Writing & Fighting the Civil War: Soldier Correspondence to the New York Sunday Mercury (Writing & Fighting Series) [Hardcover]

William B. Styple (Editor), James M. McPherson (Introduction), Brian C. Pohanka (Introduction), Richard J. Sommers (Introduction), Edwin C. Bearss (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2000 | Series: Writing & Fighting Series

500 Union Soldier Letters from the Battlefield. Eager for first-hand news from the battlefield, the editors of the New York Sunday Mercury asked the departing volunteers to write and "inform us of any events of interest." This simple request for news generated the largest and most impressively detailed collection of journalist correspondence ever written during the Civil War. For four long and bloody years, hundreds of soldiers wrote thousands of letters to the Sunday Mercury creating a unique history of the great American Conflict.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Belle Grove Publishing Company; 1st edition (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883926130
• ISBN-13: 978-1883926137
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,980,959 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars History Comes Alive, January 14, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Writing & Fighting the Civil War: Soldier Correspondence to the New York Sunday Mercury (Writing & Fighting Series) (Hardcover)

This book is a great addition to the serious Civil War reader's library. Being able to read the battle descriptions, thoughts and feelings of those who actually participated in the war is always enlightening, bringing the reader a different reality than that of the historian who writes about the Civil War with the benefit of hindsight and without the benefit of personal experience. The compilation of letters in this book - in chronological and logical order - brings alive the crucial battles in the Eastern theatre of the Civil War. The only slight deficiency is that very few letters from the Eastern soldiers fighting in Western armies are included. My suggestion: have this book at hand and read what the soldiers had to say about a specific event or battle immediately after reading narrative descriptions of the same event or battle by today's leading historians, for a complete view. Overall, a wonderful book and highly recommendable to the "advanced" Civil War reader.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Incredible Book!, July 2, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Writing & Fighting the Civil War: Soldier Correspondence to the New York Sunday Mercury (Writing & Fighting Series) (Hardcover)

With all the books published on the Civil War, it's hard to
find something NEW, but this book brings to light a collection of soldiers' letters unpublished since the Civil War. Not only are the letters themselves new and fresh to
Civil War scholars and enthusiasts, but Bill Styple has done
an excellent job of editing them. The Civil War is presented
in a new light. One of the best Civil War books in many years; if you like to read about the Civil War, buy this book!