In this Book

summary
George P. McClelland, a member of the 155th Pennsylvania Infantry in the Civil War, witnessed some of the war’s most pivotal battles during his two and a half years of Union service. Death and destruction surrounded this young soldier, who endured the challenges of front line combat in the conflict Lincoln called “the fiery trial through which we pass.” Throughout his time at war, McClelland wrote to his family, keeping them abreast of his whereabouts and aware of the harrowing experiences he endured in battle. Never before published, McClelland’s letters offer fresh insights into camp life, battlefield conditions, perceptions of key leaders, and the mindset of a young man who faced the prospect of death nearly every day of his service. Through this book, the detailed experiences of one soldier—examined amidst the larger account of the war in the eastern theater—offer a fresh, personal perspective on one of our nation’s most brutal conflicts.
            Your Brother in Arms follows McClelland through his Civil War odyssey, from his enlistment in Pittsburgh in the summer of 1862 and his journey to Washington and march to Antietam, followed by his encounters in a succession of critical battles: Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Spotsylvania Court House, the North Anna River, Petersburg, and Five Forks, Virginia, where he was gravely injured. McClelland’s words, written from the battlefield and the infirmary, convey his connection to his siblings and his longing for home. But even more so, they reflect the social, cultural, and political currents of the war he was fighting. With extensive detail, Robert C. Plumb expounds on McClelland’s words by placing the events described in context and illuminating the collective forces at play in each account, adding a historical outlook to the raw voice of a young soldier.
            Beating the odds of Civil War treatment, McClelland recovered from his injury at Five Forks and was discharged as a brevet-major in 1865—a rank bestowed on leaders who show bravery in the face of enemy fire. He was a common soldier who performed uncommon service, and the forty-two documents he and his family left behind now give readers the opportunity to know the war from his perspective.
            More than a book of battlefield reports, Your Brother in Arms: A Union Soldier’s Odyssey is a volume that explores the wartime experience through a soldier’s eyes, making it an engaging and valuable read for those interested in American history, the Civil War, and military history.

Table of Contents

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  1. Cover
  2. p. 1
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  1. Title Page, Copyright, Dedication
  2. pp. 2-7
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  1. Contents
  2. pp. vii-viii
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  1. Preface
  2. pp. ix-xii
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  1. Acknowledgments
  2. pp. xiii-xxiv
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  1. Chapter One: The Volunteer—National War Climate, Recruitment, and War Preparations, August–September 1862
  2. pp. 1-16
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  1. Chapter Two: Into the Fray—Antietam, Sharpsburg Area, September–October 1862
  2. pp. 17-35
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  1. Chapter Three: On the March—Maryland, Harper’s Ferry, and Virginia, November–December 1862
  2. pp. 36-49
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  1. Chapter Four: “Carnage and Destruction”—Fredericksburg, December 1862
  2. pp. 50-64
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  1. Chapter Five: Mud, Morale, and Monotony, January–April 1863
  2. pp. 65-78
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  1. Chapter Six: “This Coveted Ground”—Chancellorsville, April–June 1863
  2. pp. 79-94
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  1. Chapter Seven: Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee, June–July 1863
  2. pp. 95-118
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  1. Chapter Eight: “Pack Up and March,” August–October 1863
  2. pp. 119-131
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  1. Images
  2. pp. 132-144
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  1. Chapter Nine: “Shooing Geese across a Creek” and Decision at Mine Run, October–December 1863
  2. pp. 145-161
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  1. Chapter Ten: Winter Encampment, January–April 1864
  2. pp. 162-178
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  1. Chapter Eleven: The Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, and North Anna River—The Overland Campaign and Hospital Recovery, April–July 1864
  2. pp. 179-202
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  1. Chapter Twelve: “Hold on with a Bull Dog Grip”—Petersburg, July–September 1864
  2. pp. 203-223
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  1. Chapter Thirteen: “Strong Men Strengthened and the Weak Made Strong”—Petersburg and the Weldon Railroad Raid, October–December 1864
  2. pp. 224-238
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  1. Chapter Fourteen: “He Knows Not What a Day or Hour May Bring Forth”—Dabney’s Mills and Second Hatcher’s Run, January–March 1865
  2. pp. 239-253
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  1. Chapter Fifteen: “The Beautiful Captain”—Five Forks, March–April 1865
  2. pp. 254-266
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  1. Chapter Sixteen: “What Will Become of All These Men?” : mThe Postwar Years, 1865-1898
  2. pp. 267-278
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  1. Notes
  2. pp. 279-282
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  1. Bibliography
  2. pp. 283-286
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  1. Index
  2. pp. 287-310
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  1. Back Cover
  2. p. 336
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