The Loyal, True and Brave: America's Civil War Soldiers

Courage, perseverance, and dedication were hallmarks of the Civil War soldier. These qualities, along with their disarming humanness, have lent an enduring attraction to their story. In The Loyal, True, and Brave: America's Civil War Soldiers, readers will learn how the soldier's story has changed over the years, being told in different ways as passing generations introduced their own questions and interests. Steven Woodworth weaves together a variety of writings-by historians and by Civil War soldiers themselves-so that readers are presented with a lively, balanced picture of all the major aspects of the Civil War soldier's life. Woodworth presents the experiences of both Union and Confederate soldiers so readers gain equal perspective on the men who enlisted for North and South. The Loyal, True, and Brave contains detailed descriptions of every facet of the soldier's life, including enlistment, combat, hospitals, prison, and camp life. Included are writings by Civil War soldiers Abner R. Small, an officer in a Maine regiment; John C. Reed, a lawyer-planter from Georgia and member of the 8th Georgia; and German immigrant Johann Stuber of the 58th Ohio. Renowned historians Reid Mitchell, Bell I. Wiley, James M. McPherson, Earl J. Hess, and Gerald F. Linderman are also featured. Each chapter begins with an introduction by Woodworth, discussing the general topic of that chapter and the historiographical issues involved. These selections offer the best brief introduction available on Civil War soldiers and the historians who have written about them. The Loyal, True, and Brave is ideal for courses on the Civil War and Reconstruction, American nineteenth-century history, and American social and cultural history.

About the Author :
Steven E. Woodworth is professor of history at Texas Christian University, specializing in the Civil War and Reconstruction. He has written and edited several Civil War books, including Jefferson Davis and His Generals (1990), Davis and Lee at War (1995), and The Human Tradition in the Civil War and Reconstruction (2000).

Review :

"A wonderful compilation of quotations from Civil War soldiers and historians that demonstrates how perceptions about the men who fought in that conflict have evolved since 1865. It is a welcomed addition to the literature." --Arthur W. Bergeron Jr., historian, Pamplin Historical Park, Petersburg

"Cold statistics do not tell the story half so well as it appears in The Loyal, True, and Brave. This book provides a unique perspective that allows readers to compare what both participants and historians have had to say about every phase of the conflict. For this reason alone, it should take its place on Civil War students' bookshelves." --Brian Steel Wills, University of Virginia's College at Wise

"A rich selection of primary and secondary passages that covers all aspects of the Civil War soldier's life and death. Moving and thoughtful at the same time, The Loyal, True, and Brave will fill a void in the available literature. I recommend it for American history survey courses as well as courses on the Civil War and American military history. General readers will also find it an interesting overview of current scholarship on the life of the Civil War soldier." --Earl J. Hess, Lincoln Memorial University, author of Pickett's Charge: The Last Attack at Gettysburg

"A vivid and substantive sampling that illustrates the experiences, motivations, and perceptions of the men who fought the Civil War. Shrewdly chosen and well-introduced, the book highlights the conflicting principles, ardent emotions, and ambiguity that so often characterizes soldiers' lives." --James Marten, Marquette University