audiobook Allegany To Appomattox: The Life and Letters of Private William Whitlock of the 188th New York Volunteers by Valgene Dunham in History

Review

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. History from a personal point of view.By Dave DyerSyracuse University Press has previously published a history book that I wrote and they thought I might enjoy this one because the concept is similar to another book I am now researching. The book follows a single ancestor's participation in the Civil War and puts his activities into historical context. I like his approach and really appreciate all the good research that went into it. The highlight; of course; is the fact that he found a lost bundle of letters from his ancestor that had not previously been public. The sad part is that his ancestor died in battle; leaving a widow and four kids to fend for themselves.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A Gread ReadBy Raymond C KubackiI thoroughly enjoyed this book. Source material is always great to read; and these letters from a regular foot soldier give a clear and interesting picture of the day-to-day activities and thoughts/concerns of such a foot soldier in the Civil War.Additionally; the author; Val Dunham; has done an absolutely masterful job of placing each letter in context as to time and place;as well as providing other interesting perspectives and information from the religious denomination of the chaplains to desertion rates/impact on each side etc.For anyone interested in the Civil War whether professional historian; buff or layman; it is a great read3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. FascinatingBy Ionia FromentI really love this book. If you are a fan of history; particularly of the Civil War or the Lincoln era; you will want to add this to your collection.The author; Valgene Dunham; has done an incredible job researching the material included in this work. There are quite a few photos; and it was not only interesting; but somehow ethereal to see what the land looked like during this historical period. I thought the photos added a lot to the book; allowing the reader to glimpse the world William Whitlock speaks of through his correspondence.The part of this book that captivated my attention; was the reproduction of the letters William wrote to his family. Being able to glimpse the events he saw through his own words was fascinating and kept me up late into the night reading. I appreciated that the letters were not edited and were presented with spelling errors and all. It gave me the opportunity to compare the world of today with the historical period being discussed.This book offers an excellent viewpoint for the reader of the Confederate strategy as well as that of the Union. I have read a lot of different historical books that talked about Appomattox; but this one far exceeded the others.If you love history and get excited when you have the chance to reach back into the past and learn; this is a book you will not want to miss.This review is based on a digital copy from the publisher.