Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Johnny Reb and Billy Yank
There were thousands of soldiers on both sides during the Civil War, who, at the beginning, started to keep a diary of daily events, but those who kept a record from start to finish can be counted on the fingers of one hand. I was so fortunate as to save most of my notes made during the four years of conflict, and in 1865, having no fixed pursuit in life, I spent most of the time in arranging and writing up these incidents of camp life while fresh in my memory.
I have given in these pages veracious account of the life of a sol dier in Lee's army.
The public have been surfeited with war literature. There is hardly a prominent officer North or South who has not rushed into print at every available opportunity; yet no officer high in rank dared write the exact truth, for the reason he has the feelings, the self-love and the reputations of those who served under him to con sider.
A private in the ranks, who has learned something of the art of war through tough experience in two branches of the service, should be able to write understandingly of that internecine con?ict which rocked America like an earthquake.
At least he can afford to tell the truth as to what he saw, heard and thought without fear or favor. And above all, a private in the ranks, having no grievance, can be fair and just.
In those days Johnny Re and Billy Yank were good com rades when off duty. They had a profound respect for each other, and, as Bulwer says, It is astonishing how much we like a man after fighting him.
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