Sarah Morgan Dawson lived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at the outbreak of the American Civil War. In March 1862, she began to record her thoughts about the war in a diary-- thoughts about the loss of friends killed in battle and the occupation of her home by Federal troops. Her devotion to the South was unwavering and her emotions real and uncensored. A true classic.

Madison & Adams Press presents the Civil War Memories Series. This meticulous selection of the firsthand accounts, memoirs and diaries is specially comprised for Civil War enthusiasts and all people curious about the personal accounts and true life stories of the unknown soldiers, the well known commanders, politicians, nurses and civilians amidst the war. "A Confederate Girl's Diary" is a six-volume journal written by Sarah Morgan, who was the daughter of an influential judge in Baton Rouge. Sarah originally requested that her diary be destroyed upon her death. However, she later deeded the set to her son, who had published it. From March 1862 until April 1865, Sarah faithfully recorded her thoughts and experiences of the war.

Sarah Morgan Dawson was an American writer from New Orleans best known for keeping a diary of her Civil War experiences. The book provides an excellent look at how the war affected her family and is considered one of the most famous first-hand accounts of the American Civil War.

A Confederate Girl's Diary By Sarah Morgan Dawson

If you were the privileged daughter of a wealthy judge, life in Louisiana in the years before the War Between the States was heavenly. 1862 brought a crashing halt to the good times. Life became hell on earth. Federal officials singled you out for the harshest punishment because you were a known "Rebel." Rabid secessionists, hated you if you didn't proclaim your hatred for the "Yankees." An intelligent young lady with brothers on both sides of the conflict was trapped in the middle of a war she never wanted. Sarah Morgan's diary relives her joys and sorrows as she watches her home town sacked, flees in the night to escape the exploding shells yet finds joy in trivial things. Her tiny canary, a gift from her brother is her favored pet. Outings with friends and quiet family gatherings share her chronicle with the death of her two brothers. Through it all Sarah recounts life as she lived it, always against the backdrop of the war that took her from her life of privilege to refugee hovels. As the war grinds to its final conclusion, Sarah must take refuge with her older brother who has remained loyal to the union. No account of this time is more poignant and more reveling of the real life of those who kept the home fires burning.

Excerpts from the diary of Carrie Berry, describing her family's life in the Confederate South in 1864. Supplemented by sidebars, activities and a timeline of the era.

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The personal observations of events during the Civil War from a Southern woman's perspective.