Sam R Watkins Views
Samuel “Sam” Rush Watkins (June 26, 1839 – July 20, 1901) was a noted Confederate soldier during the American Civil War. He is known today for his memoir Company Aytch: Or, a Side Show of the Big Show, often heralded as one of the best primary sources about the common soldier's Civil War experience.
Soon after the war ended, Watkins began writing his memoir, entitled Company Aytch: Or, a Side Show of the Big Show [1]. It was originally serialized in the Columbia, Tennessee Herald newspaper. “Co. Aytch” was published in a first edition of 2,000 in book form in 1882. “Co. Aytch” is heralded by many historians as one of the best war memoirs written by a common soldier of the field. Sam’s writing style is quite engaging and skillfully captures the pride, misery, glory, and horror experienced by the common foot soldier. Watkins is often featured and quoted in Ken Burns’ 1990 documentary titled The Civil War.
The song Kennesaw Line by Don Oja-Dunaway, tells a heart-breaking vignette of the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain on the morning of June 27th, from the perspective of Sam Watkins[2], with part of the lyrics directly paraphrasing his description from the book Company Aytch (see the section entitled Dead Angle, on the Kennesaw Line ). The best-known version of this song is sung by Claire Lynch on the album Lines & Traces by the Front Porch String Band.
The ultimate so far as memoirs of a private confederate soldier is concerned. Sam Watkins has received universal praise, well deserved, from numerous civil war historians. Watkins participated in virtually all of the major battles in the western theater, preceded by a brief time of service in the eastern theater. He frequently makes it a point to say he is writing after 20 years and is only writing...
Sam R Watkins Images
