Review of 'The Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War, 1861-1865' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
That last line... “I doffed my uniform of first lieutenant, put on some of my father’s old clothes, armed myself with a corn knife, and proceeded to wage war on the standing corn.”
... brings a tear to my eye. I can smell it and feel it.
Judge Stillwell's tale here rings quite real to me. I also grew up in the corn fields of Southern Illinois albeit ~130 years later. I also served... I also returned home to help my father take in the corn. This story transported me and I'm so grateful to have been along with the boys of the 61st Illinois.
That last line... “I doffed my uniform of first lieutenant, put on some of my father’s old clothes, armed myself with a corn knife, and proceeded to wage war on the standing corn.”
... brings a tear to my eye. I can smell it and feel it.
Judge Stillwell's tale here rings quite real to me. I also grew up in the corn fields of Southern Illinois albeit ~130 years later. I also served... I also returned home to help my father take in the corn. This story transported me and I'm so grateful to have been along with the boys of the 61st Illinois.