Books with title The Boys' War: Confederate and Union Soldiers Talk about the Civil War

We all know about the famous generals and the major battles of the Civil War. But for the soldiers who actually fought, the war was all too real. It was especially traumatic for the thousands of soldiers who ranged in age from 10 to 15. Some young soldiers joined the fray to escape the boredom of farm work or to "set the South straight". Many of them kept diaries and wrote letters home. Through their eyes, we see what life was like on the edge of chaos. Some of their writing describes the gruesome details of forced marches and deaths on the battlefield. Balanced with anecdotes of practical jokes they played on one another and interesting people they met, their stories touch our minds and hearts. Ed Sala's interpretation of this well-documented history brings the Civil War to life in a way that few historians could. These everyday details of the war, told in the straightforward language of the young, provide a moving, unforgettable history lesson.

An ALA Best Book for Young Adults: Firsthand accounts of the experiences of boys sixteen and younger who fought in the Civil War, with photos included. Winner of the Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction “Making extensive use of the actual words—culled from diaries, journals, memoirs, and letters—of boys who served in the Union and Confederate armies as fighting soldiers as well as drummers, buglers, and telegraphers, Murphy describes the beginnings of the Civil War and goes on to delineate the military role of the underage soldiers and their life in the camps and field bivouacs. Also included is a description of the boys' return home and the effects upon them of their wartime experiences…An excellent selection of more than 45 sepia-toned contemporary photographs augment the text of this informative, moving work.”—School Library Journal (starred review) “This wrenching look at our nation’s bloodiest conflict through the eyes of its youthful participants serves up history both heartbreaking and enlightening.”—Publishers Weekly “This well-researched and readable account provides fresh insight into the human cost of a pivotal event in United States history.”—The Horn Book (starred review)