Download or read book The Secret Eye written by Ella Gertrude Clanton Thomas and published by UNC Press Books. This book was released on 2014-03-19 with total page 494 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The journal of Ella Gertrude Clanton Thomas, spanning the years from 1848 to 1889, is rare for its treatment of both the Civil War and postbellum years and for its candor and detail in treating these eras. Thomas, who was born to wealth and privilege and reared in the tradition of the southern belle, tells of the hard days of war and the poverty brought on by emancipation and Reconstruction. Her entries illuminate experiences shared with thousands of other southern women.