The centerpiece of this slim volume is a reprinting of Twain's “The Private History of a Campaign That Failed,” published initially in the Century magazine in 1885 as part of a series titled Battles and Leaders of the Civil War. The story is preceded in this volume by an extended introduction by Benjamin Griffin, an editor at the Mark Twain Project, that offers a thorough recounting of Twain's actual history during the opening months of the Civil War, or “why he didn't do anything,” as Twain claimed in his article. In this rich gem of an essay, Griffin also examines in detail Twain's conflicting attitude toward his own role, the context for the writing of the article, and the criticisms the article received upon its publication. The volume includes as well two relevant appendices: one an 1877 speech by Twain and the other an extended response to Twain's piece by...
