Boy Colonel of the Confederacy: The Life and Times of Henry King Burgwyn, Jr.

by Davis

Henry King Burgwyn, Jr. (1841-63), one of the youngest colonels in the Confederate Army, died at the age of twenty-one while leading the twenty-sixth North Carolina regiment into action at the battle of Gettysburg. In this sensitive biography, originally published by UNC Press in 1985, Archie Davis provides a revealing portrait of the young man's character and a striking example of a soldier who selflessly fulfilled his duty. Drawing on Burgwyn's own letters and diary, Davis also offers a fascinating glimpse into North Carolina society during the antebellum period and the Civil War.

Genres: Civil War, History

Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Al · Rating 2 out of 5]

A biography of Henry Burgwyn needs to be written; this book is not that biography. This was a horrible book that was extremely difficult to read. The narrative of the battle of New Bern was a mishmash of events that were hard to follow, and the author includes details which added nothing to the narrative. He tries to give an operational and strategic view of the war, along with relating the events of Burgwyn's life with the 26th NC, but this made for a very disrupted flow in the narrative. Additionally, he includes events of Burgwyn's immediate family without providing any kind of context. I got to a point in the book where I didn't want to finish it, but I felt obligated to see it through, hoping with every chapter that the writing would somehow justify the effort. Unfortunately, I feel as if I wasted my time. Anyone who is interested in Burgwyn and the 26th NC would be better served to read "Covered with Glory: The 26th North Carolina Infantry at Gettysburg", by Rod Gragg, which is clearly superior to this poor effort.