The University of Tennessee Press is proud to announce the forthcoming publication of “Fighting with Stonewall in the Valley: The Diary of John Henry Stover Funk,” edited by Buckley T. Foster and Christopher R. Mortenson, available in paperback and ebook formats on Tuesday, Oct. 27.
An exceptional and perceptive Civil War officer, John Henry Stover Funk trained as a physician and frequently tended to wounded soldiers. Yet he deliberately chose the path of combat leadership, beginning his service as a captain in the 5th Virginia Infantry. His diary captures the texture of life as a volunteer soldier, the increasingly bloody fighting in the Eastern Theater, and the deep political and social rifts that would eventually give rise to the separate state of West Virginia.
Funk’s service coincided with the Shenandoah Valley Campaign, a pivotal Confederate effort to control a vital agricultural corridor and divert Federal forces from Richmond. He witnessed firsthand the rise of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, including the moment when Jackson earned his famous nickname for his resolve under fire. His diary is the only firsthand account of the event. Funk traces the growth of Jackson’s reputation as both an inspired tactician and a demanding, enigmatic leader.
Throughout the memoir, Funk reflects on the decisions of Lee, Jackson, and Johnston, examining how those choices affected officers and enlisted men. Funk died at the Battle of Winchester in 1864 but left a record that blends medical compassion, military duty, and sharp historical insight.
Foster and Mortenson’s edition of Funk’s diary is the latest in UT Press’s popular Voices of the Civil War series, edited by Michael P. Gray. This series makes available a variety of primary source materials that illuminate issues on the battlefield, the home front, and the western front of the American Civil War, as well as other aspects of this historic era. Voices of the Civil War books contextualize personal accounts within the framework of the latest scholarship and expand established knowledge by offering new perspectives, new materials, and new voices.
Recently released titles in the series include “Haunted by Memory: Ghost Stories of the American Civil War” and “The Lynches of South Carolina: From Reconstruction to Redemption.”
“Fighting with Stonewall in the Valley: The Diary of John Henry Stover Funk” is available for preorder now at utpress.org and wherever books are sold.
About the Editors
Buckley T. Foster is the assistant professor of Arkansas and Southern Studies at the University of Central Arkansas. He is the author of “Sherman’s Mississippi Campaign” and “So Great Was the Slaughter: Market Hunters, Sportsmen, and Wildlife Conservation in Arkansas.”
Christopher R. Mortenson is a professor of history at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas. He is the author of “Politician in Uniform: General Lew Wallace and the Civil War” and coeditor, with Paul J. Springer, of “Daily Life of U.S. Soldiers: From the American Revolution to the Iraq War.”
About The University of Tennessee Press:
The University of Tennessee Press is the Volunteer State’s book publisher, committed to preserving and promoting the rich cultural and intellectual heritage of Tennessee and the region. Through its focused publishing program, UT Press strives to deepen appreciation for the communities, ecosystems, and histories that make the state unique. Its mission is to enlighten readers, foster cultural dialogue, and improve the quality of life for the people of Tennessee and around the world. UT Press is a division of the University of Tennessee Libraries.
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