Customer Reviews

Corporal Si Klegg and His "Pard"

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
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I have read literally dozens of first-person accounts from soldiers in the U.S. Civil War. This book is by far my favorite. Written originally by a veteran for veterans, this book reaches accross time with honesty, integrity and emotion. It is at times humorous, poignant, tragic, and exurberant. If you have even a passing interest in this critical period in American history, it is a must read.

Don't bring any expectations to this read. The less you expect... the more you will enjoy this "gem", written by an actual Civil War veteran, who served in the Ohio 65th Volunteer Infantry. Although the regiment in the story is fictitious and from Indiana instead of Ohio, its experiences, roughly follow the experiences of the author's factual regiment. The battles in the story, though purposely unnamed, will be identified by a knowlegeable reader as those fought by the Army of the Cumberland... including Stone's River, Chickamagua, Chatanooga and the Atlanta Campaign.

The book, as it's title states, is about the life of a volunteer soldier. And peppered throughout it's excellent narrative, is authentic, sincere and heartfelt dialogue. Dialogue, written in the style of the way the men spoke, with all the ye's, ter's and reckons included. It took a little while accustomising myself to it, but shortly afterwards, I enjoyed the dialogue so much that I started reading it out loud.

Josiah Klegg is a young, enthuisiastic and patriotic recruit, who is unwise in the ways of the army. And Shorty "his pard", whom Si meets shortly after enlisting (or 'listing as they call it) is a hardluck Huckleberry Finn character. Though having had a rough lot in life, Shorty is a quick thinker and wise to the ways of the world. The two of them are "stayers", and together, they travel the long hard (and often painful) path from inexperienced recruit to veteran soldier.

Their personalities play off each other wonderfully. Shorty tolerates Si, who is naive and never short for expressing an opinion. And Shorty, always faithful and yet slightly dower, is continually uplifted by Si's irrepressable enthusiam.

There is much in this story of interest for the Civil War buff, including detailed descriptions of marching (blisters and all), camp life, hospital scenes and actual combat. In the end, this story is about the bonds that tie men together. If it is at all possible to understand the feelings men had for each other, during that terrible interlude in American History, you'll get closest, reading this book.

Hinman has used his personal observations and the history of his own unit to create a very complete and detailed (fictionalized) account of the life of a Civil War soldier in the western theatre (Murfreesboro, Chattanooga, Atlanta), complementing the eastern theatre account by Billings ("Hardtack and Coffee"). Every Union Civil War reenactor should be required to read "Si Klegg."

EXCELLENT READ! ALTHOUGH A FICTIONAL CHARACTER; WE FOLLOW SI KLEGG AND HIS FRIEND SHORTY THROUGH HARD CAMPAIGNING, IN THE WESTERN THEATER. FROM HIS INITIAL ENLISTMENT IN AN INDIANA REGIMENT TO THE END OF THE WAR. THIS BOOK WAS INTERESTING AS WELL AS ENTERTAINING! IT IS OF NOTE THAT THIS NOVEL WAS WRITTEN BY A CIVIL WAR VETERAN. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. EXCELLENT.

This is a very good book, much like Hardtack and Coffee, and it goes into details that John D. Billings did not cover. I give this 5 stars because it is a good insight on the camp life and more unknown things about the war for the Union. Late Lt. Col. WIlbur F. Hinman is an excellent writer with lots of humor and further insight.
I also would like to reccomend to the civil war buffs out there that they should buy it. This is a rare opportunity to buy a book that I looked for for 2 years! Never did I see it once and I was repeatedly told it was out of print and I would never find it. I never gave up my search and I decided (just for the heck of it), to search for it on amazon.com and I was amazed. One thousand thanks to Amazon.com. One cheer and a tiger for Corporal Si Klegg and his pard!!

Si Klegg is a must read book for anyone intersted in the American Civil War. Esspecially those that are in the Cvil War Reenacting hooby. Although Si and his pard are fictional characters from company "Q". The stories and the time line are correct. Si and his pard go through the trials and tribulations of the common Civil War soldier and the reader will be able to take that information with other actual documented actions and events and apply them to what they do during living histories and demonstrations. If you are into the American Civil War this book is just as much as a must read as "Hardtack and Coffee".

I love the book Si Klegg and His Pard. It's Fantastic!