SWORDS, STARS AND BARS

An anthology dedicated to the heroism of the Confederate Cavalry and its leaders, Lee McGiffin's swiftly moving narrative is an informative tribute to those heroic figures who tend to be largely overlooked in the wake of the Union victory. Eight men from vastly different backgrounds have been treated here. One quality marked them all -- the unshakeable conviction that the South must win and the willingness to die for this belief. Some, like John Hunt Morgan, did give their lives. Others, like Wade Hampton, lost their sons. Most of them made some final peace with the Union, but not until they had made every conceivable physical and moral effort to uphold the Confederate position. Illustrated by Robert MacLean, these abort biographies are admirably compact both in their vivid presentation of character and in their depicting of a historical climate.