
Transcriber's note:
THE RECOLLECTIONS OF A DRUMMER-BOY
PREFACE.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
CHAPTER I. OFF TO THE WAR.
CHAPTER II. FIRST DAYS IN CAMP.
CHAPTER III. ON TO WASHINGTON.
CHAPTER IV. OUR FIRST WINTER QUARTERS.
CHAPTER V. A GRAND REVIEW.
CHAPTER VI. ON PICKET ALONG THE RAPPAHANNOCK.
A vivid snapshot of Civil‑War life is offered through the eyes of a young drummer‑boy who enlisted with the One Hundred and Fiftieth Pennsylvania Volunteers. His diary‑like sketches capture the rhythm of daily camp routines, the camaraderie among soldiers, and the stark contrast between the drum’s bright calls and the harsh realities of marching and battle. The narrative balances the innocence of youth with the gritty details of a three‑year campaign, giving listeners a personal sense of what it meant to serve on the Union side.
Beyond the battlefield, the book explores moments of humor, hardship, and quiet reflection that shaped the boy’s growth. Readers hear the clatter of drums, the chatter of comrades, and the occasional lull of a winter night in the tents. Though rooted in a specific regiment, the recollections convey universal themes of duty, friendship, and the hope that war’s turbulence will one day give way to peace.
Language
en
Duration
~5 hours (333K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by David Edwards, Mary Akers and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2014-02-20
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1845–1930
Best remembered for his lively Civil War memoirs and warm, accessible religious writing, this Pennsylvania minister brought both humor and firsthand experience to his books. His work ranges from battlefield recollection to local history, giving readers a vivid sense of 19th-century American life.
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