"Mary Boykin Miller Chesnut, 1823 - 1886"
  

Mary Chesnut (wife of famed South Carolina Senator James Chesnut Jr.), kept an outstanding journal, beginning with published documents, circa 1861. Her Journals were published at least four times, under various titles, culminating in 1982 by winning the Pulitzer Prize for History. Professor C. Vann Woodward, Sterling Professor Emeritus at John Hopkins, and Yale University, New Haven and London, won the 1982 Pulitzer Prize for History; by editing, copywriting, and publishing an excellent 886 page manuscript of Mary Chesnut's Journal; Titled, "Mary Chesnut's Civil War" (Hardback $53.50, Setback 19.95). The Journal's of Mary Chesnut have been published in part on at least four occasions. First, The Saturday Evening Post Magazine published parts of her diaries, circa 1900, and gave the series the title of "A Diary From Dixie, By Mary Chesnut". The Title "A Diary From Dixie, By Mary Chesnut" was subsequently adopted by her publishers in the 1905 expanded rendition of Mary's Journals. This version was about half the length of C. Vann Woodward's 1981 copyrighted version. There was a second published version, similar in content and length to the 1905 version, published in 1949. This version of the Journal's was also titled "A Dairy From Dixie, By Mary Chesnut" published in 1949. There are minor differences in the 1905 and 1949 published versions of the Journal's; Most noticeably the picture inserts. The 1905 version contained a picture of "Sarsfield", Mary's home, built for her in Camden by James. The published journals are absent the "Chesnut Chronicles" which Mary wrote in attempting to document a history of the Chesnut Family. The "Chesnut Chronicles" may be found on the front page of this Homepage; Under the heading of "Golden Research Possessions, Etc.", approximately 40 percent of the way down in the document ("Golden Research Possessions, Etc"). The "Chesnut Chronicles" located in the "Golden Research Possessions", are contained in a letter, dated, and titled; "Excerpts From: Letter Homer Jones to Gordon Walker, Dated December 7, 1957". Homepage address and location of "Chesnut Chronicles" Document. "Golden Research Possessions". search: "Golden Research Possessions" In 1981 Sterling Professor Emeritus of John Hopkins and Yale Universities, New Haven and London, C. Vann Woodward copyrighted and published the 886 page version of Mary's Journals; and won the "Pulitzer Prize for History in 1982". C. Vann Woodward's version of Mary's Journals contains a fine collection of photographs. The best collection of Photos currently available in print, are to be found in a smaller book, published by: the Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Titled, "Mary Boykin Chesnut, A Biography" by Elisabeth Muhlenfeld, with forward by C. Vann Woodward (11.95). The version of Mary Chesnut' Journals titled "Mary Chesnut's Civil War" Edited by C. Vann Woodward (published in 1981 by Yale University Press, New Haven and London), is an excellent book by Mary Chesnut, which is referred to; as an "Inside look at what a century of unlimited wealth could accomplish". This book is of particular interest to the Chesnut generations, as an inside look at the Chesnut Cousins from South Carolina, both in the good times, and those more difficult, who worked honorably after the war to repay the war debt's, and support their family, when in need.

Please find below, a list of the available published versions of the Mary Chesnut Journal's, and other works currently available in print, of historical interest to the Chesnut Family.

Title Author/Editor Price

"Mary Chesnut's Civil War" C. Vann Woodward, 1981, Hardback $53.50 Softback $19.95 Title E487.C5 973.7'82 80-36661 Published by Yale University Press, New Haven & London Retailer: Barnes & Noble catalog number 0300024592 0300024592 (hardback) 0-300-2979-9 (pbk)

"Mary Boykin Chesnut, A Biography" Elizabeth Muhlenfeld Paper $11.95 forward by C. Vann Woodward, Published by LSU Press, Baton Rouge 70803 Title ISBN 0-8071-0852-9 (cloth) ISBN 0-8071-1804-4 (paper)

Yale University Press, 302 Temple, New Haven, Ct. 06511 telephone No. (800) 987-7323 (203) 432-0948