What They Fought for 1861-1865

In "Battle Cry Of Freedom," James M. McPherson presented a fascinating, concisegeneral history of the defining American conflict.With "What They Fought For," hefocuses his considerable talents on what motivatedthe individual soldier to fight. In an exceptionaland highly original Civil War analysis, McPhersondraws on the letters and diaries of nearly onethousand Union and Confederate soldiers, giving voiceto the very men who risked their lives in theconflict. His conclusion that most of them felt a keensense of patriotic and ideological commitmentcounters the prevailing belief that Civil War soldiershad little or no idea of what they were lightingfor. In their letters home and their diaries --neither of which were subject to censorship -- thesemen were able to comment, in writing, on a widevariety of issues connected with their warexperience. Their insights show how deeply felt andstrongly held their convictions were and reveal far morecareful thought on the ideological issues of thewar