The book consists of letters a Vermont soldier sent home from the Civil War. Darius Duty Priest was a thirty-four year old father of four when he went to war to save the Union, look out for his younger brother , and have an adventure.His first battle was the Northern debacle of First Bull Run, and he was in many battles until being severely wounded at Spotsylvania a month before his enlistments was up.DDP was a keen observer and wrote vividly of his experiences, including commentary on the new places and people he saw.Although he did not have a great deal of formal education, he was a voracious reader, which is evident in his ability to put his views on the the subject of the Civil War and life as a soldier on paper.