Mercer University Press: Life in Dixie during the War

Mary A. H. Gay, edited by J. H. Segars

One of the few narratives of life in Atlanta during the Civil War.

Out of print for decades, Mercer University Press proudly revives this acclaimed real-life account of what the fictional Scarlett O’Hara saw. Life in Dixie During the War, first published in 1892, ranks among the best first-person accounts of the American Civil War. Mary A. H. Gay eloquently recounts her wartime experiences in Georgia and bears witness to the “suffering and struggle, defeat and despair, triumph and hope that is human history.”

Mary Gay was not only a chronicler, but an active participant in wartime activities; old veterans described her as “unusually brave and fearless.” While her book reads like a novel, it continues to be praised by modern scholars as an honest report of American history. James I. Robertson Jr. author of the acclaimed Stonewall Jackson: The Man, the Soldier, the Legend, says: “Mary Gay’s Life in Dixie During the War is one of the few authentic personal narratives we have of life in Atlanta during the Civil War.”

Sam Cunningham, the founding editor and publisher of Confederate Veteran, reported that “many books have been written on the subject of the Civil War, but we doubt if any of them are of deeper interest than Life in Dixie During the War.” In 1898, the Veteran published this review:

“While possessing all the charms of romance, it is a recital of facts concerning the war, which occurred in the heart of the Confederacy. Written in the first person, it has unusual vividness of style. The author’s descriptions are truly remarkable. The reader seems to be living in those days and a witness to the scenes described. Historic facts are brought out regarding the siege of Atlanta which are perhaps found nowhere else. The author spared no pains in preparation of the work. Not the least of its merit is its pure English diction, with unsurpassed pathos in many of its pages. The heroism of men, the daring of boys, and the endurance of women are alike skillfully painted.”

J. H. Segars’s many fine publications include In Search of Confederate Ancestors (author) and Forgotten Confederates: An Anthology about Black Southerners (coeditor).

Mary Gay was a Georgia author of poetry and prose. Gay lived for most of her life in Decatur in a house that is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. After the war, she was active in civic, club, and church work. Among her books, the most famous is Life in Dixie During the War, one of the few eyewitness accounts written by women and a source Margaret Mitchell used for Gone with the Wind.

Related Titles

Requiem for a Lost City: Sallie Clayton’s Memoirs of Civil War Atlanta
Robert S. Davis, Jr., editor.
0-86554-622-3, H466, $32.95t, Hardback.

This Cruel War:
The Civil War Letters of Grant and Malinda Taylor
Ann K. Blomquist and Robert A. Taylor, editors.
0-86554-654-1, H487, 32.95t, Hardback.

Call us toll free at 800-637-2378, ext. 2880 or 800-342-0841, ext. 2880 (in GA)
For help on orders email us at mupressorders@mercer.edu

		Life in Dixie during the War Mary A. H. Gay, edited by J. H. Segars One of the few narratives of life in Atlanta during the Civil War. Out of print for decades, Mercer University Press proudly revives this acclaimed real-life account of what the fictional Scarlett O’Hara saw. Life in Dixie During the War, first published in 1892, ranks among the best first-person accounts of the American Civil War. Mary A. H. Gay eloquently recounts her wartime experiences in Georgia and bears witness to the “suffering and struggle, defeat and despair, triumph and hope that is human history.” Mary Gay was not only a chronicler, but an active participant in wartime activities; old veterans described her as “unusually brave and fearless.” While her book reads like a novel, it continues to be praised by modern scholars as an honest report of American history. James I. Robertson Jr. author of the acclaimed Stonewall Jackson: The Man, the Soldier, the Legend, says: “Mary Gay’s Life in Dixie During the War is one of the few authentic personal narratives we have of life in Atlanta during the Civil War.” Sam Cunningham, the founding editor and publisher of Confederate Veteran, reported that “many books have been written on the subject of the Civil War, but we doubt if any of them are of deeper interest than Life in Dixie During the War.” In 1898, the Veteran published this review: “While possessing all the charms of romance, it is a recital of facts concerning the war, which occurred in the heart of the Confederacy. Written in the first person, it has unusual vividness of style. The author’s descriptions are truly remarkable. The reader seems to be living in those days and a witness to the scenes described. Historic facts are brought out regarding the siege of Atlanta which are perhaps found nowhere else. The author spared no pains in preparation of the work. Not the least of its merit is its pure English diction, with unsurpassed pathos in many of its pages. The heroism of men, the daring of boys, and the endurance of women are alike skillfully painted.” J. H. Segars’s many fine publications include In Search of Confederate Ancestors (author) and Forgotten Confederates: An Anthology about Black Southerners (coeditor). Mary Gay was a Georgia author of poetry and prose. Gay lived for most of her life in Decatur in a house that is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. After the war, she was active in civic, club, and church work. Among her books, the most famous is Life in Dixie During the War, one of the few eyewitness accounts written by women and a source Margaret Mitchell used for Gone with the Wind. Related Titles Requiem for a Lost City: Sallie Clayton’s Memoirs of Civil War Atlanta Robert S. Davis, Jr., editor. 0-86554-622-3, H466, $32.95t, Hardback. This Cruel War: The Civil War Letters of Grant and Malinda Taylor Ann K. Blomquist and Robert A. Taylor, editors. 0-86554-654-1, H487, 32.95t, Hardback. Call us toll free at 800-637-2378, ext. 2880 or 800-342-0841, ext. 2880 (in GA) For help on orders email us at mupressorders@mercer.edu

	Retail $16.00, paperback Civil War History ISBN 978-0-86554-749-0 MUP/P213

	Retail $39.95, hardback Civil War History ISBN 978-0-86554-723-0 MUP/H543


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