Personal Recollections of the Civil War

This volume does not claim to be a tactical, or strategic history of the campaigns of which it treats; it aims rather to be a narrative of the every-day life and experience of the private soldier in camp and field—how he lived, how he marched, how he fought and how he suffered. No sooner had some of the volunteers reached the front, and been subjected to the hardships and exposures of army life, than they fell sick, were sent to the hospital and were discharged without passing through any serious campaigns. Others were wounded early, were disabled and were never able to return to their regiments. The more fortunate passed sound and unscathed through battle after battle and campaign after campaign through the whole war. Three years of active campaigning and a year in the hospital was the allotment of the writer, who thus was in the service from the beginning to the end of the war. Contents: Preface Chapter I Learning To Be A Soldier Chapter II The North Carolina Campaign Chapter III In Virginia Under General Pope Chapter IV With Mcclellan In Maryland Chapter V The Fredericksburg Campaign Chapter VI Playing Soldier In Kentucky Chapter VII The Campaign In Tennessee Chapter VIII Home On A Re-Enlistment Furlough Chapter IX With Grant In Virginia Chapter X Life In The Hospital