This work offers an eloquently written collection of observations and reminiscences focusing on the years before, during, and after the Civil War. Special attention is given to Petersburg, Virginia, in the 1850s, naming many of its citizens who belonged to the medical profession or were members of the bar. Businesses, churches, politics, schools, hotels, and taverns are discussed in detail. Subsequent chapters discuss the politics of the ante-bellum period, the author's experience in the Fourth Virginia Battalion during the war (including the siege of Petersburg), and the events following the war, with commentaries regarding the demoralization of the South, "the Carpet-bag Government and its Curse," and "Opinions of Some Eminent Northerners on the Reconstruction Period." Throughout the book, the author names significant political and military figures as well as those who served by his side on the battlefields. His aptitude for recording important details makes this a rich and fascinating resource for historians and family researchers.