War's Relentless Hand: Twelve Tales of Civil War Soldiers (Conflicting Worlds: New Dimensions of the American Civil War)
Dunkelman, long a fan and student of the 154th New York Volunteer Infantry, recounts the stories of 12 of its members, using, besides sparse official records, letters, diaries, and other primary sources, many graciously lent by descendants. Each man's story is different, and the war marked each man permanently. Typesetter and journalist Corporal Bouton, who reported to his newspaper from the front and fell at Gettysburg; Private Chittenden, whose wife struggled with their farm and children in poor health while he was away, and who eventually obtained a medical discharge; Private Hawkins, disabled for life by imprisonment at Belle Island and Andersonville; Private Merrill, whose son served beside him, and who fell at Chancellorsville--these and the other 8 arise from the muster rolls and dead lists to become friends and neighbors. Dunkelman's excellent storytelling and characterizations make this, his fourth book about the 154th, attractive to military buffs and general readers alike.Frieda MurrayCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved