Company Aytch: A Classic Memoir of the Civil War

I have read this book over and over since high school, I literally can’t stop reading it.For the stuck up pretentious nitpickers: He recounts these tales from memory so some dates, names etc are slightly off, as he warns about many times in the book, and as far as I can tell the publisher has kept the original prose and has not edited it for corrections. There seems to also be exaggeration of dialogue and frequent use of strong adjectives for storytelling purposes. If this inaccuracy bothers you, don’t buy it, but just know you are missing out on some otherwise truly amazing stories.For the not nitpicky people: From the exuberant victories to the gut wrenching tragedies, from the rational to the supernatural, to the mundane and the humorous, with firsthand encounters of famous battles and Civil War personalities mixed in, Mr. Watkins’ storytelling to me is easily on par with Mark Twain. He is lesser known, but I don’t see why! It is as if you’re listening to him tell these stories at his home sitting around a fire. You get a (very detailed and vivid) glimpse of what it was really like to be a Confederate private in the Civil War, and to fight a losing battle.My husband works long hours and is in grad school, and lately when he comes home, he lays on the couch and I will sit and read a chapter to him aloud. He eats up every second of it!! It’s that good!! CanNOT recommend this book enough. Amazing, amazing true story.

I’ve been digging into the civil war for the past year. This book came up and I decided I had to have it. This copy is in fantastic condition and is a wonderful addition to both my collection and contributing to my understanding of the war.

This is a private's account, from where boots hit the ground, so this memoir will especially resonate with any veteran or veteran's family. This is the kind of first-person eyewitness account that will, literally, keep you up at night. I lost sleep, trying to stay up and find out what happened next in that terrible, unnecessary "war" that was brought on by Lincoln lies, disheveling, refusal to meet the Peace Commissioners, and then full-scale invasion of the sovereign state of Virginia in 1861.Sam gave me one haunting image in this book that I will never forget, and, which I will not repeat in full here due to its gruesome nature, but that any man or woman who has ever been in military uniform will recognize and appreciate. He had been wounded and was WALKING to the rear aid station (tough men, in that time), when he overtook another wounded fellow, walking more slowly. When Sam got closer, he noticed that the man's left arm was missing and bloody. I will leave it at that, although there is more to the story.Sam was in lots of very tough battles. That he survived at all, against all odds, indicates that he must have been one heck of a fighting, agile, and disciplined soldier in the ranks. He gives the exact survival numbers for his unit, and they are incredibly tragic, of course.This book should be at the top of the list for home libraries and for home-schooling parents. I would place it just next to _War Years With Jeb Stuart_ as about the best Confederate memoirs or diaries that I have found, so far.Highly recommended.

Interesting account from the foot soldiers perspective. But like most first person histories from the side that was not victorious they seem to win every battle until the last one and every withdrawal and lost ground is due to some general losing his nerve when victory was so near if only they would have supported his unite at the point of victory.

This book lives up to its reputation. If you have any interest whatsoever in the Civil War, whether you're from the North or South, you need to read this book. It has an immediacy that's lacking in history books, because the author was there and lived through some of the most hellish events in the war. And the kicker is that he was a great writer... Imagine if Mark Twain had fought in the Civil War and then wrote about it afterward. He has a gift for making you feel the exhiliration, terror, heartbreak, and drudgery of life as an infantryman in the Civil War... with a degree of literacy and introspection that raises the writing above merely a 'this happened and this happened' sort of account. His writing style is very accessible, too- this book is timeless.

True Story. Sam is a real person like you and me. Not polished, yet knows some Latin. An eyewitness to the life and battles of a soldier in the Civil War. You feel his emotions. He puts you there. He gives you a realistic look at what day to day life was like with no apology for bad attitudes about the war, hatred for poor leadership, and praise for good leadership. He talks about survival without stooping to self preservation. His character is challenged and he shares his failures and success. He introduces you to the unsung hero's. It is a guide through the Civil War from a Confederate foot soldier. He doesn't try to win you over to his way of thinking. The line of differences between the North and South, who was wright and wrong is not his interest and has wisely left it to the Historians. The back of the book outlines the events of the Civil War chronologically which makes it a great reference book and this book is used by historians to collaborate the events of the Civil War. I would like to think that my family was like Sam when they fought in the wars that have shaped our Nation.

Great book! Always a good read.

I personally believe this is one of the best personal accounts of the War Between the States I've ever read. Sam spoke in a way that reaches out and grabs you, takes you to his era and the many experiences he had during military life. I have read this book many times and only enjoy it more each read. If you have an interest in history and want a first hand account of what life was like, please get this book and turn thru its pages. You will be pulled back in time and find it hard to put down.I also admire Sam Watkins' profession of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. He is very open about his faith and I admire this as a fellow Christian.

I enjoy listening to this story while crocheting. It's easy to listen to, and the story is very interesting.

A great book for those searching for the mindset and trials of those fighting for the Confederate States. A glimpse on local state nationalism, the increasing power of Federalism and conflicting regional state economic interests.

This was a great memoir