George William Beale was born into the Virginia nobility, son of Richard Lee Beale, who served in the House of Representatives and Congress for that state before the Civil War. It is small wonder that he followed his father into the Confederate cavalry, 9th Virginia when the tocsin of Civil War was sounded. His well-written and compelling memoirs document his time with JEB Stuart and Hampton across most of the Eastern Theater of the war between the States. He rode with his men in engagements during the 'Ride around McClellan', Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Brandy Station, JEB Stuart's Gettysburg ride, The Kilpatrick-Dahlgren raid, Spotsylvania. His active career was cut short in February 1865 when he was badly wounded.