Soldiers Blue and Gray

By James I. Robertson Jr.

Book Overview

The poignant tale of Johnny Reb and Billy Yank

Soldiers Blue and Gray tells the story of Johnny Reb and Billy Yank-soldiers who recorded their experiences and emotions in the largest outpouring of letter writing in America's history. In the first scholarly, in-depth examination of the Civil War soldier published since Bell I. Wiley's two-volume study half a century ago, James I. Robertson, Jr., draws upon hundreds of rare and obscure sources to produce a moving account of what it was like to participate in the bloodiest and most intense war the world had ever seen. A tremendous amount of such writing came to light during--and has appeared since--the Civil War Centennia lof the 1960s. And what those men felt, observed, and endured reinforces the opinion that while they left something to be desired as soldiers, this nation has rarely ever produced greater fighters of more courage and devotion. Drawing upon hundreds of obscure and hard-to-find sources, the author has produced a fresh, sometimes humorous, sometimes heartbreaking chronicle of a war that was the watershed of American history, because it truly united the United States.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1570032998
• ISBN13: 9781570032998
• Release Date: September 1998
• Publisher: University of South Carolina Press
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

A great look at the common Civil War soldier!

Author James Robertson has put together a very interesting book that considers many popular aspects of soldiering in the Civil War. Robertson hits strong topics such as enlisting, camp life, battle, prisons, religion, relationships, family, death and valor. This insightful information is backed by reference, great writing and also some humorous situations that Robertson assembles. This book was a pleasure to read and at times very educational. For the advanced historian, it may be a bit too generalized although a person with some basic knowledge of the war could benefit a great amount. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to understand the common soldier of the Civil War and looking to gain further insight.

Filled With Fantastic Facts

"Soldiers Blue And Gray" contains much information on the general aspects of the Civil War. Not directly covering any specific action or battle, it uses quotations from diaries and letters of the period to bring to life such topics as life in camp, prisoners of war, and medical conditions, while covering the point of view of both Union and Confederate soldiers. It is comparable in style to Wiley's "The Life of Billy Yank" and "The Life of Johnny Reb". Easily read and understood, and filled with many facts and figures, it should prove valuable to both the serious researcher and the casual reader.