num_pages: 352
description: A gripping history of the Civil War through the eyes of the soldiers in one of its most legendary regiments--the Eighth Georgia Infantry--who fought on the forefront of the Civil War's most major battles. The Confederate soldiers of the 8th Georgia Regiment came from all walks of life. They included upstanding men like Melvin Dwinnel a teacher and a publisher as well as the likes of James Potter Williamson whose listed occupation was loafer. They met in Rome Georgia in May 1861 and became the first regiment to enlist for the duration of the hostilities--most others held together for a single season. United by a deep love for the land left behind and a fierce determination to fight for their homes and way of life the men of the 8th persevered through brutal battles miserable conditions and dimming prospects of a Confederate victory. Using diaries letters home to loved ones and other historical documents Steven E. Woodworth follows these brave men from the red clay of Georgia through the Battle of Bull Run to Maryland into the bloody battle of Gettysburg through Tennessee and the brutal Battle of Chickamauga and finally to their ultimate defeat at Appomattox. Through every struggle he reveals their motivations and sometimes painful decisions telling a story of human hopes and fears and ultimately showing this most divisive war at its most personal.
language: English
title: A Scythe of Fire: A Civil War Story of the Eighth Georgia Infantry Regiment
publisher: William Morrow