Letters from Lee's Army ― Or Memoirs of Life in and Out of the Army in Virginia During the War Between the States

Charles Minor Blackford, an aristocrat from Virginia, enlisted in the Second Virginia Cavalry at the start of the American Civil War. During his tour of duty, Captain Blackford kept constant correspondence with his wife, Susan Leigh Blackford. Captain Blackford wrote frequently about the horrible conditions in his camp, while Susan detailed her own struggles, including the loss of her home and the death of three children. This collection of letters highlights the misery of war - from the violence on the battlefield to the hardships of the home front - and offers a first-hand account of how the Civil War affected families.

Under the command of Lieutenant General James Longstreet, Captain Charles Minor Blackford saw combat in northern Virginia and alongside Lee's Army at Gettysburg, before marching west with Longstreet's army to Chattanooga. After the war, Captain Blackford practiced law and was a charter member of the Virginia Bar Association.
Susan Leigh Blackford is the wife of Captain Charles Minor Blackford. Her correspondence with Captain Blackford is regarded as a quintessential view into the dynamics of marriage and the perils of conflict during the American Civil War.