The original book was published in Mansfield, Ohio,
but most prominently mentioned are Illinois soldiers. Also included are tales by veterans from Iowa, New York, Indiana, Pennsylvania and other states. It vividly portrays the day to day life of the Civil War soldier, while chronicling many
personal incidents. Sit down to a soldier's diet of "desecrated vegetables," "slap-Jacks" and "hard tack and S.B."
Some of the many subjects touched upon include:
The Camp of Instruction
Sutlers and Quartermasters / Foraging
Prison Life & Escape Attempts
Army Mules & Mule Drivers
Freak Accidents / Premonitions
Copperheads & Renegades
Corduroy Roads & Pontoon Bridges
Skirmish Lines, Fortifications & Unexpected Engagements
Chaplains & Revivals
Guard Duty / Unofficial Truces
Practical Jokes / Drummer Boys /Spooning
Executions & Deserters / Marching & Racing
Other tales are not easily catagorized:
like the future president who almost had his arm amputated;
the fellow who wrote his girlfriend a 500+ page letter after she complained that his letters were too short; the exciting first hand account of the capture of the famous Rebel John Morgan; and
-- one of my personal favorites --
the war's only "Unchronicled Battle."

The following is a list of names mentioned in the various accounts. Unfortunately full names and regiments are not always given.

Rev. A.R. Thain, private 96th Illinois; William Tasker, chaplain, Illinois Infantry Regiment; Svanson John Petersen, DeGrace's 20 pound Paragon Battery, Company H, First Illinois, Light Artillery; Joseph Dewey and Captain Bartlett, Company C 7th Iowa Cavalry; H. P. Thompson, orderly Sergeant of Company H, 49th New York; George Blowers, Company A, 2nd Vermont and John Tague, Company A, 5th Vermont (shot as deserters); Sergeant Otis B. Hayes and Mayor Andrew W. Brazee, 49th New York; Mose Huntley, Gen. Oglesby and Gen. Sweeney, 52nd Illinois; Gen. Weaver, 2nd Iowa; Capt. J.M. Shields, Company F, 77th Illinois; William F. Montgomery, 7th Iowa; John G. Morrison, 101st Illinois, 11th Army Corps; Gen. Ira J. Bloomfield, 26th Illinois; Col. Heath, 100th Indiana; Major J. M. McCulloch, 77th Illinois; Gen. Ransom, 2nd Div. 13th Army Corps; Capt. Reid of Missouri; Major Bering and Lt. Srofe, 48th Ohio; Capt. Watt of 130th Illinois; Capt. Crocker; Mr. Arnold of the 23rd Wisconsin; F. O. White, Co. A, Cavalry, 36th Illinois; Lt. Moore and Lt. Hall, Company C, 20th Illinois; Col. Timothy O'Meary and Col. John Mason Loomis, 90th Illinois; Major M. B. Parmeter, 77th Illinois; George Justice, James Killdow and Gen. George H. Thomas, Co. H, 1st Battery, 18th US Infantry; J. J. Marquett and Gen. Turchin, Company B, 37th Indiana; Henry A. Keve, Private Theodore and Private Brown of the 7th Illinois; W. Frank Bailey and Oscar Henry, 6th Pennsylvania Reserves; Capt. Morton, Pilot Johnson, and L. D. Simonds, acting master mate of the U.S. Steamer General Thomas; Capt. Naylor and Gen. Granger, Indiana, army gunboat; C. E. Harden, Company F, 26th Illinois; Dr. Watson, Company B, 53rd Illinois; Mr. Alrich, private of Company K, a Wisconsin regiment; A. Lammey Co. C, 2nd Chicago Board of Trade Regiment; Capt. John O. Pullen; S. W. Rodgers, 113rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry; Chaplain Cartwright, 92nd Illinois; Gen. A. J. Smith; William A. Crawley, Crawford, Boyd, Jim Haliday, Seward, Bierman, 10th Illinois Cavalry; C. F. Matteson, 17th Illinois Infantry; F. Y. Hedley, adjudant, 32nd Illinois Infantry, 2nd Brigade, 4th Div., 17th Army Corps; Gen. Belknap, 3rd Brigade, 4th Div., 17th Corps; Lt.Col. Kennedy, Capt. H. C. McArthur, Lt. Goodell, 13th Iowa; Col. Stone, 15th Corps; Major Cramer, 30th Iowa, 15th Corps; Gen. Gilas A. Smith, 4th Div., 17th Corps; Sol R. Smith, Col., Rutherford B. Hayes; James M. Allen, Co. F, 2nd Ill. Cavalry; Gen. H.H. Thomas, Leonard Oliver and Jim Frye, 13th W. VA. Infantry; Dr. A. Hard, Chaplain Matlock, Willie Benson, 8th Ill. Cavalry; Brigadier Gen. Suman, 9th Indiana Infantry; Gen. William Nelson, Gen. James B. Fry, Gen. Don Carlos Buell, Gen. Jefferson C. Davis of Indiana; George Ellers, 113rd Ohio Infantry; Capt.Charles P. Gorman, Co. A, 113th Ohio Infantry; Col. Van Buren, 192nd New York; S. W. Rogers; Gen. I.N. Stiles; Gen. Mansfield, 20th Indiana Infantry; R. C. Coyner and Capt. Pointdexter, 38th Indiana Volunteer Infantry; J. O. Henderson, 80th Ohio; Smith Hancock, Co.D. 80th Ohio, Chaplain Howard, 42nd Ill., A.M. Peck, W. B. Cowan, Drum Major Edward B. Potter, 72nd Ill. Infantry; John Curry; Frank Bailey, Maj. Gen. Franklin, Capt. Carle, Lt. Pratt, Jack Gibney, Jimmy Moore, and Hobart Ripley, 6th Pennsylvania Reserves; George W. Scott of Illinois; Capt. Fred Maxwell, Capt. McNamara, and Dennis McGinley, 3rd New York Cavalry; Lt. S. M. Witt and Mart McCoy, 10th Indiana; Capt. H. B. Reed, 129th Ill.; Oscar F. Avery and Robert Thomas, llth Michigan; Segeant J. H. Goff, 129th Ill.; J. G. Birchfield, Col. Ingerton, Capt. Wilcox, John M. Wilcox, John Turner, Sol Turner, John Humphrey, Andrew Campbell, Gen. Gilliam, 13th Tenn. Cavalry; Dan Ellis, pilot and scout; Confederate Col. Leadbetter; Stackpole, muledriver, 26th Ill.; Isaac N. Phillips, corporal Co. A., 47th Ill. Infantry, 16th Army Corps; F. E. Huddle, Co. M, 10th Ill. Infantry Volunteers; J. W. Evarts and Col. Rogers, 15th Ill. Cavalry.

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