| the trojan bunny | 28 Nov 2011 12:34 a.m. PST |
I'm taking a bit of a fancy to the period and want some reading material. I'm looking for recommendations for good first hand accounts of the ACW, whether by enlisted men or officers. |
| MajorB | 28 Nov 2011 2:33 a.m. PST |
Battles and Leaders of the Civil War
link |
| bgbboogie | 28 Nov 2011 2:54 a.m. PST |
Battles and Leaders for sure as Margard wrote. Read the set several times M |
Chris B  | 28 Nov 2011 4:23 a.m. PST |
Co. Aytch by Sam Watkins. |
Ed Mohrmann  | 28 Nov 2011 4:44 a.m. PST |
Yes, Co. Aytch, if you can find a copy. |
| A Twiningham | 28 Nov 2011 6:24 a.m. PST |
In addition to Battles and Leaders and Company Aytch there are many good regimental and company histories written by veterans. I particularly like this history of company C, 7th Ohio Infantry which was written in 1866. link |
| Scale Creep Miniatures | 28 Nov 2011 6:50 a.m. PST |
Grant's memoirs are a classic. |
| TKindred | 28 Nov 2011 7:17 a.m. PST |
"Soldiering", by Rice Bull, 123rd NY Infantry "Rags & Hope" by Val Giles, 4th Texas Infantry "Hard marching Every Day" by Wilbur Fisk, 3rd Vermont Infantry "Army Life" by Theodore Gerrish, 20th Maine Infantry "Following the Greek Cross" by Thomas Hyde, 7th Maine Infantry Those are a few off the top of my head. All have excellent details of the life and times of members of their units, what they experienced, and some good details about soldier life, equipment, training, etc. |
| Cleburne1863 | 28 Nov 2011 7:36 a.m. PST |
"A Southern Boy in Blue: The Memoirs of Marcus Woodcock 9th Kentucky Infantry U.S.A" "One of Cleburne's Command: The Civil War Reminiscences and Diary of Capt. Samuel T. Foster, Granbury's Texas Brigade, CSA" |
 John the Greater | 28 Nov 2011 7:50 a.m. PST |
Hardtack & Coffee by John Billings. It's a great view of the war from an enlisted man's viewpoint. Also, parts are very funny. The Monitor Chronicles. Letters from the Third Engineer on the USS Monitor. The Letters of Peter Welsh. He served as the color sergeant of the 28th Mass (until he was killed at Spottsylvania) Corporal Si Klegg and His "Pard" by Wilbur F. Hinman. A novel written by a veteran. Sometimes novels are more true than the truth. I also endorse the books suggested above. |
| Billy Yank | 28 Nov 2011 7:55 a.m. PST |
"Army Letters" by Oliver Wilcox Norton (83rd PA and 8th USCT). It can be downloaded for free off of google books. Billy Yank |
| FireZouave | 28 Nov 2011 8:09 a.m. PST |
"My Enemy, My Brother" is a narrative of the Battle of Gettysburg with many first hand accounts inserted in it, which makes it all come alive. I remember how I envisioned some of the things that soldiers commented on in the book! |
| wingleader356 | 28 Nov 2011 8:22 a.m. PST |
I was going to throw Soldiering by Rice Bull up on here but i have been beaten to it… (from my home town and i used to re-enact 123ny) Sherman's Memoirs are also a great read, the smart alec notes passed between sherman and the opposing commanders are alot of fun to read |
| firstvarty1979 | 28 Nov 2011 9:58 a.m. PST |
"Eye of the Storm" by Robert Knox Sneden link |
| the trojan bunny | 28 Nov 2011 11:08 a.m. PST |
Wow, thanks for all the suggestions. Lots to look for now. :) |
| donlowry | 28 Nov 2011 11:26 a.m. PST |
Campaigning with Grant by Horace Porter Sherman's Memoirs are just as good as Grant's, maybe better. |
| Campaigner1 | 28 Nov 2011 2:38 p.m. PST |
"Mother, May You Never See the Sights I've seen", the 57th Massachusetts Veteran Volunteers in the last year of the war link |
| Campaigner1 | 28 Nov 2011 2:40 p.m. PST |
T Kindred mentioned one of the best first-hand soldier's accounts, a book that is often overlooked, "Hard Marching Every Day" by Wilbur Fisk. Fisk is both articulate and very detailed in his descriptions of army life. A most excellent read. |
| Campaigner1 | 28 Nov 2011 2:47 p.m. PST |
OMG how could I have forgotten…. what I consider to be the "confederate equivalent" of Hardtack and Coffee by Billings, "Detailed Minutiae of Soldier Life" by Carlton McCarthy! link McCarthy gives what may be, in my opinion, the best descriptions of food, cooking, sleeping, marching, and comradery during the Civil War of any author I have ever read. A true masterpiece. |
| John Michael Priest | 28 Nov 2011 6:03 p.m. PST |
booksgoogle.com has a hundred or so regimantal histories and memoirs available free on line. |
| Cleburne1863 | 28 Nov 2011 7:22 p.m. PST |
So does archive.org. In fact, I think it has even more of them than Google. |
| Milhouse | 28 Nov 2011 9:16 p.m. PST |
Don't forget "All for Union" by Elisha Hunt Rhodes |
| Greylegion | 29 Nov 2011 5:49 a.m. PST |
Time Life "Voices of the Civil War". I found these books to be very interesting as they give first hand accounts of the times, feeling and thoughts of civilians, Union and Confederate troops before during and after each battle. Nice series. |
| A Twiningham | 29 Nov 2011 5:52 a.m. PST |
My link to the 7th Ohio history is to Archive.org. It is a great source for free books. |
 capncarp | 29 Nov 2011 7:33 a.m. PST |
"Gunner with Stonewall" by Willam T. Poague.
"I Rode With Stonewall" by Henry Kyd Douglas. Ditto on "Hardtack and Coffee" "…Billy Yank" "…Johnny Reb", "Soldiering", "Co. Aytch". |
| Cuirassier | 29 Nov 2011 7:10 p.m. PST |
the trojan bunny, Take a look here (all six pages): link Btw… I'm "Zouave" over there. :-D |
| firstvarty1979 | 29 Nov 2011 9:57 p.m. PST |
T Kindred mentioned one of the best first-hand soldier's accounts, a book that is often overlooked, "Hard Marching Every Day" by Wilbur Fisk. Fisk is both articulate and very detailed in his descriptions of army life. A most excellent read. I couldn't agree more. As a former Union reenactor, it is a must-read for its portrayal of the life of the common soldier – the title says it all! |
| Campaigner1 | 30 Nov 2011 8:17 a.m. PST |
Wow yeah, Millhouse mentioned a classic, "All For the Union" by Elisha Hunt Rhodes! Not to be missed! |
| donlowry | 30 Nov 2011 11:17 a.m. PST |
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