Robert Stiles, Kentucky born soldier in the Army of Northern Virginia, considered himself a "Union Man" when the war first broke out. In this classic work he gives the reader a look into the less alluring everyday life of the common soldier. In addition to apt descriptions of major battles, he also gives us a glimpse into ordinary pleasures of camp life like stray dogs that became pets and rough-housing with a snowball fight. The grim details of war are not glossed over as Stiles describes one occasion where his company was obliged to fight amid rapidly decaying corpses of a previous days' battle. An entire chapter is devoted to religion in Lee's army, and the entire book is human, warm, and inspirational. Illustrations have been added to the original text.

Published in 1903, these are the recollections of Robert Stiles during his time as a Major in the Army of Northern Virginia during the Civil War.