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Junius and Albert's Adventures in the Confederacy: A Civil War Odyssey
Junius Browne and Albert Richardson covered the Civil War for the New York Tribune until Confederates captured them as they tried to sneak past Vicksburg on a hay barge. Shuffled from one Rebel prison to another, they escaped and trekked across the snow-covered Appalachians with the help of slaves and pro-Union bushwhackers. Their amazing, long-forgotten odyssey is one of the great escape stories in American history, packed with drama, courage, horrors and heroics, plus moments of antic comedy.
On their long, strange adventure, Junius and Albert encountered an astonishing variety of American characters—Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant, Rebel con men and Union spies, a Confederate pirate-turned-playwright, a sadistic hangman nicknamed “the Anti-Christ,” a secret society called the Heroes of America, a Union guerrilla convinced that God protected him from Confederate bullets, and a mysterious teenage girl who rode to their rescue at just the right moment.
Peter Carlson, author of the critically acclaimed K Blows Top, has, in Junius and Albert’s Adventures in the Confederacy, written a gripping story about the lifesaving power of friendship and a surreal voyage through the bloody battlefields, dark prisons, and cold mountains of the Civil War.
On their long, strange adventure, Junius and Albert encountered an astonishing variety of American characters—Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant, Rebel con men and Union spies, a Confederate pirate-turned-playwright, a sadistic hangman nicknamed “the Anti-Christ,” a secret society called the Heroes of America, a Union guerrilla convinced that God protected him from Confederate bullets, and a mysterious teenage girl who rode to their rescue at just the right moment.
Peter Carlson, author of the critically acclaimed K Blows Top, has, in Junius and Albert’s Adventures in the Confederacy, written a gripping story about the lifesaving power of friendship and a surreal voyage through the bloody battlefields, dark prisons, and cold mountains of the Civil War.
270 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
29 people are currently reading
1316 people want to read
About the author
Peter Carlson
15 books14 followersPeter Carlson is the author of K Blows Top, which has been optioned for a feature film. For 22 years, he was a reporter and columnist for the Washington Post and is now a columnist at American History magazine. He has also written for Smithsonian, Life, People, Newsweek, The Nation, and The Huffington Post. He lives in Rockville, MD.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
May 24, 2013
So here’s the short version – this is a very good book and I highly recommend it. You don’t need to be a Civil War buff to enjoy this book. It’s a true story, not a fictionalized or “re-imagined” account. It doesn’t need to be. This is a compelling story and it’s easy to get immersed in the narrative.
If you need more information, Junius and Albert’s Adventures in the Confederacy is the light-hearted title to this true story of two reporters who were captured by the Confederacy while trying to get to Vicksburg to cover the upcoming battle. They were held prisoner for twenty months experiencing the truly horrendous conditions of several Southern prisons before escaping and traveling on foot more than 300 miles to the safety of the Union lines.
This is history written for a general audience. Nothing is fictionalized according to the author. It’s well researched and told with quotes from the individuals involved in the story liberally and seamlessly mixed into the narrative. According to the author all facts, quotes, and dialogue were taken from historical sources. The author, Peter Carlson, is a former reporter and columnist so his writing is accessible and entertaining. This book was an excellent read and I found it difficult to put down.
The first half of the book introduces Junius Browne and Albert Richardson. It sets the stage by following them through their early career and the events that led to the succession of the Southern States. It details their activities covering the war and their efforts to cover Grant’s army as it moved to attack Vicksburg which led to their capture and imprisonment.
The second half of the book describes their imprisonment in some of the worst Civil War era prisons in the South for almost 2 years. It goes on to detail their escape by literally walking out of Salisbury Prison and tells how they walked 300 miles (mostly at night and in the snow) over the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee to freedom.
Throughout this book you’ll meet a number of fascinating individuals some you may have heard of like Horace Greeley and many you haven’t. From the various newspapermen from the North and South to Captain George W. Alexander, a Confederate pirate-turned-playwright and the notorious superintendent of Castle Thunder prison in Richmond Virginia, the back stories of these uniquely American characters will hold your interest and may inspire you to do further reading.
I was fascinated by the details of the war fought in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee. This was the Civil War fought not by large armies, but by militias and home guards, bushwhackers and outliers. It was often personal and very violent. In Carlson’s “Notes on Sources” he gives a listing of his source materials with further details for those who might want to learn more about the places, incidents, and characters introduced in this book. I found a number of titles that I added to my reading list. Primary among those is Bushwhackers: The Civil War in North Carolina: The Mountains.
As I said at the beginning, this is an excellent book any you’ll be happy you read it.
This review is from an advance galley provided by Net Galley to my Kindle.
If you need more information, Junius and Albert’s Adventures in the Confederacy is the light-hearted title to this true story of two reporters who were captured by the Confederacy while trying to get to Vicksburg to cover the upcoming battle. They were held prisoner for twenty months experiencing the truly horrendous conditions of several Southern prisons before escaping and traveling on foot more than 300 miles to the safety of the Union lines.
This is history written for a general audience. Nothing is fictionalized according to the author. It’s well researched and told with quotes from the individuals involved in the story liberally and seamlessly mixed into the narrative. According to the author all facts, quotes, and dialogue were taken from historical sources. The author, Peter Carlson, is a former reporter and columnist so his writing is accessible and entertaining. This book was an excellent read and I found it difficult to put down.
The first half of the book introduces Junius Browne and Albert Richardson. It sets the stage by following them through their early career and the events that led to the succession of the Southern States. It details their activities covering the war and their efforts to cover Grant’s army as it moved to attack Vicksburg which led to their capture and imprisonment.
The second half of the book describes their imprisonment in some of the worst Civil War era prisons in the South for almost 2 years. It goes on to detail their escape by literally walking out of Salisbury Prison and tells how they walked 300 miles (mostly at night and in the snow) over the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee to freedom.
Throughout this book you’ll meet a number of fascinating individuals some you may have heard of like Horace Greeley and many you haven’t. From the various newspapermen from the North and South to Captain George W. Alexander, a Confederate pirate-turned-playwright and the notorious superintendent of Castle Thunder prison in Richmond Virginia, the back stories of these uniquely American characters will hold your interest and may inspire you to do further reading.
I was fascinated by the details of the war fought in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee. This was the Civil War fought not by large armies, but by militias and home guards, bushwhackers and outliers. It was often personal and very violent. In Carlson’s “Notes on Sources” he gives a listing of his source materials with further details for those who might want to learn more about the places, incidents, and characters introduced in this book. I found a number of titles that I added to my reading list. Primary among those is Bushwhackers: The Civil War in North Carolina: The Mountains.
As I said at the beginning, this is an excellent book any you’ll be happy you read it.
This review is from an advance galley provided by Net Galley to my Kindle.
September 19, 2013
I wanted to give this book 4 stars just because this entire true tale flows so easily and it just didn't seem 'serious enough.' I realized that this is exactly what makes this engaging story so good--Mr. Carlson's skill in tying together historical references to make this a very readable, interesting tale. This is the story of 2 friends who met as reporters and ended up being captured together by the Confederacy. Unfortunately for them, they ended up in more than one POW prison and after being confined for quite some time, they chose to escape, with the help of many others sympathetic to the Union. They went through adventures which actually took some very desperate turns with the intention of seeing it through and faithfully gathering information as reporters the whole time. I had to admire that even though their professional dedication let some significant personal matter slide. If one dislikes history and simply has to read a history book, this is the one to pick. It offers genuine history in addition to a well written, well researched story. That's why I have to give this book 5 stars--it's impossible to improve this tale.
June 11, 2013
Very, Very Interesting
Do not buy this book if you are looking for suspense, but it is such an excellently written slice of history that even if you aren’t a history buff, you will enjoy this book. The true story of these two reporters reveals a side of the confederacy that most of us Southerners, or any Americans for that matter, don’t wish to acknowledge. I frequently wonder what the Germans think about their actions during WWII, but the way that the prisoners were treated in the Confederacy was shockingly bad. It makes you realize that we are not too many years removed from actions occurring around the world today.
I recommend this to anyone interested in stretching his mind about American history. I would also like to point out that this would make an excellent addition to a history classroom. It is not difficult to read, although my Kindle dictionary helped with some of the older terms, but it would allow students to glimpse a view of life during the American Civil War that they might not otherwise garner.
Do not buy this book if you are looking for suspense, but it is such an excellently written slice of history that even if you aren’t a history buff, you will enjoy this book. The true story of these two reporters reveals a side of the confederacy that most of us Southerners, or any Americans for that matter, don’t wish to acknowledge. I frequently wonder what the Germans think about their actions during WWII, but the way that the prisoners were treated in the Confederacy was shockingly bad. It makes you realize that we are not too many years removed from actions occurring around the world today.
I recommend this to anyone interested in stretching his mind about American history. I would also like to point out that this would make an excellent addition to a history classroom. It is not difficult to read, although my Kindle dictionary helped with some of the older terms, but it would allow students to glimpse a view of life during the American Civil War that they might not otherwise garner.
April 28, 2013
I received this Advance Reader Copy through NetGalley.
The title of the nonfiction book is whimsical and light; the reality is not. I have read quite a bit on the Civil War, but I hadn't heard of the terrible plight of Browne and Richardson. These two reporters were left to wallow and die in a series of Confederate prisons, all because they worked for the Tribune, a famed abolitionist newspaper out of New York. Other Yankee reporters were quickly released. Instead, their ordeal dragged out for almost two years.
Carlson does an excellent job of creating a tense, compelling narrative. The two reporters begin their reporting on the war with a flippant attitude. They gripe about the boredom and lack of action, so they write up absolutely fictional accounts of battles like Pea Ridge, when in truth they were over a thousand miles away. Then they are captured, and they enter hell. I won't go into gory details. Andersonville is the most infamous of the Confederate prisons, but places like Castle Thunder and Salisbury weren't cushy by any means.
However, the story isn't all negativity. The men endured the best and worst of humanity. They only survived and escaped due to the kindness of blacks willing to do anything in their power to help Yankees, and the pro-Union guerrilla fighters of Appalachia. After the war, the ordeal still isn't over, and it's very heartbreaking to see how much these men really lost in their time of captivity.
I highly recommend this to anyone who's a student of history with an interest in the American Civil War.
The title of the nonfiction book is whimsical and light; the reality is not. I have read quite a bit on the Civil War, but I hadn't heard of the terrible plight of Browne and Richardson. These two reporters were left to wallow and die in a series of Confederate prisons, all because they worked for the Tribune, a famed abolitionist newspaper out of New York. Other Yankee reporters were quickly released. Instead, their ordeal dragged out for almost two years.
Carlson does an excellent job of creating a tense, compelling narrative. The two reporters begin their reporting on the war with a flippant attitude. They gripe about the boredom and lack of action, so they write up absolutely fictional accounts of battles like Pea Ridge, when in truth they were over a thousand miles away. Then they are captured, and they enter hell. I won't go into gory details. Andersonville is the most infamous of the Confederate prisons, but places like Castle Thunder and Salisbury weren't cushy by any means.
However, the story isn't all negativity. The men endured the best and worst of humanity. They only survived and escaped due to the kindness of blacks willing to do anything in their power to help Yankees, and the pro-Union guerrilla fighters of Appalachia. After the war, the ordeal still isn't over, and it's very heartbreaking to see how much these men really lost in their time of captivity.
I highly recommend this to anyone who's a student of history with an interest in the American Civil War.
December 27, 2013
Junius and Albert are two reporters who are sent to cover the Civil War in the South. Northern reporters were not welcome people in the South, and inevitably, they were captured and put in a prisoner of war camp. Efforts to get them out were not successful, and they were transferred from one dreary prison to another. Their eventual escape led them through the rugged hills of North Carolina and Tennessee. Aided by Union sympathizers, they reached the Union lines after amazing exploits and adventures. The description of the hills and mountains and the hardline people who opposed the Confederacy is mind boggling. Because of the rugged terrain, armies could not be fielded, so it was guerrilla warfare with little support from the main armies.
The author is an excellent writer, and I could hardly put this book down. I have to find more books about what was going on in the Appalachians during this time.
The author is an excellent writer, and I could hardly put this book down. I have to find more books about what was going on in the Appalachians during this time.
February 28, 2013
Junius and Albert’s Adventures in the Confederacy: A Civil War Odyssey by Peter Carlson is a very well written book based on the accounts of Albert Richardson and Junius Browne who were reporters for the New York Tribune. Both men were twenty-nine years old and had been friends for ten years. Albert was stocky, strong, had a close-cropped beard, and a droll wit. Junius was scrawny, prematurely bald, a bookish intellectual, and had a caustic sense of humor. I have never read any book that contained so many archaic words but that was typical of writers in the mid nineteenth century and they actually made the book more interesting. The author stated that everything in the book is true or as close to the truth as possible 150 years after the events happened and that nothing was fictionalized with all facts, quotes, and dialogue being taken from historical sources.
Albert and Junius met up at the Union army encampment in Millikens Bend twenty-five miles north of Vicksburg, Mississippi, on May 3, 1863. To get to Vicksburg they could either ride down the river past Rebel cannons or walk through the mud of Louisiana. After two years of war reporting they had plodded through enough mud to last them a lifetime. Living in Louisiana, I can understand their desire to avoid the mud of Louisiana for when wet it becomes gumbo and is almost impossible to walk through. They chose to ride down the river atop hay bails on two tugboats. As the tugs floated past Vicksburg, they were riddled by cannon fire and the reporters landed in the river. On May 4, 1863, Richardson and Browne were pulled from the river and spent the next several days in the local jail. Their long twenty month ordeal began as they were moved from one prison to another ending up at Salisbury Prison in North Carolina. On December 18, 1864, Richardson and Browne escaped from prison.
I have known all my adult life that the wartime prisons in the south were some of the most terrible places on earth, however, I had never read any first hand accounts of what actually went on in the prisons. As I was reading the book I kept asking myself how one human being could be so cruel to another with the only reason seeming to be that the person being brutalized was a Yankee. At one point a horse was accidentally killed and the starving prisoners asked if they could have the horse for food. The Confederate soldier denied their request because: ”I do not want you’uns to go home and tell the folks up thar that we’uns fed you’uns on dead horse.” Not only were the prisoners denied food but one of the favorite pastimes of the wardens was shooting prisoners for any reason such as walking too close to a line on the ground. And prisoners were never given a reason for brutal beatings.
Freedom finally came to Richardson and Browne on January 13, 1865, It had been 620 days since the Rebels had dragged the reporters from the Mississippi River, 27 days since they had escaped from Salisbury Prison, and they had walked over 300 miles with most of it over mountains and through snow. Richardson was exhausted, filthy, cold, and aching but he had the presence of mind and the journalistic flair to send the Tribune a telegram from Knoxville, Tennessee, on January 13, 1865 that was guaranteed to be quoted in the Tribune. “Out of the jaws of Death; out of the mouth of Hell.–Albert D. Richardson”
Attending school in the deep south, Alabama to be exact, I do not remember studying all that much about the Civil War. I requested this book for review for I wanted to learn more about the war and felt that the writings of two reporters who were involved in the war would give a true account of what happened. Reading the book was definitely an eye opener. The book is filled with drama, courage, unbelievable horrors, acts of heroism, and even a few instances to make one laugh. The author listed numerous resources at the end of the book if one wants to do more reading about the Civil War.
I cannot say that I enjoyed reading the book the same way I would enjoy an historical western romance but I did learn a lot from reading the book. My enjoyment of the book was dampened by all the horrible treatment of prisoners during the war. There were a couple or three times that I laughed at something the reporters did, but most of the reading brought tears to my eyes. Also, the treatment of the Confederate soldiers was a heart breaking story in its own right. “A rich man’s war but a poor man’s fight” was the slogan repeated throughout the war by the embittered Confederates. This slogan came into being because the rich could buy a substitute to take their place in the war or if a man owned twenty slaves he did not have to fight. In spite of all the hatred, bitterness, fighting, and other elements of war, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the Civil War.
I received this book free from Net Galley in exchange for a review.
Albert and Junius met up at the Union army encampment in Millikens Bend twenty-five miles north of Vicksburg, Mississippi, on May 3, 1863. To get to Vicksburg they could either ride down the river past Rebel cannons or walk through the mud of Louisiana. After two years of war reporting they had plodded through enough mud to last them a lifetime. Living in Louisiana, I can understand their desire to avoid the mud of Louisiana for when wet it becomes gumbo and is almost impossible to walk through. They chose to ride down the river atop hay bails on two tugboats. As the tugs floated past Vicksburg, they were riddled by cannon fire and the reporters landed in the river. On May 4, 1863, Richardson and Browne were pulled from the river and spent the next several days in the local jail. Their long twenty month ordeal began as they were moved from one prison to another ending up at Salisbury Prison in North Carolina. On December 18, 1864, Richardson and Browne escaped from prison.
I have known all my adult life that the wartime prisons in the south were some of the most terrible places on earth, however, I had never read any first hand accounts of what actually went on in the prisons. As I was reading the book I kept asking myself how one human being could be so cruel to another with the only reason seeming to be that the person being brutalized was a Yankee. At one point a horse was accidentally killed and the starving prisoners asked if they could have the horse for food. The Confederate soldier denied their request because: ”I do not want you’uns to go home and tell the folks up thar that we’uns fed you’uns on dead horse.” Not only were the prisoners denied food but one of the favorite pastimes of the wardens was shooting prisoners for any reason such as walking too close to a line on the ground. And prisoners were never given a reason for brutal beatings.
Freedom finally came to Richardson and Browne on January 13, 1865, It had been 620 days since the Rebels had dragged the reporters from the Mississippi River, 27 days since they had escaped from Salisbury Prison, and they had walked over 300 miles with most of it over mountains and through snow. Richardson was exhausted, filthy, cold, and aching but he had the presence of mind and the journalistic flair to send the Tribune a telegram from Knoxville, Tennessee, on January 13, 1865 that was guaranteed to be quoted in the Tribune. “Out of the jaws of Death; out of the mouth of Hell.–Albert D. Richardson”
Attending school in the deep south, Alabama to be exact, I do not remember studying all that much about the Civil War. I requested this book for review for I wanted to learn more about the war and felt that the writings of two reporters who were involved in the war would give a true account of what happened. Reading the book was definitely an eye opener. The book is filled with drama, courage, unbelievable horrors, acts of heroism, and even a few instances to make one laugh. The author listed numerous resources at the end of the book if one wants to do more reading about the Civil War.
I cannot say that I enjoyed reading the book the same way I would enjoy an historical western romance but I did learn a lot from reading the book. My enjoyment of the book was dampened by all the horrible treatment of prisoners during the war. There were a couple or three times that I laughed at something the reporters did, but most of the reading brought tears to my eyes. Also, the treatment of the Confederate soldiers was a heart breaking story in its own right. “A rich man’s war but a poor man’s fight” was the slogan repeated throughout the war by the embittered Confederates. This slogan came into being because the rich could buy a substitute to take their place in the war or if a man owned twenty slaves he did not have to fight. In spite of all the hatred, bitterness, fighting, and other elements of war, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the Civil War.
I received this book free from Net Galley in exchange for a review.
June 18, 2014
I'm a little nervous to post my review since I'm an uneducated immigrant when it comes to the subject of American history, so please excuse any unintentional faux pas .
In all honesty I almost gave up on this book after the first few pages, I was completely confused and didn't know who was who or what on earth was going on. I decided to persevere after doing some background reading about the civil wars and am so glad that I did, because this was definitely a subject that I needed to educate myself on.
I was completely immersed in the story once I hit the third chapter and found I no longer needed to use my cheat sheet to remind me who was who. As someone who typically avoids non fiction historical war novels I was surprised with how engrossing this story was. Most books in this type of genre tend to be chapters full of information dumps with no consideration of writing style. This was the polar opposite. Carlson made me feel like I was actually there with Richardson and Browne during their exciting, petrifying, horrific and historical journey.
Richardson and Browne had a fantastic sense of humor even in the direst of circumstances. You couldn't help but root for them. And even though there was a poignant juxtaposition between the military and the high society of the journalists it was moving to see Richardson and Browne considering and assisting with the plight of the soldiers in the prisons.
This book has encouraged me to look further into the civil wars, and in my opinion, any book that encourages further reading deserves 5 stars but it deserves it on its own merits. A historical novel with an engrossing story brought to live by the enigmatic writing style of Carlson.
In all honesty I almost gave up on this book after the first few pages, I was completely confused and didn't know who was who or what on earth was going on. I decided to persevere after doing some background reading about the civil wars and am so glad that I did, because this was definitely a subject that I needed to educate myself on.
I was completely immersed in the story once I hit the third chapter and found I no longer needed to use my cheat sheet to remind me who was who. As someone who typically avoids non fiction historical war novels I was surprised with how engrossing this story was. Most books in this type of genre tend to be chapters full of information dumps with no consideration of writing style. This was the polar opposite. Carlson made me feel like I was actually there with Richardson and Browne during their exciting, petrifying, horrific and historical journey.
Richardson and Browne had a fantastic sense of humor even in the direst of circumstances. You couldn't help but root for them. And even though there was a poignant juxtaposition between the military and the high society of the journalists it was moving to see Richardson and Browne considering and assisting with the plight of the soldiers in the prisons.
This book has encouraged me to look further into the civil wars, and in my opinion, any book that encourages further reading deserves 5 stars but it deserves it on its own merits. A historical novel with an engrossing story brought to live by the enigmatic writing style of Carlson.
November 12, 2013
This is a very interesting and compelling story! While non-fiction it flows like a novel with well developed characters who face a plethora of issues and problems throughout the story. Set in the midst of the Civil War two newspaper reporters, Junius Browne and Albert Richardson, of the New York Tribune, Horace Greeley's paper, report on battles from Virginia to Vicksburg. In 1863, just prior to Grant's siege of Vicksburg, they are captured after the barge they were riding, trying to get past the Confederate cannons on the cliffs of Vicksburg, is hit, sinks and they are captured!
Thus begins a journey among many Southern prisons over the next 20 months that illustrates the horror and suffering of the Union prisoners. Escaping at last from the infamous Salisbury prison in North Carolina they embark on a trek of over 200 miles in Winter over the mountains of N Carolina and Tennessee until they reach safety in the Union lines at Knoxville. Their story of help by poor black slaves, which included food and shelter in their cabins and barns and a guide to the next safe house and help from Union sympathizers scattered throughout the mountains while Rebel Home Guard units searched for deserters, make for a gripping tale of human endurance.
The author finishes with a tale of a jealous husband, a new love and ... Read and discover what happens to these two intrepid reporters!
Thus begins a journey among many Southern prisons over the next 20 months that illustrates the horror and suffering of the Union prisoners. Escaping at last from the infamous Salisbury prison in North Carolina they embark on a trek of over 200 miles in Winter over the mountains of N Carolina and Tennessee until they reach safety in the Union lines at Knoxville. Their story of help by poor black slaves, which included food and shelter in their cabins and barns and a guide to the next safe house and help from Union sympathizers scattered throughout the mountains while Rebel Home Guard units searched for deserters, make for a gripping tale of human endurance.
The author finishes with a tale of a jealous husband, a new love and ... Read and discover what happens to these two intrepid reporters!
July 2, 2013
A rollicking (and true!) tale from my pal Peter Carlson about two New York Tribune reporters who, during the Civil War, tried to go where the action was and wound captured and confined to a series of Confederate prisons, until they escaped.
Like most journalists of their era, Albert Richardson and Junius Browne didn't let facts get in the way of a good story. The author's challenge here is to go back and piece together a true-as-possible account of what happened based on Browne and Richardson's memoirs and other records. This book is by no means an academic exercise and it might drive historians up and over a wall, but it's a sound, well-reported hoot to read. And it would make a fantastic buddy film.
Like most journalists of their era, Albert Richardson and Junius Browne didn't let facts get in the way of a good story. The author's challenge here is to go back and piece together a true-as-possible account of what happened based on Browne and Richardson's memoirs and other records. This book is by no means an academic exercise and it might drive historians up and over a wall, but it's a sound, well-reported hoot to read. And it would make a fantastic buddy film.
January 3, 2020
I didn't realize that this book was nonfiction when I started it (due to its creative title and book jacket). I thoroughly disliked it until I found out it was real stuff. Then I settled in and completely enjoyed it.
February 11, 2024
Wow, could not put this down. Read it in one day. Nonfiction that reads like fiction. Highly recommend. Its a eyewitness account of not only two journalists from the north captured by the south and imprisoned during the war, but of the war itself.
Just excellent.
Just excellent.
January 29, 2016
Junius and Albert were war correspondents for the New York Tribune and were captured after their boat was sank by confederate artillery. They spent almost two years in POW camps before escaping. Once they were out of the prison, they had to sneak 200 miles through the mountains to get to Knoxville, where the closet Union army was. They relied a lot on the kindness of slaves, in what the author describes as in inverse underground railroad. African American slaves hid the Yankee prison escapees, and helped them find the next friendly location. Once they got into the mountains though, there were less slaves, and they had to take chances on guessing the allegiance of each house they came upon. The poorer the people, the more likely they were union supporters.
This is an easy and enjoyable book. It's not heavy on the dry history, and the story pulls you along quickly. The most interesting part of the book was when the author went into more detail about the guerrilla war in the mountains. I was unfamiliar with that aspect of the civil war, and learning about the people "lying out"and the conflict between the bushwhackers and the stampeders vs the Home Guard set an interesting environment. The book is funny at times, and its easy to see Junius and Albert in modern settings. I think this would make a fun dark comedy movie, maybe a Coen brothers production!
The only thing holding it back was the writing. Its not bad, but at times the author repeated descriptions, and I swear repeated source quotes a few times (maybe not). If goodreads allowed half stars, I'd give it a solid 3.5, maybe even a 3.75.
It really was fun, and worth the $7.98 bargain price BN has it at now.
This is an easy and enjoyable book. It's not heavy on the dry history, and the story pulls you along quickly. The most interesting part of the book was when the author went into more detail about the guerrilla war in the mountains. I was unfamiliar with that aspect of the civil war, and learning about the people "lying out"and the conflict between the bushwhackers and the stampeders vs the Home Guard set an interesting environment. The book is funny at times, and its easy to see Junius and Albert in modern settings. I think this would make a fun dark comedy movie, maybe a Coen brothers production!
The only thing holding it back was the writing. Its not bad, but at times the author repeated descriptions, and I swear repeated source quotes a few times (maybe not). If goodreads allowed half stars, I'd give it a solid 3.5, maybe even a 3.75.
It really was fun, and worth the $7.98 bargain price BN has it at now.
May 30, 2013
The Civil War is endlessly fascinating to me, so I was happy to pick up this book. Junius and Albert's story was engrossing, even though you knew they would escape their prison(s)--it's right there in the blurb, after all. But the author did a remarkable job of pulling primary sources into a coherent narrative. The pair did encounter some horrific obstacles, and to read the stories of their fellow prison inmates was awful. Of course, there is some levity and not a little bit of courage on display. This book reads almost like an action novel; the pair aren't continuously running for their lives, but there's always something waiting to make their lives more difficult, and you can't help but root for them to make it out alive. The author did a very good job of characterizing Albert and Junius so they were more than the letters they wrote to their families and their newspaper employers. I had no idea this particular bit of history existed, but I was glad to make its acquaintance.
I received this as a digital ARC from Netgalley and the publisher.
I received this as a digital ARC from Netgalley and the publisher.
March 9, 2022
Wow, this is just a great book - well-researched, very cleverly written, a solid 5-star recommendation even for non-history buffs. A page-turning mix of humor, horror, misery and hope, this is much more than "Bill and Ted's Civil War Adventure," it's a gripping tale of suffering, survival and ultimate triumph. Junius Browne and Albert Richardson - some of America's earliest war correspondents - certainly deserve this long-overdue resurrection. Makes me now want to go back and actually read Andersonville, which has been on my bookshelf forever.
November 13, 2024
An outstanding thriller of intrigue and adventure during the civil war. The tale is fantastic, in the way only true stories can be. The writing is superb and reads like a thriller, comedy, action adventure. Couldn't put it down and I learned a lot about the civil war.
This tale would seem to lend itself to a movie, but don't know whether the rights to it have been purchased or not.
This tale would seem to lend itself to a movie, but don't know whether the rights to it have been purchased or not.
December 29, 2014
Fabulously accessible! I'm not one to pick up Civil War nonfiction, but I really enjoyed reading this. I read this for a Newberry book club.
April 13, 2016
This is an incredible ripping yarn of the old school that incredibly happens to be true! Well-written, fun and informative.
October 22, 2020
Another of my library book sale finds. I had seen it on the shelf in the library and considered reading it, so when I saw the library getting rid of it, I thought I might as well get it. It was cheap enough (only a fraction of $1). Anyway, I am glad I picked it out. I am not sure what the library's criteria was for selling any of the books at that time, but I suspect it had to do with age and/or the book's popularity. If the library sold this book because it was not checked out often enough by library patrons, it is too bad. It is a very worthwhile read, so anyone who never checked it out before the library decided to get rid of it is missing out. I never thought much about the reporters of the Civil War before, but Junius and Albert's Adventures reminded me that there is more to war than generals and battles. Their story is not one that makes it into the typical United States History survey course, but it highlights so many things about the Civil War from camp boredom to the attitudes of both sides to the conditions in prison camps, most especially. The conditions and injustice that Junius and Albert endured for about 19 months would have killed me, I am sure. I do not think I could have survived the filth and starvation of the camps and the grueling cold, distance, and fear of being caught of their escape. It is interested how during the Civil War, a sort of inverted Underground Railroad operated in white the roles of whites and blacks were flipped: instead of whites helping slaves escape North, slaves were helping whites escape North. What really gets me is that Albert and Junius survived the ordeal, only for Albert to die five years later.
I did notice a few mistakes. Carlson mentions twice that Dan Ellis, a key player in Junius and Albert's escape to Union lines, has a sixth child (on pages 203 and 248), but they seem to be born at different times and have different names: the first sixth child was Joseph Hooker Ellis, and the second was Ulysses S. Grant Ellis. I imagine either Joseph was the sixth and Ulysses was actually the seventh, or Joseph was actually the fifth, and Ulysses was the sixth. Or perhaps one of the Ellis children died, so both Joseph and Ulysses could have been considered as the sixth at one time? The book was written in 2013, so perhaps a new edition has come out, and this has been corrected? Another thing I noted was that on page 258, James McPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom was noted as published in 1888, but it should be 1988. Perhaps, if there is a newer edition, this has also been corrected? I doubt I am the only one who noticed these things. Nonetheless, these small incongruencies aside, I think more people need to know about Junius and Albert's tale.
I did notice a few mistakes. Carlson mentions twice that Dan Ellis, a key player in Junius and Albert's escape to Union lines, has a sixth child (on pages 203 and 248), but they seem to be born at different times and have different names: the first sixth child was Joseph Hooker Ellis, and the second was Ulysses S. Grant Ellis. I imagine either Joseph was the sixth and Ulysses was actually the seventh, or Joseph was actually the fifth, and Ulysses was the sixth. Or perhaps one of the Ellis children died, so both Joseph and Ulysses could have been considered as the sixth at one time? The book was written in 2013, so perhaps a new edition has come out, and this has been corrected? Another thing I noted was that on page 258, James McPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom was noted as published in 1888, but it should be 1988. Perhaps, if there is a newer edition, this has also been corrected? I doubt I am the only one who noticed these things. Nonetheless, these small incongruencies aside, I think more people need to know about Junius and Albert's tale.
May 16, 2017
The Title of this book to me was a little misleading. I thought it was going to be a great fun adventure. But it was certainly not. It was terrible what these two reporters and many Union soldiers who were captured by the Confederate Rebels had to endure in many of the southern prisons. I guess, the Union prisons were probably not much better. There were so many soldiers who never made it home to their families. Many starved, froze to death, etc. Many died without their names being made mention of. Very sad. I think Peter Carlson is a very good author and I enjoyed his writing and the sad tale of Junius and Albert, especially Albert, who suffered the loss of his wife and child while in prison. Later, after escaping and returning to a somewhat normal life he was on the verge of a life of happiness when he was murdered. Read this book. We have much to be grateful for for these heroes of the Civil War and for that matter, any war.
February 25, 2021
I finished the audiobook version of this one a couple of weeks ago, but let's face it...life in Texas has been a little out of the ordinary lately, so I'm behind on updating my most recent reads. :'D
With that said, I would *highly* recommend this book if you're interested in studying the American Civil War, because it is not only fascinating and horrifying, but also reads as if it were a big budget film of sorts. (I say this because I know that non-fiction isn't always interesting to some readers, but this definitely does not read like a dry academic text!)
Also...if you listen to the audiobook version, the narrator has a voice that is perfect for radio.
With that said, I would *highly* recommend this book if you're interested in studying the American Civil War, because it is not only fascinating and horrifying, but also reads as if it were a big budget film of sorts. (I say this because I know that non-fiction isn't always interesting to some readers, but this definitely does not read like a dry academic text!)
Also...if you listen to the audiobook version, the narrator has a voice that is perfect for radio.
May 17, 2019
A great story like this, told by a journalist-historian who knows his craft, gets you thinking about the plethora of ways in which Hollywood could mess it up. Not that there aren’t plenty of politically correct cinematic aspects to the real tale: Rebel conmen, a comely eighteen-year-old heroine, and black slaves leading white men to freedom. My only quibble is that though the book has helpful “notes on sources,” there is no index—something all nonfiction authors should take the trouble to compile. Otherwise, the book is a page-turner shaped by a fine prose stylist.
April 13, 2023
‘Junius and Albert's Adventures in the Confederacy: A Civil War Odyssey' by Peter Carlson is a nonfiction book about two Civil War reporters caught and imprisoned and their journey back home.
Junius Browne and Albert Richardson worked as reporters for the New York Tribune. After a couple successful trips to report on the war in the South, they found themselves captured. This is that story as well as their subsequent escape back north.
This was a great read with lots of harrowing situations. I recommend it for fans of history and great true stories.
Junius Browne and Albert Richardson worked as reporters for the New York Tribune. After a couple successful trips to report on the war in the South, they found themselves captured. This is that story as well as their subsequent escape back north.
This was a great read with lots of harrowing situations. I recommend it for fans of history and great true stories.
March 3, 2017
An entertaining story that is an authentic history but reads like a novel. It is set during the Civil War, which is one of my favorite periods. The story is a very unusual one that really happened. It gives a glimpse of civilian life during the war. It is similar to the Odessa or even more to Oh Brother, Where Art Thou. An adventure full of interesting experiences and hardships. Best of all, it really happened the way it is told.
March 7, 2019
This is the true story of two reporters from New York who were captured by the Confederates and held in southern prison camps during the last years of the Civil War. Author Peter Carlson combines both men's books (published shortly after their escape) to create a very personal story of the men's trials in the camps and their harrowing escape through the Appalachian mounts to freedom up north.
December 23, 2019
My star rating may not be fair as I just couldn't get into this book. Perhaps if I'd tried to start it (yet again!) I would have read more and could better judge. I like the premise of the book. I also like other writings of Peter Carlson. Please don't use my review to make your determination of whether to read this book or not.
May 13, 2020
Just a very enjoyable read. It felt like I was reading fiction. Great story, easily digestible prose, chapters broken into subsections that make it easy to pick up and put down when necessary — just an entertaining, interesting story about a bit of Civil War history most people have never heard of.
June 3, 2024
What a fantastic book -- rather than just reading history you feel like you are in the pages. this is the story of two New York Tribune battlefield correspondents during the Civil War who get captured by the Confederacy. After 19 months in various prisons they escape and make for the Union lines. So well written, you almost can't believe it is a true story.
September 21, 2018
I enjoyed this book a lot. It was fast moving and well not the horrors of Andersonville, still interesting. I wished for a little more detail, but a good read none the less.
January 12, 2019
So many interesting facts about the war I never knew. Well written. Easy and fast read. Once I got to part three I couldn’t put it down!
January 29, 2019
A true adventure of two reporters captured during the Civil War
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