Discusses problems of America.

This work contains the author's experiences and travels in the United States during the Civil War.

William Howard Russell wrote My Diary North and South while traveling through the Union and the Confederacy from March 1861 to April 1862 as a war correspondent for the Times of London. Along the way he met and interviewed an impressive number of Union and Confederate leaders -- including Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, William H. Seward, and General George B. McClellan -- but he also canvassed average citizens on both sides, recounting their manners, appearance, values, and habits in remarkable detail. This memoir of his journey provides a vivid snapshot of American life and culture at the dawn of the Civil War.

A British journalist's eyewitness description of American society at the start of the Civil War, published in 1863.

Having won renown in the 1850s for his vivid warfront dispatches from the Crimea, William Howard Russell was the most celebrated foreign journalist in America during the first year of the Civil War. As a special correspondent for The Times of London, Russell was charged with explaining the American crisis to a British audience, but his reports also had great impact in America. They so alienated both sides, North and South, that Russell was forced to return to England prematurely in April 1862. My Diary North and South (1863), Russell's published account of his visit remains a classic of Civil War literature. It was not in fact a diary but a narrative reconstruction of the author's journeys and observations based on his private notebooks and published dispatches. Despite his severe criticisms of American society and conduct, Russell offered in that work generally sympathetic characterizations of the Northern and Southern leadership during the war. In this new volume, Martin Crawford brings together the journalist's original diary and a selection of his private correspondence to resurrect the fully uninhibited Russell and to provide, accordingly, a true documentary record of this important visitor's first impressions of America during the early months of its greatest crisis. Over the course of his visit, Russell traveled widely throughout the Union and the new Confederacy, meeting political and social leaders on both sides. Included here are spontaneous - and often unflattering - comments on such prominent figures as William H. Seward, Jefferson Davis, Mary Todd Lincoln, and George B. McClellan, as well as quick sketches of New York, Washington, New Orleans, and other cities. Alsorevealed for the first time are the anxiety and despair that Russell experienced during his visit - a state induced by his own self-doubt, by concern over the health and situation of his wife in England, and, finally, by the bitter criticism he received in America over his reports, especially his famous description of the Union retreat from Bull Run in July 1861. A sometimes vain and pompous figure, Russell also emerges here as an individual of exceptional tenacity - a man who abhorred slavery and remained convinced of the essential rectitude of the Northern cause even as he criticized Northern leaders, their lack of preparedness for war, and the apparent disunity of the Northern population. In calmer times, Crawford notes, Russell's independent qualities might have brought him admiration, but in the turbulent climate of Civil War America they succeeded only in arousing deep suspicion.

William Howard Russell's 'My Diary - North and South' offers readers a unique insight into the social and political landscape of the mid-19th century. Through his vivid and detailed diary entries, Russell paints a vivid picture of the divided America during the Civil War. His engaging narrative style allows readers to experience the events through his eyes, making the historical context come alive on the pages. This two-volume set is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the personal experiences of a journalist during this tumultuous period in American history. William Howard Russell, a renowned journalist and war correspondent, drew on his extensive knowledge and reporting skills to document the realities of life during the Civil War. His firsthand accounts provide readers with a front-row seat to the drama and tragedy of war, shedding light on the human cost of conflict. Russell's dedication to capturing the truth in his diary showcases his commitment to honest and authentic storytelling. I highly recommend 'My Diary - North and South' to history enthusiasts, students of journalism, and anyone looking to gain a deeper understanding of the American Civil War. Russell's meticulous observations and powerful writing make this book a compelling and essential read for those interested in the personal narratives of this pivotal moment in history.