The journal of Ella Gertrude Clanton Thomas, spanning the years
from 1848 to 1889, is rare for its treatment of both the Civil War
and postbellum years and for its candor and detail in treating
these eras. Thomas, who was born to wealth and privilege and reared
in the tradition of the southern belle, tells of the hard days of
war and the poverty brought on by emancipation and Reconstruction.
Her entries illuminate experiences shared with thousands of other
southern women.