"James Atwater Barrett enlisted as a sergeant near the outset of the Civil War in 1861 and fought alongside the Forty-Eighth New York Volunteer Infantry until 1865. He witnessed the ill-fated Battle of Fort Wagner, suffered a near-fatal sniper shot, and encountered female Confederate soldiers -- all of which is described in this stunning document of American history. Compiled by Barrett's descendants, this collection of letters, diary entries, photographs, and other primary sources chronicles Barrett's journey through the horrors of America's deadliest war" -- Back cover.