Ralph Poore, a onetime Utah newspaperman, is the latest descendent of a 13th Regiment soldier to write a book about his ancestor—two of them, actually, his great uncles the privates Francis Marion Poore and John F. Poore of the Newton Rifles.
Jo Anzalone’s story about her great great grandfather Jonathan James McDaniel, who was a private in the Winston Guards, is in the form of a novel. Ralph Poore’s “Poore Boys In Gray” is non-fiction, and it includes a third Confederate ancestor, his great grandfather William B. Poore.
William B. was originally in the 37th Mississippi Infantry Regiment, which fought the Union invasion of Mississippi, and was later also in the 16th Mississippi Infantry Regiment.
Ralph Poore’s challenge was to write of these men who left no diaries or letters about their wartime experiences. He (as have I) found independent historian Jess N. McLean’s wartime history of the men of the 13th regiment indispensable. But Poore has also added census and other documentary evidence (including family lore) to piece together the pre- and post-war lives of William B. and his two brothers.
I’m reading the book now and plan to review it at Amazon where it’s for sale as a Kindle ebook. If you have a Kindle, try the free sample. Like me, I expect you’ll be hooked to read more. Meanwhile, you should also check out Poore’s new blog on the book.
