PREFACE

"TAKEN BY THE ENEMY" is the first of a new series of six volumes which
are to be associated under the general title of "The Blue and the Gray
Series," which sufficiently indicates the character of the books. At the
conclusion of the war of the Rebellion, and before the writer had
completed "The Army and Navy Series," over twenty years ago, some of his
friends advised him to make all possible haste to bring his war stories
to a conclusion, declaring that there could be no demand for such works
when the war had come to an end. But the volumes of the series mentioned
are as much in demand to-day as any of his other stories, though from
their nature the field of their circulation is more limited. Surprising
as this may appear, it is still the fact; and certainly the author has
received more commendatory letters from young people in regard to the
books of this series than concerning those of any other.

Among these letters there has occasionally been one, though rarely, in
which the writer objected to this series for the reason that he was "on
the other side" of the great issue which shook the nation to the centre
of its being for four years. Doubtless the writers of these letters, and
many who wrote no letters, will be surprised and grieved at the
announcement of another series by the author on war topics. The writer
had little inclination to undertake this task; for he has believed for
twenty years that the war is over, and he has not been disposed to keep
alive old issues which had better remain buried. He has spent some time
in the South, and has always found himself among friends there. He
became personally acquainted with those who fought on the Confederate
side, from generals to privates, and he still values their friendship.
He certainly is not disposed to write any thing that would cause him to
forfeit his title to the kind feeling that was extended to him.

It is not, therefore, with the desire or intention to rekindle the fires
of sectional animosity, now happily subdued, that the writer begins
another series relating to the war. The call upon him to use the topics
of the war has been so urgent, and its ample field of stirring events
has been so inviting, that he could not resist; but, while his own
opinions in regard to the great question of five-and-twenty years ago
remain unchanged, he hopes to do more ample justice than perhaps was
done before to those "who fought on the other side."

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