"In his finding and editing of An East Texas Family's Civil War: the Letters of Nancy and William Whatley, John T. Whatley captures the anguish of a separated family when the 'dogs of war' are unleashed. Jacqueline Jones' fine foreword gives a rich historical framework for the letters. This is an important book for Texans, historians, and Civil War studies." --Ellen Clarke Temple, former president of the board of the Museum of East Texas
"John Whatley has made a significant contribution to our understanding of the impact of the Civil War on the domestic life of the southern yeomanry and their enslaved workers. This is a skillfully edited work that brings light to a previously untapped but historically valuable and fascinating correspondence between a man and wife swept up in the chaos and turmoil of a terrible war. It is greatly enriched by the editor's thoughtful analysis and a masterful foreword contributed by famed historian Jacqueline Jones. Highly recommended." --Don Carleton, executive director and J. R. Parten Chair in the Archives of American History, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History