In Defense of the Flag: A true war story

A shoemaker’s son from Pennsylvania answers the call of duty at seventeen, joining the 83rd Pennsylvania Volunteers as the Civil War erupts. He recounts early enlistment, the poverty of his family, and the harsh life of a soldier on campaigns from Bull Run to Antietam and Fredericksburg. Vivid scenes of night‑time rifle pits, endless marches, and the thunder of artillery bring the battlefield to life, while camp routines reveal the stark contrast between youthful hope and brutal reality.

When his younger brother enlists, the narrator writes urgent letters urging him to stay home, yet they end up serving together. A painful wound sends him to Washington’s hospitals, offering a brief pause and a glimpse into wartime medical care. His observations of battlefield remains—skeletal figures, torn uniforms, and shattered morale—underscore the human cost of the conflict. Listeners will hear a candid voice that balances personal determination with the sobering truths of a nation at war.