Campaigning with "Old Stonewall"

Orphaned at age three, Ujanirtus Allen grew up in foster homes and boarding schools. In the spring of 1861, when he turned twenty-one, “Ugie” inherited a substantial estate in Troup County, Georgia, replete with slaves, livestock, and machinery. Unfortunately for Allen, the outbreak of war made it impossible to build the stable life and permanent home he so desperately wanted for himself, his wife, Susan, and their infant son.

In April 1861, Allen, fueled by pride and patriotism, joined the Ben Hill Infantry, which eventually became Company F, 21st Georgia Volunteer Infantry. He wrote his wife twice weekly, penning at least 138 letters before he received a mortal wound at Chancellorsville on May 2, 1863. Allen’s ability to convey his observations and feelings on a variety of topics combined with vivid descriptions of his environment set Campaigning with “Old Stonewall” apart from other collections of Civil War letters.

More than simply personal, Ugie’s missives to his beloved Susie abound with vibrant portrayals of wartime Richmond and the beautiful Virginia countryside as well as battlefields such as Cross Keys, Gaines’s Mill, Cedar Mountain, Antietam, and Fredericksburg. A discerning observer of people, Allen filled his letters with deft characterizations and gossipy accounts of regimental officers, lowly privates, and generals from Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson to Robert E. Lee. Allen was responsible for dozens of enlisted men, and his correspondence makes clear the myriad duties of a company-grade officer in the Confederate army.

Editors Randall Allen and Keith S. Bohannon expertly weave Allen’s letters with valuable commentary and annotations and include a useful index that identifies every person Allen discusses. Whether focused on the war or on his farm and family, Ugie Allen’s talent for communicating his perceptions and opinions makes Campaigning with “Old Stonewall” a valuable resource.