“Preparations for departure were rapidly made, and soon the plank was pulled in, the lines were cast off, the great engine began to throb with a fiery life, and we glided down the harbor, — I knew not where.”
Rev. Theodore Gerrish tells the story of American Civil War from the perspective of a private soldier in the 20th Maine Regiment.
The events and circumstances of the Civil War are told from the voice of the ranks.
The reminiscence begins with the private’s journey from Portland to Antietam, aboard the Merrimac.
Leaving home was hard. But Gerrish knew well enough that there was a need for his departure. Emotions pushed aside, he began his first voyage on the ocean.
A young man with a boyish vision. The journey was a new experience.
The private recalls his first few nights on the steamer and all the expected mishaps one expects on such a voyage.
Not before long, the private was placed in a brigade.
With every day that passed, the situation grew more serious and alarming, changing daily. Gerrish’s memories recount the fear and dread the soldiers faced.
Details of the Battle of Antietam, the thoughts and emotions the men felt during the battle and a vivid description of the franticness that surrounded the care of the wounded provides the reader with a sense of what these men encountered.
The sufferings, experiences, noble exploits, endurance, patriotism and heroism of those who fought during this war, are told in great detail.
Every moment on the fields of battle were moments of fear.
Sitting with the dying was the saddest part of the battle.
Collecting the trinkets for loved ones at home and the final good-byes had the effect of maturing these young soldiers, instantly.
As the story unfolds through the eyes of a private soldier, Gerrish recounts the incredible journey that began in Portland, through Fredericksburgh, Gettysburg, the Battle of Spottsylvania all the way through to the surrender and the return journey home.
Praise for Army Life
‘a truthful representation of the marches, skirmishes, battles, associations, and camp-life of the private soldier.’ – T G Buckspobt
Rev. Theodore Gerrish (1846-1923) enlisted in the 20th Maine Regiment when he was Sixteen. After the Civil War he became a minister. Moving to Dakota, Gerrish became wealthy through real estate investment.
