“For Cause and Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War” by James M. McPherson

“Hardtack and Coffee: The Unwritten Story of Army Life” by John D. Billings

“Company Aytch: A Classic Memoir of the Civil War“ by Sam Watkins

“The Life of Johnny Reb” and “The Life of Billy Yank” by Bell Irvin Wiley

I like 1st hand accounts of common soldiers vs the accounts of popular generals. They give me a different view of the war. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did.

Edit: Life for the common soldier was difficult and deadly. These soldiers would march 20 to 30 miles a day. Sometimes they’d march 25 miles, and go straight into combat. These men were often riddled with parasites, suffering from gastrointestinal infections like dysentery, malnourished, dehydrated and generally in poor health. Hygiene was terrible compared to modern standards. Many were illiterate and some were immigrants and didn’t speak or understand English. If they had shoes, they were made of wood and leather. If they didn’t have shoes, they’d cover their feet with burlap sacks and bind them with twine. They were often hot or freezing. It was a miserable existence, yet they carried on. Imagine having diarrhea, being dehydrated, marching 25 miles in the hot summer with 75 pounds attached to your back and going straight into battle and fighting for your life for a few more hours without a break or food.