provided by Professor Daniel E. Sutherland. General readers, Civil War buffs, and scholars inside and outside of Arkansas will find this publication both informative and entertaining.”
—James M. Woods, Georgia Southern University

“This edition of William E. Bevens’s Reminiscences of a Private is a welcome addition to the regrettably small body of testimony from Arkansans who served in the Confederate army. Enhanced by Daniel E. Sutherland’s excellent introduction and careful annotation, it sheds light not only on the campaigns and battles in which Bevens participated, but also on day-to-day life in the army and a range of such topics as Confederate attitudes towards slavery and the North’s use of black troops.”
—Gary W. Gallagher, Pennsylvania State University

Review

“Daniel E. Sutherland, a Civil War specialist at the University of Arkansas, agreed to edit this new edition of Reminiscences of a Private at the publisher’s behest. He did an excellent job, contributing an informative introduction and illuminating Bevens’s text with exhaustive notes on the persons, places, and events mentioned therein. Sutherland’s masterful annotations trans- formed what was originally a good story into a valuable reference tool and a model for future research into the experiences of Arkansas troops in the Civil War.”
—Gregory J. W. Urwin, The Journal of Southern History, May 1995