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Memoirs of the Confederate War for Independence
After travelling from Prussia to America in 1862 on board a Confederate blockade runner, von Borcke joined General J.E.B. Stuart’s cavalry.
General Stuart was greatly impressed by von Borke, “Capt. Heros von Borcke, a Prussian cavalry officer, who lately ran the blockade, assigned me by the honorable Secretary of War, joined in the charge of the First Squadron in gallant style, and subsequently, by his energy, skill, and activity, won the praise and admiration of all”.
Major von Borcke’s friendship with Stuart plays a significant role in this book. His unique standing in the General’s life allows the reader to gain an insight into one of the most fascinating figures in Civil War history.
Also serving under General Stonewall Jackson and General Robert E. Lee, von Borcke’s dealings with leading Confederate figures sets his autobiography apart from the average Civil War memoir.
In addition to the detailed battleground accounts, von Borcke recalls the comradery of the Confederate army and revelry that often took place in their downtime.
Written in 1866, Heros von Borcke’s Memoirs of the Confederate War for Independence is one of the most important and enlightening memoirs of this tumultuous time in American history.
“One of the most exhilarating of war memoirs”— Confederate Shop
Heros von Borcke (1836–1895) served in the Confederate army and participated in numerous battles before being wounded at the beginning of the Gettysburg Campaign. Prevented by injury from continuing in active service, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel and sent by the Confederate Congress on a diplomatic mission to England. When the war ended in 1865 he remained abroad and returned to his native Prussia, where he later served with distinction in the Franco-Prussian War. He wrote his memoirs in 1866 and died in 1895.
General Stuart was greatly impressed by von Borke, “Capt. Heros von Borcke, a Prussian cavalry officer, who lately ran the blockade, assigned me by the honorable Secretary of War, joined in the charge of the First Squadron in gallant style, and subsequently, by his energy, skill, and activity, won the praise and admiration of all”.
Major von Borcke’s friendship with Stuart plays a significant role in this book. His unique standing in the General’s life allows the reader to gain an insight into one of the most fascinating figures in Civil War history.
Also serving under General Stonewall Jackson and General Robert E. Lee, von Borcke’s dealings with leading Confederate figures sets his autobiography apart from the average Civil War memoir.
In addition to the detailed battleground accounts, von Borcke recalls the comradery of the Confederate army and revelry that often took place in their downtime.
Written in 1866, Heros von Borcke’s Memoirs of the Confederate War for Independence is one of the most important and enlightening memoirs of this tumultuous time in American history.
“One of the most exhilarating of war memoirs”— Confederate Shop
Heros von Borcke (1836–1895) served in the Confederate army and participated in numerous battles before being wounded at the beginning of the Gettysburg Campaign. Prevented by injury from continuing in active service, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel and sent by the Confederate Congress on a diplomatic mission to England. When the war ended in 1865 he remained abroad and returned to his native Prussia, where he later served with distinction in the Franco-Prussian War. He wrote his memoirs in 1866 and died in 1895.
454 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1866
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 14, 2017
Heros Von Borcke starts his story with his journey from Prussia to the states to join with the Confederate army. He was a Prussian soldier who after enlisting in the Confederate army was chief of staff and Major under General J.E.B. Stuart. He served under Stuart, as well as General Stonewall Jackson and General Robert E. Lee which allowed him to give a much more personal look into the lives of these men, he also wrote of the privates that he fought beside. This was something that was certainly different than many of the memoirs from a private in the army as he had more first- hand knowledge and dealings with these Generals than most privates during the war. This allowed him to give a much more intimate look into these Generals because he called them friends as well. He gave great insights into these men’s character and comradery not only with each other but with the men that fought under them. One thing you won’t read about in most private memoirs/diaries are the “parties” that managed to happen in the middle of the war during their down time between marching orders. Well other than that massive snowball fight several privates in this part of the fighting have mentioned this “battle” among friends. It was a much more detailed account of some of the day to day life in the higher ups of the army and some of the reasons behind their successes and failures on the battle field.
Von Borcke recorded most of his interactions with anyone he encountered during his years in the Confederate Calvary. From the friends they made of citizens that fed and entertained the officers to the servants that they interacted with in camp while having some down time and revelry. He gave his detailed experiences on and off the battlefield.
He also wrote of many of his encounters with the “enemy” when taking them as prisoner as well as interacting with them during times of truce. Some encounters were friendly and others not so much as has been documented not all Yankees were here for preservation of the Union, many were here to simply pillage and plunder.
Major Von Borcke suffered an almost mortal injury when he was shot in the neck and spent a lengthy time attempting to recover to get back on the field. However he remained an invalid the rest of his life due to his injury and was never capable of taking to the battlefield again. He came to a close at the loss of his great friend General Stuart and being with him on his death bed. He was finally persuaded by Jefferson Davis and other Generals to go on a mission for the Confederate government to England, at that time his rank was raised to that of Colonel however while he was in route to England the Confederacy came to an end. I am anxious to see how Lieutenant Colonel Blackford’s memoirs of his years with Stuart and Von Borcke compare to the well written memoirs of Major/Colonel Von Borcke’s.
Von Borcke recorded most of his interactions with anyone he encountered during his years in the Confederate Calvary. From the friends they made of citizens that fed and entertained the officers to the servants that they interacted with in camp while having some down time and revelry. He gave his detailed experiences on and off the battlefield.
He also wrote of many of his encounters with the “enemy” when taking them as prisoner as well as interacting with them during times of truce. Some encounters were friendly and others not so much as has been documented not all Yankees were here for preservation of the Union, many were here to simply pillage and plunder.
Major Von Borcke suffered an almost mortal injury when he was shot in the neck and spent a lengthy time attempting to recover to get back on the field. However he remained an invalid the rest of his life due to his injury and was never capable of taking to the battlefield again. He came to a close at the loss of his great friend General Stuart and being with him on his death bed. He was finally persuaded by Jefferson Davis and other Generals to go on a mission for the Confederate government to England, at that time his rank was raised to that of Colonel however while he was in route to England the Confederacy came to an end. I am anxious to see how Lieutenant Colonel Blackford’s memoirs of his years with Stuart and Von Borcke compare to the well written memoirs of Major/Colonel Von Borcke’s.
April 5, 2025
The only reason Von Borcke's exploits haven't been made into a film is that he fought for the Confederacy. The same could be said Pyotr Wrangel and his lost cause with which there are many parallels: fighting with honour and superior generalship against an enormous force, always short of men, ammunition, and provisions, before ultimately losing with dignity intact.
The book follows von Borcke's service with the Confederate Army under J.E.B. Stuart as a cavalry officer and aide-de-camp. The memoir reads like Degrelle's Eastern Front in beautiful highly descriptive prose that takes you right back to the time period, without being so dated that it's difficult to read. Good knowledge of the geography of the Virginia-Maryland-West Virginia area really helps in making spatial sense of the campaigns and distances they were covering (largely on foot). Having travelled and hunted throughout the area dozens of times, I was well acquainted with all the place names and rivers mentioned, but people foreign to the area might benefit from a few maps interspersed throughout the book showing the disposition of forces.
I highly recommend it. Von Borcke, a highly regimented Prussian officer, was initially aghast at the ad-hoc style of the Anglo-Scots-Irish force he was joining, but soon they had his admiration and respect as fighting men. He so much loved his comrades that he continued to fly the Confederate flag at his estate in Prussia until his death long after the war, and named his daughter Caroline Virginia. Likewise his gravestone in Europe, destroyed by the Soviets in WW2, was restored by the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
His sword that he carried throughout the campaigns can be seen at the American Civil War Museum. There is an extremely poor video of one of J.E.B. Stuart's descendants and one of von Borcke's descendants meeting there, where the latter is presented with his ancestor's weapon.
"...I looked upon these warrior-like men, in their ill-assorted costumes, from distant Mississippi and yet more distant Texas, from sunny Florida, from fertile Georgia, from Alabama, land of mountain and cane-brake, from the regions of Louisiana, to imperil their lives in the defence of their much-loved South..."
Yeah, you did. RIP
The book follows von Borcke's service with the Confederate Army under J.E.B. Stuart as a cavalry officer and aide-de-camp. The memoir reads like Degrelle's Eastern Front in beautiful highly descriptive prose that takes you right back to the time period, without being so dated that it's difficult to read. Good knowledge of the geography of the Virginia-Maryland-West Virginia area really helps in making spatial sense of the campaigns and distances they were covering (largely on foot). Having travelled and hunted throughout the area dozens of times, I was well acquainted with all the place names and rivers mentioned, but people foreign to the area might benefit from a few maps interspersed throughout the book showing the disposition of forces.
I highly recommend it. Von Borcke, a highly regimented Prussian officer, was initially aghast at the ad-hoc style of the Anglo-Scots-Irish force he was joining, but soon they had his admiration and respect as fighting men. He so much loved his comrades that he continued to fly the Confederate flag at his estate in Prussia until his death long after the war, and named his daughter Caroline Virginia. Likewise his gravestone in Europe, destroyed by the Soviets in WW2, was restored by the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
His sword that he carried throughout the campaigns can be seen at the American Civil War Museum. There is an extremely poor video of one of J.E.B. Stuart's descendants and one of von Borcke's descendants meeting there, where the latter is presented with his ancestor's weapon.
"...I looked upon these warrior-like men, in their ill-assorted costumes, from distant Mississippi and yet more distant Texas, from sunny Florida, from fertile Georgia, from Alabama, land of mountain and cane-brake, from the regions of Louisiana, to imperil their lives in the defence of their much-loved South..."
Yeah, you did. RIP
January 28, 2014
Heros Von Borcke was a Prussian Soldier who came to the states to serve the Confederacy. He ended up becoming the chief of staff for JEB Stuart during his historic year of rides, wounded in June of 1963. He eloquently shares his story - his experiences in battle, in camp and in the fellowship with his fellow officers and soldiers. His story is filled with deeply intimate stories of this time - stories of courage and loss.
Very much enjoyed this snapshot of the Confederate Cavalry in the ANV through the eyes of Von Borcke. Von has a flair for sharing details that might not find their way into an average story. He talks of the camaraderie of camp, the trials of foraging and the challenge of keeping and feeding horses. His decidedly European perspective gives this memoir a different feel - though he fights for the Confederacy, he is not a Southerner.
The decidedly best parts of this book, were the little bits of intimacy between soldiers - Stonewall Jackson gently waking Von from a deep sleep, General Lee making sport of Von's carriage, Stuart's last words to his close friend - plus many little stories of lesser known soldiers in the Confederacy. Through Von's eyes, we are there. While he doesn't give us characters descriptions of these men, he does show us those human sides of them and the tragedy of war, enjoying the company of a close friend, only to have him end up as a corpse.
Kindle edition at 99 cents is a great deal and this book is a must read for any student of JEB Stuart and the ANV.
Very much enjoyed this snapshot of the Confederate Cavalry in the ANV through the eyes of Von Borcke. Von has a flair for sharing details that might not find their way into an average story. He talks of the camaraderie of camp, the trials of foraging and the challenge of keeping and feeding horses. His decidedly European perspective gives this memoir a different feel - though he fights for the Confederacy, he is not a Southerner.
The decidedly best parts of this book, were the little bits of intimacy between soldiers - Stonewall Jackson gently waking Von from a deep sleep, General Lee making sport of Von's carriage, Stuart's last words to his close friend - plus many little stories of lesser known soldiers in the Confederacy. Through Von's eyes, we are there. While he doesn't give us characters descriptions of these men, he does show us those human sides of them and the tragedy of war, enjoying the company of a close friend, only to have him end up as a corpse.
Kindle edition at 99 cents is a great deal and this book is a must read for any student of JEB Stuart and the ANV.
August 1, 2016
1862 a Prussian cavalry officer boarded a Confederate blockade runner bound for South Carolina. Soon he joined General J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry where he earned the rank of Major.
General Stuart was greatly impressed by von Borke, reporting:
"Capt. Heros von Borcke, a Prussian cavalry officer, who lately ran the blockade, assigned me by the honorable Secretary of War, joined in the charge of the First Squadron in gallant style, and subsequently, by his energy, skill, and activity, won the praise and admiration of all".
Enjoyed his story of the cavalry during the war.
General Stuart was greatly impressed by von Borke, reporting:
"Capt. Heros von Borcke, a Prussian cavalry officer, who lately ran the blockade, assigned me by the honorable Secretary of War, joined in the charge of the First Squadron in gallant style, and subsequently, by his energy, skill, and activity, won the praise and admiration of all".
Enjoyed his story of the cavalry during the war.
September 26, 2017
was a bit tedious for my tastes. Very diary like. Interesting, but found it to be a bit of a chore.
May 5, 2020
Great Read
No matter which side of the war you take, this first hand account from a Confederate Officer that served with one of the greatest Generals of any war.
No matter which side of the war you take, this first hand account from a Confederate Officer that served with one of the greatest Generals of any war.
January 17, 2022
Well written account of a soldier's life in the Confederate Army
Heros von Borcke provides the reader with the day to day life of a soldier in the Army of Northern Virginia. The added depth that comes from being written by a foreign combatant adds a view that is different than most memoirs.
All memoirs are tinged with the bias of the writer and this is new exception. However, in spite of that, von Borcke's connection to the highest ranking generals in the Army of Northern Virginia provide great insights into the camp life during the Civil War.
I would recommend this book for anyone seeking a well written first hand account of a soldier's life during the American Civil War. The reading pace is easy and the flow of the book keeps you turning the page as you read through each account von Borcke recounts.
Heros von Borcke provides the reader with the day to day life of a soldier in the Army of Northern Virginia. The added depth that comes from being written by a foreign combatant adds a view that is different than most memoirs.
All memoirs are tinged with the bias of the writer and this is new exception. However, in spite of that, von Borcke's connection to the highest ranking generals in the Army of Northern Virginia provide great insights into the camp life during the Civil War.
I would recommend this book for anyone seeking a well written first hand account of a soldier's life during the American Civil War. The reading pace is easy and the flow of the book keeps you turning the page as you read through each account von Borcke recounts.
January 19, 2022
Heros Von Borcke was a Prussian military officer, who ran the blockade to fight for the Confederacy. He was a cavalry officer and was placed by Lee as JEB Stuarts adjutant and went everywhere with him.
He was known as a fearless leader and commanded many battles for the Confederate Cavalry regiments. This is his first hand account of the battles, camp life, relationships he had with all the great confederate generals Lee, Longstreet, Stonewall Jackson, and others. He was in the thick of the fighting of most of the major battles of the Civil War and had many close calls. This is a must read for anyone with the slightest interest in the Civil War. Well written, easy to follow and his description of the action scenes are very detailed to the point you feel like you are in the saddle with him.
He was known as a fearless leader and commanded many battles for the Confederate Cavalry regiments. This is his first hand account of the battles, camp life, relationships he had with all the great confederate generals Lee, Longstreet, Stonewall Jackson, and others. He was in the thick of the fighting of most of the major battles of the Civil War and had many close calls. This is a must read for anyone with the slightest interest in the Civil War. Well written, easy to follow and his description of the action scenes are very detailed to the point you feel like you are in the saddle with him.
May 25, 2024
I was looking for a good read on my Kindle while travelling. I looked for a Civil War memoir and found this book. Surprisingly, the story was engrossing from the beginning. Von Borcke became an aide for Confederate cavalry General JEB Stuart. As Von Borcke demonstrated strong performance, Gen. Stuart relied upon him more and more. Von Borcke was eventually severely wounded and recovering such that he was unable to participate in the Battle of Gettysburg, but he later resumed his duties. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in what was going on with the the cavalry of the Army of Northern Virginia during their battles.
December 15, 2023
An okay read
As fitting for the time, he is always in the right place and the hottest part of the fight. By his account, the South would have fallen before the Battle of Gettysburg if he was not there.
As fitting for the time, he is always in the right place and the hottest part of the fight. By his account, the South would have fallen before the Battle of Gettysburg if he was not there.
October 3, 2024
excellent
Excellent account of the Army of Northern Virginian during Lincoln’s invasion. It is so well written. The last pages are emotional for anyone who understands the South’s quest for independence.
Excellent account of the Army of Northern Virginian during Lincoln’s invasion. It is so well written. The last pages are emotional for anyone who understands the South’s quest for independence.
August 16, 2025
Relationships and gore
Great first-hand account of some of the battles, not to mention the relationships that existed amongst the men involved. Some gore but it wasn't that bad.
Great first-hand account of some of the battles, not to mention the relationships that existed amongst the men involved. Some gore but it wasn't that bad.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews