Civil War Poetry and Prose

by Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman experienced the agonies of the Civil War as a dedicated volunteer throughout the conflict in Washington's overcrowded, understaffed military hospitals. This superb collection of his poems, letters, and prose from the war years, filled with the sights and sounds of war and its ugly aftermath, expresses a vast and powerful range of emotions.
Among the poems include here, first published in Drum-Taps (1865) and Sequel to...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0486285073
• ISBN13: 9780486285078
• Release Date: October 1995
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 5.0" x 8.0"
• Age Range: 14 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 9 and higher

Customer Reviews

Civil War Poetry and Prose review

I am happy with all of the books that I received on poetry. They are in nice condition and the service was prompt. They are great additions to my book collection and I enjoy them. Poetry adds to my understanding of the Civil War and World War I in particular with the Civil War when the poetry reflects the feelings of both the North and the South.

WONDERFUL LITTLE VOLUME - SIMPLY THE BEST!

It is possible that Walt Whitman is the best poet this country has turned out so far. Of course this could be debated and what it really comes down to is individual reader taste. In my personal opinion, he is the best, but then his work pleases me and I have yet to read a poem or a bit of his prose that I did not enjoy and learn from. Other poets please me too, but Whitman's work somehow touches me like no other. Others may differ of course, but that is okay and as it should be. This little bit of a book is from the Dover Thrifty Edition collection an concentrates on Whitman's writing during and after the Civil War and of course addresses the war, both directly and indirectly. Many of the selections here have been taken from Leaves of Grass, but the editors have gleaned through Whitman's other works and put this wonderful collection together; the central subject being the Civil War. As has been pointed out by other reviewers, we have a very nice and well done selection of the poets work in the first half of the book with poems such as Dirge for Two Veterans, Look down Fair moon, O Captain! My Captain (of course), Camps of Green along with twenty five other Civil War poems. The second half of the book contains a number of letters to friends and relatives and bits of this and than concerning the poet's view of the war and his experiences. It must be noted that both Whitman and his family were quite involved in this conflict and he and his entire family were quite vested in its process. Often times, the modern reader does not realize just how this war impacted Whitman. He basically spent the war working at military hospitals and directly with the troops. In this poetry we find some of his most sensitive work; sad, so very sad, but at the same time sad on a rather positive note. Whiteman always leaves us with hope. After reading this gathering of words, we find an ingenuous strength and conviction in all of his work; so strong that it touches and stays. I have long felt (and this is a personal opinion) that the Civil War was the absolute defining moment and event in our countries history; upstaging even the Revolutionary War (If you think about it, just about any country with a few really hacked off people and a few guns can pull off a pretty decent revolution...it happens everyday around the world). To understand our country and her people and her way of life, you must understand the many aspects of the Civil War. We learn where we came from and why we are the way we are today. Through the words of such men as Whitman, we can gain in that understanding. This is a nice cheap little book; costing very little, but it is oh so powerful. It is a delight to have this small paperback edition lying around to read a bit here and there. Don Blankenship The Ozarks

Solemn, saddening, but also uplifting

"This dust was once the man, Gentle, plain, just and resolute, under whose cautious hand, Against the foulest crime in history known in any land or age, Was saved the Union of these States." Solemn, saddening, but also uplifting. Unedited; adds to the character of the time. The first half of the book contains short and long poems. The poems come from his observations during the civil war. He begins with the splendor in the taking up of arms. His heart changes as he follows along with the troops on to the battlefields of death. He frequents the hospitals, and helps tend to the wounded. The second half of the book contains thoughts on death, the living quarters, Lincoln's murder, atrocities, and the prisons. He spends many hours consoling and conversing with the wounded and writing to their families. The book ends with misc. letters to his mother and acquaintances. Wish you well Scott

The Poetic Civil War

Whitman's book brings together his work from his journals and letters he wrote through out the entire war. As a nurse, Whitman tours hospitals and writes about the brutal realities of the war. His compassion for the wounded and sympathies radiates through out all of his work as he writes about various soldiers and his correspondence with them. With each chapter in the book we are treated to poems and scripture by Whitman that compliments his letters and journal entries. Whitman covers the entire war and it's easy to get a feel for his absolute care and love he had for the soldiers he tended to and visited. It's helpful for understanding just how horrible situations for many were and just what kind of man Whitman was. I highly recommend it.

A Great Reference for Whitman's Civil War Journals

Walt Whitman wrote many journals, letters and diaries during his years volunteering at the hospitals in Washington DC. There are many books out there which claim to combine all those elements into one book. This book does a great job keeping Whitman's actual writing--in other words, the entire passage is presented, including the date and location in which it was written. The major problem with this book is that the editor decided to break all of Whitman's work into Chapters with themes. There is a chapter about letter to his mother, about letters to soldiers, about observations of soldiers, etc. This means that the book is not chronological, meaning that in order to view all of Whitman's writing in the order he actually wrote it, you must jump all over this book. I am studying Whitman during the Civil War, and I use this book for most of my reference. But you should see how I have marked it, leaving notes all over the book to remind myself the order of the passages. There needs to be at least one book that has EVERYTHING in the order it was written. Despite this, this book is very good for anyone interested in getting a sense of what Whitman was doing during the Civil War. His language is easy to read and understand, and readers can skip to the chapters that interest them. I do recommend this book, but remember, the passages are not in order.

"[. . .] done with tenderness, and done well."

"Civil War Poetry and Prose," by Walt Whitman, is part of the Dover Thrift Editions series. Most of the poems are taken from the 1891-92 edition of Whitman's monumental "Leaves of Grass." The prose selections consist of two parts: journal entries taken from Whitman's "Memoranda During the War," and a selection of Whitman's letters. The book also includes a brief introductory note (pp. iii-iv) that discusses Whitman's experiences tending to hospitalized soldiers during the U.S. Civil War. Being familiar with Whitman's poetry from other editions, I was especially fascinated by the prose selections in this volume. In these prose passages Whitman writes vividly of his encounters with sick and wounded soldiers. He seemed to have really had a life-changing experience tending to these men; in one letter he declares that these soldiers "open a new world somehow to me, giving closer insights, new things, exploring deeper mines." Whitman includes some graphic accounts of the wounds and suffering endured by the troops, and very moving descriptions of his comradeship with them. He also discusses other subjects, such as wartime atrocities, female wartime nurses, his love of the opera, and his own writing. Whitman also shares his impressions of and admiration for President Lincoln. The poetry complements these powerful prose selections well. Overall, this collection demonstrates Whitman's compassion, his sweeping vision, and his descriptive skill. In one of the selections Whitman declares of a medical operation, "I thought the whole thing was done with tenderness, and done well"; I will say the same of the writings in this fine book.