Torn by War: The Civil War Journal of Mary Adelia Byers

by Mary Adelia Byers, Samuel R. Phillips (Editor), George E. Lankford (Introduction)

The Civil War divided the nation, communities, and families. The town of Batesville, Arkansas, found itself occupied three times by the Union army. This compelling book gives a unique perspective on the war’s western edge through the diary of Mary Adelia Byers (1847–1918), who began recording her thoughts and observations during the Union occupation of Batesville in 1862.Only fifteen when she starts her diary, Mary is beyond her years in maturity, as revealed by her acute observations of the world around her. At the same time, she appears very much a child of her era. Having lost her father at a young age, she and her family depend on the financial support of her Uncle William, a slaveowner and Confederate sympathizer. Through Mary’s eyes we are given surprising insights into local society during a national crisis. On the one hand, we see her flirting with Confederate soldiers in the Batesville town square and, on the other, facing the grim reality of war by “setting up” through the night with dying soldiers. Her journal ends in March 1865, shortly before the war comes to a close.Torn by War reveals the conflicts faced by an agricultural social elite economically dependent on slavery but situated on the fringes of the conflict between North and South. On a more personal level, it also shows how resilient and perceptive young people can be during times of crisis. Enhanced by extensive photographs, maps, and informative annotation, the volume is a valuable contribution to the growing body of literature on civilian life during the Civil War.

Genres: Civil War

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2013

Reviews

[Marilyn Lagier · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK--being that I am a buff of the Civil War era, I chose to read this book because it was written by a young woman who lived in an Arkansas town during the War. The book was a compilation of the journals she kept during this time--with family photos--and history of the area added by the editors of the book. I realize she was just 16-18 when she kept the journals and this must account for the very pedantic writing. At one point she becomes a teacher in the town as her family needs money, but she is so very dismissive of some of the younger children who cannot or do not know grammar, yet throughout her journal there are numerous grammatical errors that SHE has written. And, it seems as though she and her friends and family spend a great deal of time going to parties, spending several nights at homes of other friends or relatives; they do not appear to have suffered as others in other areas of the US did when the War hit their home towns. I was most certainly glad when I finished.

[Jo Butler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mary Adelia Byers was only fifteen when she began keeping a diary in 1862. Her home in Batesville, Arkansas lay on the western edge of the Confederacy, and traded hands six times during the Civil War. Though Mary never saw battle or true privation, she helped nurse the wounded and witnessed the upheaval of her agriculturally-dependent society, especially after the Emancipation Act. She also partied and counted her beaux as avidly as Scarlett O’Hara.

Torn by War presents Mary and her world to modern readers. Samuel Phillips has done a superb job annotating Mary’s diary entries to introduce readers to her acquaintances and relatives. Maps, photographs, and historical accounts add vital background. Mary’s diary does not include battle scenes, or provide overarching insight into national history on the diarist’s part. However, Torn by War does provide readers and Civil War researchers a clear view of civilian life during the War Between the States as experienced by an unusually mature and observant young woman.

[Kat Smutz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well-done editing job. More than the journals of Mary Adelia Byers have been included. There is also background information regarding the young woman.