With Fire and Sword

This memoir follows a young Union volunteer from the moment he steps onto a village green, driven by patriotic fervor, to his gritty service in a regiment that is gradually worn down by battle, disease, and the harsh realities of war. Through his daily diary entries he recounts the visceral chaos of early engagements, the rough camaraderie among the “Bushwhackers” of Missouri, and the terrifying moment his unit is nearly wiped out, leaving him as the last surviving officer. The narrative captures the stark contrast between the idealistic speeches that launched the enlistment and the brutal, often personal, trials that follow.

After being captured and enduring months of confinement, he manages a daring escape, briefly joining General Sherman's staff and racing down the Cape Fear River to deliver news of victory. Along the way, he encounters guerrilla fighters, experiences harrowing prison life, and witnesses the human cost of conflict both on the battlefield and behind barbed wire. Listeners are offered an unvarnished, first‑hand portrait of a soldier’s endurance, humor, and occasional moments of hope amid one of America’s most turbulent eras.