WARRIOR No 31 UNION INFANTRYMAN 1861-1865

A Union supporter once said, What is a man's life worth if our glorious union is to be shattered by traitors? President Lincoln's volunteers and conscripted soldiers expanded the permanent Union army to include 1,700 regiments of foot soldiers during the course of the war. Those who became part of Mr. Lincoln's Army came from various social and economic conditions, and they documented their day-to-day life in diaries, letters and memoirs. Drawing on these narratives, contemporary photographs, and meticulous archival research, this book provides a vivid account of the common Union infantryman from recruitment and training to his experiences on the battlefield. Contents: Historical Background; Chronology; Recruitment; Renewing the ranks; 'No plaster saints' - Soldier life; Organisation; Tactics; Training; Marksmanship; Ammunition and weapons; Routine and pastimes; Food; Crime, vice, and punishment; 'Last full measure' - On campaign; `Just Before the Battle Mother'; Representative engagements; Aftermath; Badges of courage; 'With malice toward none'; Hallowed ground; Battlefields and museums; Re-enactors; Collecting; The legacy; Bibliography * Colour plates by John White.