| An updated edition
In this companion to The Life of Johnny Reb, Bell
Irvin Wiley explores the daily lives of the men in blue who
fought to save the Union. With the help of many soldiers'
letters and diaries, Wiley explains who these men were and
why they fought, how they reacted to combat and the strain
of prolonged conflict, and what they thought about the land
and the people of Dixie. This fascinating social history reveals
that while the Yanks and the Rebs fought for very different
causes, the men on both sides were very much the same.
"This wonderfully interesting book is the finest memorial
the Union soldier is ever likely to have. . . . [Wiley] has
written about the Northern troops with an admirable objectivity,
with sympathy and understanding and profound respect for their
fighting abilities. He has also written about them with fabulous
learning and considerable pace and humor.
Bell Irvin Wiley (1906–1980) was a professor emeritus
of history at Emory University and one of America's preeminent
Civil War historians.
James I. Robertson, Jr., is the author of many books,
including the award-winning Stonewall Jackson: The Man,
the Soldier, the Legend. Well known for his lectures across
the country and his appearances in television documentaries,
he is Alumni Distinguished Professor of History at Virginia
Tech. | 
