Six Years of Hell

Most written accounts of Harpers Ferry, Virginia, during the Civil War era begin and end with John Brown's raid in 1859 and his subsequent hanging. In Six Years of Hell, Chester G. Hearn recounts in colorful style the harrowing story of Harpers Ferry's tumultuous war years-during which it changed hands more often than any town but Winchester, Virginia, and was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt. Relying heavily on records left by the citizens who weathered the war and the soldiers who garrisoned the town, Hearn treats the civilian experience as fully as he does military activities. He introduces the people who attempted to stay in their homes, protect their possessions, and accommodate the soldiers during the conflict. As Hearn clearly demonstrates, for those stouthearted individuals, the Civil War was truly six years of hell.