Reluctant Rebel (review)

Book Reviews101 Lincoln had many sides. He was a remarkably effective commander-inchief , an able lawyer, a politician, a political phüosopher, a writer, a dabbler in the sciences, a family man, and—above aU—a folk hero. His personah 'ty was indeed too complex to be divided perfecdy and evenly into packages of twenty-two or any other number. Thus we have some of the same anecdotes cropping up in two or more essays. And aU of the chapters are not of the same quaUty. T. Harry Wühams' exceUent essay on "Lincoln: the Military Strategist" tells of Lincoln's remarkable grasp and execution of the strategy necessary for subduing the South. Theodore C. Biegen writes equally well about "Lincoln's Imagery." On the other hand, such an essay as "Lincoln and Music" might better have been omitted because Lincoln appears to have had no musical side to speak of; however, the autiior Carl Haverlin, does well in coping with a difficult assignment. Minor objections aside, the compüation is a worth-while book for the thousands of Americans who are not Lincoln scholars but who find their hearts drawn to the man whose goodness as well as his greatness has made him part of the national conscience for aU time. The charm of this book lies in the quick changes from one aspect of Lincoln's character to another, each time through a different set of eyes and a different style of writing. The editor , Henry B. Kranz, has exercised good judgment in including a section on "Lincoln as His Contemporaries Saw Him." Some of these comments are undoubtedly familiar to all readers, but they offer a valuable historical setting for the more recent contributions. Mr. Kranz's facet-by-facet presentation is a commendable contribution to our understanding of Lincoln. It seems that each generation discovers him anew and interprets him in its own way. The editor and the twenty-two essayists are to be praised for their team effort in interpreting Lincoln for this generation. Perhaps this is a book that wül have to be issued in a new edition every thirty years. Robert H. Fowler Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Reluctant Rebel. By Robert Patrick. Edited by F. Jay Taylor. (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press. 1959. Pp. xiii, 271. $5.00. ) the intense current INTEREST in Civil War lore and history is certainly giving rise to numerous hitherto unpublished diaries. What makes Reluc- ían* Rebel particularly welcome is its good editing along with a sense of humor and fine qualities of literacy of the original author. In April, 1861, the Hunter Rifles boarded the steamer "J. A. Cotton" at Port Hudson, Louisiana, and sailed down the Mississippi for New Orleans. The diary opens on this experience and continues until die final days of the War. The reader receives a "Cook's tour" of the Confederacy, including scenes behind the Unes. Being articulate and practical minded, the young diarist provides us with a panoramic series of colorful episodes on and off duty. Much of this never became part of the official war records, 102CIVIL WAR HISTORY The siege around Port Hudson, Vicksburg, the Battle of Shiloh, and the retreat from Adanta are all described with the smell of battle conditions circulating throughout each entry. The comments on logistics, supply, and abilities of supply officers are most revealing. The descriptions of the looting , destruction, and the effects of war on the morals of Confederate women read like a vivid account of recent vintage. The conditions in areas near army camps as well as the tragic flight of civilians portray the headlong retreat of a populace caught in the vise of fleeing and oncoming armies. This reviewer also found Joe Johnston's retreat from Dalton to Atlanta one of the most interesting accounts of such. Originally, this diary was written in Pitman shorthand and die task of interpretation and editing has resulted in a new source of study of Civil War interest. Patrick is quite honest and shows himseU to be a very frightened soldier who does not want to be shot. The longing for home is always paramount . Having a good reporter's sense, he gives the impression...