Personal Recollections of the Civil War By One Who Took Part in It as a Private Soldier in the 21st Volunteer Regiment of Infantry from Massachusetts

A veteran private’s own words bring the Civil War to life far beyond the sweeping headlines of battle. He opens with the nervous excitement of leaving Camp Lincoln, marching through bustling Baltimore and savoring the simple pleasures of fresh cantaloupes, oysters, and peaches. In these early pages the diary captures ordinary moments—picket duty on the railroads, helping enslaved people escape, and the camaraderie that forms when a Massachusetts chaplain joins the regiment.

As the 21st Volunteer Regiment moves toward its first engagements, the soldier describes the stark contrast between training drills and the harsh realities of field life. He recounts the bewildering rush of the North Carolina campaign, the sound of cannon fire at Roanoke Island, and the quiet, unsettling moments of reading love letters among the chaos. Through his candid observations, listeners hear the grind of marching, the fear of illness, and the fleeting joys of a shared song, offering a vivid portrait of a private’s world in a war that reshaped a nation.