The War for the Common Soldier

“Carmichael’s deep description of these individuals' experiences . . . complicate[s] in compelling ways our ideas about American men at arms during the Civil War. . . . Truly eye-opening.”—Journal of the Civil War Era

“In eloquent and elegant prose, Peter S. Carmichael examines the experience of war for the enlisted soldiers of the Union and Confederate armies. . . . The power and beauty of Carmichael’s writing come from his ability to build drama, reveal pathos, and provide texture to the war experience of his disparate group of soldiers.”—Journal of Southern History

“If you are interested in the life of the common Civil War soldier, you will want to read this book. . . . The book brings together a number of interesting threads which make the reader contemplate the differences and the similarities between Union and Confederate soldiers.”—Journal of America’s Military Past

“Carmichael goes deeply into his sources. . . . His search for authentic voices is successful . . . [and points] his readers in interesting, sensitive directions. . . . A powerful addition to getting to the 'real story.'”—Civil War Book Review

“A much-needed update of the experience of the Civil War’s fighting men on both sides. . . . He illustrates his main points with extensive quotations from primary sources plus a variety of contemporary illustrations that significantly add to the context. . . . His presentation has both breadth and depth. It is, in all, a major achievement.”—CHOICE

“Carmichael’s work goes a long way toward helping those who might support, or participate in, future conflicts to understand how their predecessors met and overcame significant challenges when called to face their own iterations of injustice.”—H-Net Reviews

“Fundamentally alters the trajectory of the literature.”—Civil War Times Illustrated

“Impressive, if not impeccable. . . . The War for the Common Soldier is a serious and important work.”.—Civil War News

“It is nor possible to expect anyone to write the last word on either the dark side of Civil War soldiering or the persistence model for understanding the combat experience in the Civil War, but Carmichael has given us an important new way to look at both that will serve to bridge the gap between two lines of scholarly inquiry that too often are seen as contradictory or antagonistic.”—Earl J. Hess, ARMY Magazine

“Carmichael deserves high marks for producing a thought-provoking book on the mental machinations of combatants caught up in our nation’s bloodiest conflict.”—Annals of Iowa