By the Dim and Flaring Lamps: The Civil War Diaries of Samuel McIlvaine [Hardcover]

Samuel McIlvaine (Author), Clayton E. Cramer (Editor)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 157 pages
• Publisher: Library Research Associates Inc (March 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0912526467
• ISBN-13: 978-0912526461
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,914,080 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5.0 out of 5 stars An ordinary man in an extraordinary war, April 3, 2006

By 

D. McKinstrie (Walden, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: By the Dim and Flaring Lamps: The Civil War Diaries of Samuel McIlvaine (Hardcover)

Sgt. Samuel McIlvaine is a regular American who, according to letters and diary entries, felt a moral obligation to participate in this war. His diary covers about 5 months experiences, but it is enough to get a feel for the man personally, and the day to day life of a soldier in the Civil War. His detailed entries cover his surroundings, the weather, daily events, politics, and his physical condition. This diary was passed down through family, and it is surmised that other diaries were also sent home, but are among the missing. Samuel was born on April 13, 1824 in Champaign County, Ohio and died near Stevenson, Alabama around Sept. 8, 1863. His remains eventually made their way to the Chattanooga National Cemetary in Tennessee. I easily connected with Samuel through his writing. His narratives were chillingly insightful.