Can you imagine what the Civil War must have looked like form the point of view of the
Africans still held in slavery or those who were free men and women? While we may
have thought about the differing points of view of the Confederate and Union armies and
supporters, little time has been spent on those who were most affected by the outcome of
the war. Often unnoticed as they worked around the fields and in main houses of farms
and plantations, slaves were able to gather information and share news even though
forbidden to learn to read or write.

In The Slaves ‘War: the Civil War in the Words of Former Slaves author Andrew Ward has brought together
previously unheard words from the slaves and freed Africans. Through hundreds of interviews, diaries, letters
and memoirs, Ward offers an entirely new perspective of the war. This is not a book of fiction, but the story of the war told through many voices and many eyes. It proves to be a wonderful way to bring history to life and to give voice to a different segment of our nation.
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