Blue and Gray Weekly, No. 28

This issue of Blue and Gray Weekly (February 17, 1905) features "Turning the Tide; or, The Boys in Gray On Time" by Lieut. Harry Lee, a Civil War narrative centered on the Virginia Grays, an independent Confederate volunteer company. The story opens with Lieutenant Fred Randolph and Captain Will Prentiss—Richmond boys serving on General Lee's staff—scouting from a hilltop near Maryland during Lee's northward advance. Spotting Union mounted infantry two miles distant, they plan an ambush along the highway. The Grays successfully execute a surprise volley, but are suddenly flanked by a much larger Union force. The Confederates narrowly escape on horseback, riding away with a defiant cheer as Union soldiers pursue. The narrative emphasizes tactical decision-making and the narrow margin between Confederate capture and survival. The magazine also includes advertisements for Frank Tousey's instructional handbooks covering mesmerism, palmistry, sporting pursuits, fortune-telling, athletics, magic tricks, and mechanical instruction—priced at ten cents each.