Rebel Private: Front and Rear: Memoirs of a Confederate Soldier Paperback – March 1, 1997

I picked this book as I enjoy the Civil War. This book about this young man made it felt you were right there beside him. Sometimes it got a little flat, but then it picks right back up. I recommend it to history buffs like me.

I enjoyed reading this first-hand account, including many major events of the war. The writing was a bit awkward, and there were times I could not understand the meaning of various statements but I believe it was likely due to antiquated language or colloquial isms.

Well, this one is a conundrum. In the end, I guess we have to say that "glad he wrote it," regardless. Having read probably over 100 memoirs from the War Between the States and WWII, this one probably wins as the least satisfying. Yes, the writing is 1890's formal -- which I have long been familiar with and would never have been any issue -- and even more than that, stilted -- which also has presented no difficulty ... and even MORE than that (!) a kind of infuriating esoteric almost-code that conveys little to nothing. Was it because he was already a locally "popular" old and successful (i.e. wealthy) man, with plenty of bows to the 1890's version of political correctness so as not to offend ANYBODY, north and south? We'll likely never know. As a former grunt mud soldier myself, I was able to sift two key things that are unmistakable. One, the long marches and pure physical exertion, even in the cold night with almost no food, which Fletcher never complains about and, if anything, under-rates. This hard and brave man had been shot and wounded TWICE, in the hip and foot (with gangrene set in, for part of it), yet writes about a 10-mile trek as if you and I were walking a couple blocks to visit a neighbor -- think nothing of it! These 20-somethings were absolutely tougher than what most Americans could even imagine today. Secondly, his commitment to the "Lost Cause" and to the Southern people and families -- not at all related to black slavery -- is the best thing in the book, again under-stated in his modest way by him. His sense of duty over-rides all, even when he easily could have avoided the front line, gotten away, or avoided risk and danger. He didn't. That's why I respect this soldier and put him at the top of the list of those Marines and Army soldiers (volunteers) that I have known in my own platoon and my own life. I definitely feel and share the common quality of character with Private Fletcher, because he did his DUTY, in the end, without bragging or making any excuses.

One of the very best memoirs of the American Civil War.William A. Fletcher's Rebel Private: Front and Rear is one of the very best memoirs of the American Civil War. Mr. Fletcher was a Rebel private who participated in many of the major battles of the Civil War. Years after the war he wrote of his experiences in a simple yet authentic style as he tells of his incredible experiences. He began the war as an infantryman in the famed Texas Brigade under Stonewall Jackson and saw action in the Seven Days, Second Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and Chickamauga battles being wounded several times before being disqualified for further infantry service after Chickamauga. Private Fletcher then joined the cavalry. Captured as a cavalryman, he escaped to end the war fighting in the final battle at Bentonville with General Joseph Johnston. The war over, he returned home to Texas to become a well known lumber entrepreneur. He harbored no grudges or ill will towards the Yankees and would as he simply put it, "grease and slide back into the Union."This is a superb work of a common "grunt" blessed with unique literary talents and extraordinary soldierly perception. He writes of the common soldier and what it meant to be on the front lines. He cares not for strategy or tactics but rather the fight, the ground he is asked to take and hold, and the trials and tribulations of the front line soldier. He is an outstanding soldier who repeatedly turned down advancement to stay with his comrades. As noted Civil War historian Shelby Foote said, "(Fletcher) Gives the best account I know of... This Confederate Soldier shows his devotion to the truth by limiting his narrative to what he saw with his own eyes." High praise indeed.A must read for anyone serious about understanding the day to day life of the common Civil War soldier. The Civil War was more than battles, generals, tactics, and strategy, it was about men and how they coped with the continuous stresses of the fight. William Fletcher' memoir will give the reader insight into the grunt's view of America's most bloody war. Outstanding in all respects. 5+ Stars.

I can’t put this book down. I almost wish the war went on another 4 years so I could read more. I thrive on the minute details. How very similar we are to them yet how dedicated people were to their cause back then despite the suffering, hunger, sickness, wounding, terror, and the ever present instant death they faced. And here we are today, losing our minds when our Facebook won’t load faster than 2 seconds. We are doomed as a people because we are soft and cowardly. We sit idly by as our government rapidly strips our rights and we keep voting in people to strip our rights all in the name of “convenience and security”. We’ve elected to have 10,000 slave masters over us. Free at last, Free at last. Thank Government Almighty we are free at last.

Awesome story of a Confederate soldier who was twice wounded in the war, first at Second Manassas and again at Chickamuaga.

The author's archaic language, is hard, sometimes impossible, to follow.The vignettes of action, lie between acres of fallow inactivity.Still, a rare record of an intelligent man and southern soldier.I looked into his post-war life and he did well in the lumber trade, inventing a plank measuring machine.Married twice and had a son, who had no children.

I quite liked this book the author describes his experiences good and bad as they happened .He was an ordinary possibly not well off young man and certainly not a slave owner but like many before and since considered it his duty to join up.

When you read a lot of well written post war diarys be they re written or not,I found this one a bit mundane. It had some interesting everyday historical bits but read like my everyday diary.The plus side was this was the 1860's,not my today diary.Didn't regret buying it.

Still reading it,very good.

One of the commentators mentioned that the Private who wrote his memoirs seemed particularly astute regarding his vocabulary perhaps more so than could be expected; I came to precisely the same conclusion. However, the author used many "old" or "country" expressions, and it gave depth and originality to his writing which I enjoyed.If the reader, as was I, was expecting to read about his experiences in battle, I was disappointed. Fletcher's account of his battle experiences did not necessarily leave me with any feelings for Civil War battle. Instead, I came away from an enjoyable reading of the general sense of life for a soldier during those difficult years. Perhaps it is only my impression, but I was affected by his problem of obtaining food from wherever it could be found, be it: purchased, given, hunted or stolen.In genéral, I loved reading Fletchér's memoir from his early battles as an infantryman to his later experiences as a cavalryman.