Reports from America

William Howard Russell, battle-hardened journalist and veteran of the Crimean War, was sent to New York in 1861 to report on America's Civil War for the Times of London. His was an important role. When Russell was first introduced to Abraham Lincoln in Washington, the President remarked: 'The London Times is one of the greatest powers in the world -- in fact, I don't know anything which has more power -- except perhaps the Mississippi.' The newspaper was regarded as an authentic mouthpiece of the British government and consequently Russell was courted by prominent figures both in the North and South. This is the story of Russell's year in America based on the three volumes of diaries and countless articles he wrote about his experiences. His eloquent words describe the important men of the time, including Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and General William Tecumseh Sherman, as well as some of the key events of the period. His extensive travelling led him to New York, Washington D.C., the South and ultimately to the first real engagement, the Battle of Bull Run. He visited forts, military installations, the Northern and Southern seats of government, seeing everything necessary to form a detailed picture of the discordant conflict. Throughout the year, Russell's impartial reporting took the British reader through the baffling issues and events of the war. Unfortunately his honesty created powerful enemies on both sides. - Publisher.