The correspondence gathered in this extraordinarily rich collection were penned by Confederate Colonel Alexander Carey McAlister and his wife, Adelaide-both of whom descended from among North Carolina's most distinguished families. These messages illustrate how extended relations supplied loved ones on the frontlines with food and clothing, while the soldiers struggled to provide for the dependents they left behind. Coping with profound hardship, these letters illustrate the McAlisters' resilience and their belief in divine providence.