The Civil War Years: A Day-By-Day Chronicle of the Life of a Nation (review)

BOOK REVIEWS355 The African American soldiers wrote passionately about the omnipresence of racial injustice, which was their constant companion. Since racism had permeated virtually every aspect of military life, their treatment was egregious , whether prisoners of war or part of an occupying force. Black troops not only had to fight the enemy, but to endure prejudice as well. Many of them understood that the Northern army was a microcosm of American society . Despite attempts by abusive white officers and soldiers to break their spirits, black troops maintained a sense of racial pride. Moreover, they did not hesitate to criticize white commanders they considered ineffective or racist . A clear picture emerges from this engaging volume of letters of the roles, fears, hopes, and disappointments of black soldiers. Redkey has done an outstanding job of editing so as not to alter the texts or meaning of the letters. His excellent introduction to each chapter of letters places them within the context of the war. The editor provides a brief description of each entry that includes the author's name, military rank, unit affiliation, date, the purpose of writing, and the newspaper in which the letter first appeared. The addition of explanatory footnotes to identify individuals, places, events, or phrases lends clarity to the work. A Grand Army ofBlack Men adds significantly to the literature of the Civil War and is a fascinating account of military life in the Union army as seen through the eyes ofAfrican American soldiers. These letters contain valuable information on the contributions and challenges of "a grand army of black men" at war. Leonne M. Hudson Kent State University The Civil War Years: A Day-By-Day Chronicle of the Life of a Nation. By Robert E. Denney. (New York: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc., 1992. Pp. 606. $24.95.) This book is written with the general reader in mind. The author denies that he is trying "to prove a point, establish guilt (or innocence) for any action, political or military, that occurred during that period" (9). Rather, Denney seeks to highlight the lives of average soldiers, breathing "life into their stories by providing a perspective of the overall event—the war" (9). To achieve his purpose, Denney uses extended excerpts from the letters and diaries of the men who fought in the war. Most of the entries come from five individuals: Pvts. Julius D. Allen, D. L. Day, and John S. Jackson; CpI. Lucius W. Barber, and Maj. George W. Nichols. Indeed, the book's greatest strength is Denney's ability to paint a vivid picture of men encountering the drudgery of military life, finding humor in the experiences of camp life, and witnessing the carnage of battle through the writings of these five men. Private Day thought the pork so bad that he doubted it "would take a premium in any fair in the country unless it was for meanness" (116). The book begins with a short prologue summarizing military organization, population and economic differences, states' rights doctrine, medical and 356CIVIL WAR HISTORY military practices, logistics and communications. It then proceeds with chronological day-by-day entries, although not every day in the period 1861 through 1865 is documented. Like E. B. and Barbara Long's monumental work, Denney outlines the main events of each day. but he goes beyond the Longs by providing biographical sketches of military and civilian leaders and descriptions of ordinance. This unusual format provides a wealth of information but also becomes unwieldy. Information such as Joe Johnston's death is needlessly repeated (10, 38); events, such as the 1862 cabinet crisis, are poorly explained (244-46); errors, such as Stephen A. Douglas's burial in Springfield instead of Chicago (49), often mar this tome. The author does not mince words when describing the ability of individuals . George B. McClellan was "a legend in his own mind" (66); Henry Halleck was "a fusspot, a procrastinator, an envious man, and a fairly good administrator" (193); and Edwin M. Stanton "would draw much criticism during his tenure as Secretary of War, much of it deserved" (1 13). By compressing complex events into brief entries, traditional interpretations replace recent historiography. For example, Denney argues that the...