Between June, 1861 and June, 1862, the lower Virginia Peninsula from Fort Monroe to Richmond changed from a quiet backwater to the focus of the Civil War. First person historian Jeff Toalson features the voices of 67 soldiers, sailors, farmers, clerks, nurses, watermen, teachers, newspapermen and wives to tell a very personal and intimate story of their innermost thoughts as war comes to southeastern Virginia.

These soldiers and civilians wrote remarkable letters and kept astonishing diaries and journals. They discuss disease, slavery, inflation, death, religion, mosquitoes, desertion, damage to farms and crops, a desire to see their loved ones and the constant complaining about the mud caused by the unending rain. They will relate more than 400 stories of events around Gloucester, Fort Monroe, Yorktown, Newport News, Williamsburg, Seven Pines and many lesser-known locations.

Ma, Wee Got Nuthin Here But Mud & Muskeeters is a worthy companion to Mr. Toalson’s four previous award winning histories. We are reminded that to understand this terrible conflict you must read the first-person accounts of the common person. Private Holland shares the feelings of some his fellow soldiers after less than 60 days on the peninsula. They would prefer to be residents of the lunatic asylum in Williamsburg!