author
John Beatty
1828–1914
A Civil War general, congressman, and memoirist, he wrote with the directness of someone who had seen events up close. His best-known book, The Citizen-Soldier, offers a firsthand account of Union Army service and the war years that shaped his public life.
1 Audiobook
The citizen-soldier : or, Memoirs of a volunteer
by John Beatty
About the author
Born near Sandusky, Ohio, in 1828, John Beatty built a varied public career before becoming known to many readers as the author of The Citizen-Soldier. Reliable reference sources describe him as an American banker and statesman from Sandusky, Ohio, and note that he served as a brigadier general in the Union Army during the Civil War.
After the war, Beatty remained active in public service. He served in the Ohio Senate and later represented Ohio in the U.S. House of Representatives, bringing the perspective of a veteran and civic leader to political life.
For audiobook listeners, Beatty stands out because his writing comes from lived experience rather than hindsight alone. The Citizen-Soldier is remembered as a vivid personal memoir of military service, combining battlefield observation with the plainspoken voice of someone who took part in the events he described.