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Dear Delia chronicles the story of Henry F. Young, an officer in the famed Iron Brigade, as told through 155 letters home. His insights, often poignant and powerful, enable readers to witness the Civil War as he did. Young covers innumerable details of military service-from the camaraderie, pettiness, and thievery he witnessed among the troops, to the brutality of internecine war. He was an equally astute observer of the military leadership, maneuvers and tactics, rumored troop movements, and what he considered the strengths and weaknesses of African American soldiers. From newspapers, he retained a firm grasp of Wisconsin and national politics, often noting incidents of graft and corruption and offering pointed opinions regarding the 1864 presidential election. Above all, Young's communications highlight his unflagging patriotism-his fierce determination to preserve the Union no matter the cost. Candid, contemplative, thorough, and occasionally humorous, Young provides a clear window into everyday events as well as into war, society, and politics. Civil War enthusiasts will appreciate this correspondence, as it reveals the perspective of a young officer from America's western heartland, a regional viewpoint generally omitted from Civil War-era documentary projects.
Dear Delia chronicles the story of Henry F. Young, an officer in the famed Iron Brigade, as told through 155 letters home. His insights, often poignant and powerful, enable readers to witness the Civil War as he did. Young covers innumerable details of military service-from the camaraderie, pettiness, and thievery he witnessed among the troops, to the brutality of internecine war. He was an equally astute observer of the military leadership, maneuvers and tactics, rumored troop movements, and what he considered the strengths and weaknesses of African American soldiers. From newspapers, he retained a firm grasp of Wisconsin and national politics, often noting incidents of graft and corruption and offering pointed opinions regarding the 1864 presidential election. Above all, Young's communications highlight his unflagging patriotism-his fierce determination to preserve the Union no matter the cost. Candid, contemplative, thorough, and occasionally humorous, Young provides a clear window into everyday events as well as into war, society, and politics. Civil War enthusiasts will appreciate this correspondence, as it reveals the perspective of a young officer from America's western heartland, a regional viewpoint generally omitted from Civil War-era documentary projects.
Micheal J. Larson has taught American history for
the past thirty years in Wisconsin. He first unearthed Young’s
correspondence at the Wisconsin Historical Society as an
undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire in
1985.
John David Smith is the Charles H. Stone
Distinguished Professor of American History at the University of
North Carolina–Charlotte, where he has taught courses on
documentary editing. He has published twenty-nine books, many on
the topic of the Civil War, and has edited collections of letters,
diaries, and other primary works on the war, race relations, and
southern history.
Young’s rich lode of testimony illuminates Civil War military
service. His letters reveal the centrality of the Union to northern
motivation, the complex relationship between U.S. soldiers and
emancipation, and the powerful ties between armies and the home
front."" - Gary W. Gallagher, author of The Union War
""Among the many collections of Civil War correspondence, these
letters stand out for their honesty about the hard realities of war
that tested one's faith and fealty to ‘the cause,' and the maturing
ideas about what it meant to be a man. Dear Delia will
repay many readings for anyone wanting to know how and why the war
mattered to those who fought it."" - Randall M. Miller, co-author
of The Northern Home Front during the Civil War
""Young’s letters offer some of the most stunningly honest opinions
and detailed descriptions ever produced by a Union
soldier. The letters are expertly presented and explained by
the editors, offering unusually rich insights into the most
important dimensions of the Civil War."" - T. Michael Parrish,
Baylor University
""This revealing collection of letters is one of the best
windows one will ever find into the everyday reality and the horror
of the Civil War. Larson and Smith illuminate this remarkable
story; the letters themselves take us deep into Young's values,
honesty, racial views, contempt for slackers and civilians, and
almost unfathomable determination to stay to the end to save the
Union."" - David W. Blight, author of Frederick Douglass: Prophet
of Freedom
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