Author Gene Barr’s New Book Tells Unique Story of One Young Couple’s Courtship During the Civil War’s Western Campaign

EL DORADO HILLS, CA: July 12, 2016 – Savas Beatie recently announced the release of a new book by author Gene Barr, A Civil War Captain and His Lady: A True Story of Love, Courtship, and Combat from Fort Donelson through the Vicksburg Campaign, which tells the story of a courtship between soldier and lady that offers rare personal insight into the impact of the war on soldier and civilian alike.

More than 150 years ago, 27-year-old Irish immigrant Josiah Moore met 19-year-old Jennie Lindsay, a member of one of Peoria, Illinois’s most prominent families. The Civil War had just begun, Josiah was the captain of the 17th Illinois Infantry, and his war would be a long and bloody one. Their courtship and romance, which came to light in a rare and unpublished series of letters, forms the basis of Gene Barr’s memorable A Civil War Captain and His Lady. The story of Josiah, Jennie, the men of the 17th, and their families tracks the toll on our nation during the war and allows us to explore the often difficult recovery after the last gun sounded in 1865.

In addition to this deeply moving and often riveting correspondence, Barr includes additional previously unpublished material on the 17th Illinois and the war’s Western Theater, including Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Vicksburg, and the lesser known Meridian Campaign—actions that have historically received much less attention than similar battles in the Eastern Theater. The result is a rich, complete, and satisfying story of love, danger, politics, and warfare, and it is one you won’t soon forget.

“In this rare and remarkable collection of letters readers come to know two young lovers brought together and then separated by the exigencies of war. From their values and social customs to their spirituality and politics that divided the nation, communities, and even families, these letters provide us with a more comprehensive view of the fabric of everyday life in Civil War America and the yearning of soldiers and civilians for the return to a normalcy they all knew would be different when the guns fell silent. Coupled with expert annotation and rich narrative that place the letters in context, this work makes for a unique, enlightening, and most delightful read,” said Terrence J. Winschel, previous Historian for Vicksburg National Military Park and author of Triumph & Defeat: The Vicksburg Campaign, Volumes I and II.

“As I transcribed the letters I began to see the real relationship develop between Josiah and Jennie, and I began to understand them as human beings with their strengths and weaknesses,” said author Gene Barr. “It was also exciting to find new, unpublished information on Fort Donelson, Shiloh, and Vicksburg—yet at the same time it was just as important to see the events of more than 150 years ago through the eyes of these two young people and how religion, the war effort, politics, and the home front colored that interpretation.”

About the Author: Gene Barr is the president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, the largest broad-based business advocacy group in Pennsylvania. He has spent more than 40 years in the political and government affairs world, including more than twelve years with a Fortune 100 energy company. Barr is a board member and former chair of the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, PA and spent many years engaged in Civil War living history events. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and lives in Mechanicsburg with his wife Mary.

About Savas Beatie LLC: Savas Beatie LLC is a leading military and general history publishing company. Read more about A Civil War Captain and His Lady: http://tinyurl.com/jbelw3f.

Contact: Renee Morehouse, Savas Beatie LLC
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 916-941-6896, Fax: 916-941-6895