By the time he turned 20, Alexander Hunter, a private in the 17th Virginia Infantry, was a seasoned combat veteran, having fought at some of the war’s fiercest early engagements, including the Seven Days Battles and Antietam, where he was captured. After his parole, Hunter continued his service; he was wounded twice and captured two more times before Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. In 1866, Hunter penned a captivating manuscript about his experiences in the Confederate army. Particularly moving is his detailed description of the August 1862 Battle of Second Manassas—which you can read in this issue’s cover story, “Witness to Second Manassas” (page 22)—where he and the 17th Virginia took part in James Longstreet’s crushing flank attack on the battle’s final day that helped seal the Confederate victory.
Sadly, the only known wartime photo of Hunter is a hazy image in which he appears in three-quarter profile. For this issue’s cover, we took this photo and had it technologically enhanced, both sharpening it and adjusting Hunter’s head so that he’s looking directly forward. We hope you agree that the results are powerful—and provide us a remarkable opportunity to look into the eyes of a young soldier who saw so much of war.
Have a comment about this or any other article in the issue? Please email us at [email protected].
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Speaking of your feedback, regular readers will note that this issue doesn’t include our usual letters to the editor section. Not to worry—it will return with our Spring 2026 issue. So please, keep the letters and emails coming! We value your comments and suggestions.
Finally, I’m excited to announce that we recently launched a new podcast series, Civil War Breakthroughs, which explores how the inventions, ideas, and innovations of the Civil War era defined a new kind of conflict. In the first season, The Technological War, we examine the technologies and concepts that brought the war into the modern age. And, next spring, we’ll be back with a second season of Civil War Curious, our podcast in which we enlist expert historians to answer your questions about the conflict. (Have one you’d like to be considered? Email it to us at [email protected].) You can listen to episodes of either series at our website, or wherever you get your podcasts.
