Alexandria Goes to War

Kundahl, George G. Alexandria Goes to War: Beyond Robert E. Lee. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 2004.

Despite the title, this is not a book about the town of Alexandria, Va., “going to war.” Rather, it is a collection of biographical sketches of Alexandrians, great and small, and their experience of the Civil War and its aftermath -- if they survived the war. A diversity of types and experiences is represented, as indicated by the table of contents (below). This is a well-researched and capably-written collection that will not fail to engage the reader.

Contents:

Key Events in the Formative Years of Alexandria --
General in Chief: Robert E. Lee --
Senior General: Samuel Cooper --
Field Commander: Montgomery Corse --
Presidential Aide: G.W. Custis Lee --
General Staff Officer: George Brent --
Politician: David Funsten --
Naval Officers: French and Douglas Forrest --
Spy: Orton Williams --
Scout: Frank Stringfellow --
Engineer: Wilson Presstman --
Flower of the South: Randolph Fairfax --
Immigrant: Patrick O'Gorman --
Southern Sympathizer: Anne Frobel --
Chronicler: Alexander Hunter --
Veteran: Edgar Warfield --
Other Notable Characters.