Contents
Preface
1. A Lifeline of Letters
2. Illinois Citizens Become Soldiers
3. Camp Life and Bonding with the Boys
4. Soldiering
5. Managing Affairs from Afar
6. Seeing the Elephant
7. Southern Culture through Northern Eyes
8. Officers, Generals, and “Old Abe”
9. Debility and Diseases
10. Writing the Indescribable as Prisoners of War
11. Soldiers No More
Appendix A: Soldiers’ Brief Biographies
Appendix B: Chronology of the Civil War
Appendix C: Quoted Soldiers, by County of Origin
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Gallery of illustrations beginning on page 125
Map 1. Featured Illinois soldiers, by county of origin xiv
Map 2. Cities and battle sites mentioned in soldiers’ letters 263