The American Civil War era is a confusing time for many modern Americans to understand. However the animosity between the south and north is still relevant to lots of people today.
Dr. Virginia Bensen, Hernando County local, has taken personal historical documents and has woven a plausible tale of life during the mid 1800s in a small Virginia town. The story centers around the MacDougal family farm outside the town of Winchester, Virginia. What takes place in the town and on the farm is described in detail as the area is in upheaval because of the Civil War. First the area is on the seceding Southern side with many townspeople cheering for succession. However there are still a significant number of townsfolk who have their loyalty to the Union side.
There are skirmishes in and near the town that sorely affect Winchester. Then the north takes over the town for a while and then the Confederates drive out the Union forces. Each is destructive stealing whatever they can and destroying anything else just like the other troops before them that leaves the people of the town with little. The issue of slavery is seen through the plight of people who were treated as family, at this farm. They knew no other type of work, ate well and were safe on the farm. The northerners and abolitionists frightened and caused havoc for the slaves who did not feel they were being mistreated and eventually took them away to an unknown fate.
The MacDougal farm of Abbington Hills manages to keep from being totally destroyed by turning their barns into a hospital first for the Confederate wounded then accepting the proposition of housing and feeding the Union medical staff and their wounded when the town was taken over. The farm switched sides more than once during the war but the family, headed by a strong willed formerly Mennonite woman, kept everything going and her family safe by not choosing sides even though her husband was an officer in the confederacy.
This story is particularly pertinent for today’s youth to see how the youth of the past faced difficulty, made correct decisions for the benefit of the family and worked hard to survive during a very difficult time. The historical timeline of famous battles of the Civil War and corresponding inventions of the time give important details and meaning to the events described. The details of what happens to the town when different leaders take over and how they treat the citizens or manage the town is an interesting study. Dr. Bensen gives the reader a strong impression of what life was like, the living conditions, the filth and lack of food suffered by the people of Winchester, Virginia during this terrible war in our land.
Any student of American history and particularly the Civil War would greatly enjoy reading The MacDougal Chronicles.