"A Soldier's General gathers ninety-five letters written by McLaws to his wife and other family members between 1858 and 1865, making these rich sources available to a wide audience for the first time. The letters, painstakingly transcribed from McLaws's notoriously poor handwriting, contain a wealth of opinion and information about life and morale in the Confederate army, Civil War-era politics, the impact of war on the Confederate home front, the Southern press, and a man's efforts to advise and remain connected with his wife and children while engaged in a distant conflict.

Introduction -- Antebellum army -- 1861: For the crisis of our existence Is now approaching -- 1862: The Bayard of the peninsula -- 1863: I consider him a humbug -- 1864: I demanded a court-martial -- 1865: What will we do? My dear wife, let me know your views -- Appendix: Letters received from J. B. Hood and N. A. Davis -- Bibliography.