This book is an interesting and light read into the stories and folklore surrounding the Civil War and its important figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Stonewall Jackson, and Robert E. Lee. Photographs and drawings from the time period enhance the text, while subheadings make for easy reading. However, as a serious researcher and teacher, the lack of footnotes made me constantly question Garrison's sources and credibility as a scholar. Even though he does include a bibliography, there are rare attributions to those sources. Consequently, I would not consider this book reliable or credible for any type of serious family history research, even though it is interesting and entertaining.

The books chapters have engaging titles such as "Shenanigans and Snafus" or "Johnny Reb and Billy Yank". Each chapter has several small and fantastic stories about characters involved in the war. For instance, in the first chapter, Garrison purports that Union leaders purposely tried to blockade southern ports by filling old whaling ships with New England granite and then sinking the ships in harbors such as Charleston (see pages 5-8). However, shifting tides and small wood-eating worms prevented the harbor from being effectively blockaded.

Garrison also claims that many Confederate leaders refused to sign the oath of allegiance at the war's end and immigrated to Mexico, England or Brazil. He alleges that several descendents still live in Brazil (pg. 15); however, he does not give any specifics about these descendants or name the supposed colony -- necessary information for anyone doing family research in this time or locality. This is just one example of a huge weakness in his scholarship.

Garrison focuses much of his text on Abraham Lincoln's life and presidency. Most of the incidents are rumors and innuendoes about Lincoln and his wife's southern Confederate family. The most preposterous of these stories is Garrison's allegation that Lincoln believed he was a descendant of Thomas Jefferson, through his mother's alleged illegitimacy and Jefferson's supposed relationship with Sally Hemings (pgs. 57-61). And even though Garrison admits that there are little facts to support this connection, to include it just shows how far-fetched his book is.

There are some interesting stories about spies, such as Mrs. Rose O'Neal Greenhow, who was banished from Washington, D. C. and eventually became a confidante of Confederate president Jefferson Davis. While no legal charges by the Union were ever proved against her, she did live a colorful life. She went on to publish a book about her life and eventually drowned rather than be captured by Union soldiers when she returned from a secret mission to England (pgs. 251-54). Overall, these small stories about the people of the Civil War are fascinating, and this book is enjoyable. But for the serious scholar, Garrison's lack of scholarly credentials, his poor citation of sources and melodramatic style make this book not worth more than a short afternoon's entertainment. It is definitely like eating a Twinkie; it tastes good going down, but is not worth the guilt or calories.

To purchase this book at amazon.com click here: The Unknown Civil War: Odd, Peculiar, and Unusual Stories of the War Between the States by Webb Garrison published in 2000 by Cumberland House