Kate Walker Beall

Kate Walker Beall - A Child's Story of a Battle

In the early months of the Civil War, 10-year-old Kate Walker saw her hometown of Columbus, Kentucky, transformed as Confederate troops began fortifying the surrounding landscape. Soon to unfold before her young eyes was the Battle of Belmont directly across the Mississippi River, followed by the tragic aftermath that greatly impacted citizens of Columbus, especially women and children. Pondering these events into adulthood, Kate Walker (now Beall) took pen in hand some 50 years later to produce a vivid account of those experiences. These unique, handwritten first-person narratives filled with riveting details and personal insights are now accessible more than 100 years later, thanks to Kate's great granddaughter, Anne Ryan Bell, who has transcribed these stories. In addition, this book contains insights into the value of historical primary sources such as this, as well as contextual family details, including the "rest of the story" - how the indelible experiences of the battle played out in Kate Walker Beall's adult life.