Love and Loss: A Virginia Girl's Civil War Diary

by Mary Octavia Tabb

The Civil War brought deprivations to this young white girl living in Southeastern Virginia. But she recorded the activities, daydreams and disappointments of her daily life over a five-year period while living in her family's home. Annotated; maps; genealogical charts.

Genres: History

162 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2009

Reviews

[Shelly♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Octavia Smith kept a diary starting in January of 1863 through November of 1868. While her initial entries are more representative of what a Southern woman's daily life might be like, in 1864 she gets into the remorse and loss of a young soldier lost during the Battle of Big Bethel. Her pain in quite vivid in these extremely well written and descriptive passage. Later on her diary become a combination of both.

At the end of the diary, there is some research material included. These sections explain the relationships of the people mentioned in the diary to its author - as it is not always apparent from her texts. A number of family trees are provided for the Smiths and other families mentioned.

I will say that for the average reader this book would probably hold little interest. Tavy's diary is mostly a log of life in the mid-18th century. Students of history will find it more interesting, and be able to link up historical events to some of the entries in the diary. It also represents the consequence of the war - the loss felt by so many women across both the North and South. Tavy struggles to the point of feeling unable to extend her heart to another. Her sorrow doesn't subside and is compiled by the other losses of friends and a way of life.

Recommend for students of the Civil War.