This historical work gives great insights into the United States, Civil War (1861-1865) in the form of personal narratives of the life of John Porter Fort. Fort talked only about the main events of his life in this work. There are numerous things not mentioned here that would add to this story of a whole admirable life. Still, the editor of this work, Martha Fannin Fort, who is also the son of John Porter Fort, decided to leave it just as he told it to him as they sat together on the porch or in the library by the open wood fire. He also added a few tributes and some clippings from Georgia newspapers to these.

A foreword by the editor from a 1918 publication will bring to the reader's attention that the reminiscences of his life and work were dictated to Martha Fannin Fort by his father, John Porter Fort, during the summer of 1916.