My wife just bought this book for me: Hard Marching Every Day: The Civil War Letters of Private Wilbur Fisk

Has anyone else read this?  It looked like it might be a good one to read.

It's a superior read.  It's one of my favorites.

Greg,

This is yet another one of those great books that builds an excellent background foundation, but with a very nice twist. Fisk was an excellent writer, and he was writing so folks back home could understand what was happening in the army, so he includes many minor details other authors would not.

Who was the author of the book?  It sounds like one of those books that I would be interested in reading since I enjoy reading the dairies and works of the enlisted men of the war.

I started reading it this weekend on my flight to and from Vegas.  It is a good book and like Charles said he really gives some good details.

The author is Wilbur Fisk of the 2nd Vermont.  He was soldier/correspondent for a local Vermont newspaper.  So his letters are sent back to the newspaper and published as articles.

And boy can he write when he gets going on a topic.

Great qoute from the book about the Shenandoah Valley. From his letter dated Aug 23, 1864

The Shenandoah Valley is a queer place, and it will not submit to the ordinary roles of military tactics. Operations are carried on here that Caeser or Napoleon never dreamed of. Either army can surround the other and I believe they both can do it at the same time.

For the guys who've read both, how does Fisk's writing compare to that of Sam Watkins? After just a couple of pages I'd decided that that guy was a poet.

Quote :

Private Glover wrote : For the guys who've read both, how does Fisk's writing compare to that of Sam Watkins? After just a couple of pages I'd decided that that guy was a poet.

I have read both.. though it has been a while since I have read Co Aytch..

I like Fisk's writing because it is within a few days of the events he is writing about.  Less time for the mind to exagerate ones performance.  Plus I like his style of writing, it is informative even about the mundane stuff to some people.  I like when he talks about how they went about guard mounting, picket duty, improving their living conditions.  

The descrïptions from their time in NYC is neat too.

I'm about halfway through Hard Marching Everyday and it is very good reading.

It is amazing the amount of marching that this regiment did and so often criss crossing across the same roads and even at one point returning to an encampment that they had left over a year earlier.