Letters offer a deeply personal perspective of the war, and remind us that every one of the hundreds of thousands of brave men that died during the four brutal years of the Civil War was someone's father, or son, or brother, or husband. Numerous first-hand accounts of the harsh realities of war have been published, often including or comprised of the letters of survivors. This unique volume contains the final correspondence written by brave soldiers that did not survive the conflict: some died on the battlefield during combat; others understood they were about to die of wounds received in battle and were able to counsel their family regarding their final disposition. What is the price of freedom? Anyone that has ever asked that question should read these letters.
"A book like this should have been done long ago. It's far too easy to lose sight of the individual, but Crawford brings us back to the truth: war is fought by men. These letters put a human face on the war." - Benton McAdams, author of Rebels at Rock Island
"Frank Crawford has done a wonderful job of filling a void in Civil War literature. While many books tell the story of the Civil War through letters of the men that lived through the conflict, Crawford's book is the only one that tells the story through the eyes of the men that died in the war. Taking a unique stance, Crawford gives you a brief background on each soldier and then lets the soldier take it from there, telling about his life through his own words. It is a sad thing to realize that each of these men, so hopeful and so full of life, would never see their loved ones again." - Gene Eric Salecker, author of Disaster on the Mississippi
A bibliography and photographs enhance the text.
Franklin R. Crawford
(2005, 2006), 2009, 5½x8½, paper, index, 274 pp.
ISBN: 9780788431890
101-C3189
