Jubilant at the outbreak of the Civil War and destitute in its aftermath, Lexington, Virginia, ultimately rose from the ashes to rebuild in the shadow of the conflict's legacy. It is the final resting place of two famous Confederate generals, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, and the home of two of the South's most important war-era colleges, Washington College and the Virginia Military Institute. Author Richard G. Williams presents the trials and triumphs of Lexington during the war, including harrowing narratives of Union general Hunter's raid through the town, Lee's struggle between Union and state allegiances and Jackson's rise from professor to feared battlefield tactician.

Richard Williams Jr., is a Southern author who specializes in Virginia History and the Civil War. A previous author and contributor to numerous publications, Williams has earned the Jefferson Davis Historical Medal for his work from the United Daughters of the Confederacy. He lives with his wife and family in Virginia's hallowed Shenandoah Valley.