Previously unpublished letters dating from 1862 and 1863 reflecting wartime conditions in St. Louis and rural Missouri, with mentions of Arkansas and the Vicksburg campaign. This book is 100% nonfiction; it is not a novel. It does not promise a happy ending or romance on every page. It leaves the reader with questions as well as answers. It is an authentic glimpse into the private lives of real people. There is a first-hand account of military action in Alabama, but most letters deal with family affairs in rural Missouri. Bibliography and illustrations included.