Description
"I am impressed with the author's research, and his ability to capture the times. I could smell the burning homes and feel the wrath of the civilians caught in the scorched-earth policy of Union general 'Black Dave' Hunter." --The Midwest Book Review
Union general David Hunter redefined warfare in the South during the Civil War and helped make the War Between the States one of America's bloodiest conflicts in history. He was known throughout the Confederacy as "the Northern general all Southerners love to hate," and this was a title he earned to the fullest.
Before Hunter's reign of terror, only railroad and industrial property were destroyed in wars. However, Hunter attacked civilian property and arrested both men and women without charge. Even Hunter's own soldiers feared his wrath and nicknamed him "Black Dave." Hunter's scorched-earth policy left Southern homes and towns in ruins, and his raid of the Virginia Valleys changed the course of the Civil War and America forever.
This story of "Black Dave" explores the psychological motivations for Hunter's major decisions and analyzes his strategy as he traveled and burned much of the Virginia Valleys. With mastery and vivid detail, Walker brings Hunter's campaign to life-from the smell of the burning homes to the fear of the soldiers in battle. Hunter's Fiery Raid through Virginia Valleys is the only detailed and accurate account of David Hunter's savage assault on Confederate military forces and the Southern civilian population.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gary C. Walker is the author of several Civil War books and is the only writer in the Commonwealth of Virginia to make his income writing about America's Civil War. He has been a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans for more than thirty years and has been recognized by the State of South Carolina Legislature for his many accomplishments in the Civil War field. Walker is a member of several historic and preservation groups and often participates in Civil War reenactments.
