Thomas P. Nanzig, ed., “The Civil War Memoirs of a Virginia Cavalryman” (Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 2016). $24.95 softcover, www.uapress.ua.edu
First released in 2007, this paperback reprint makes available the rich reflections of Confederate cavalryman Lt. Robert Hubbard, Jr. an officer in the 3rd Virginia Cavalry, Hubbard and his unit saw extensive service during the conflict. His “Memoirs” offers vivid accounts of such engagements as Aldie, Todd’s Tavern, Haw’s Shop and Five Forks. Those interested in cavalry operations in the Shenandoah Valley—particularly during the autumn of 1864—will find Hubbard’s “Memoirs” a useful resource. Especially valuable is Hubbard’s account of the Battle of Milford, a little-known, but important, cavalry action fought south of Front Royal, Virginia, on Sept. 22, 1864.
In addition to the volume’s rich battle content, Hubbard’s “Memoirs” offers candid assessments of such important figures as Robert E. Lee, J.E.B. Stuart and George Armstrong Custer.
The breadth of material and depth of discussions makes “The Civil War Memoirs of a Virginia Cavalryman” an essential primary source for those interested in Confederate cavalry operations in the east, the experiences of troopers, and the Confederacy’s leaders.
