Civil War Reflections: Honoring the Battles, Soldiers and Spirits is probably the most unique book I’ve every read on the American Civil War. It doesn’t quote statistics, and it doesn’t evaluate battle plans, and it doesn’t take sides. It reveals the soul of the soldier.
The book is actually a book of poems. I however, would call it a ballad, or a book of ballads from the ‘boots on the ground’. No one, unless they’ve tasted the gunpowder in the trenches can fully understand the impact of war on the human mind, spirit and heart. This book gives as close an account to those feelings as any book can.
Author Vernon Dutton is a re-enactor, currently a member of the 3rd Arkansas Volunteer Infantry. In real life, Vernon is a Vietnam veteran who knows all too well the hell of war. From poems about friends and mentors lost, to a very revealing look at the love he had to leave at home, this book will take you on an emotional journey rarely experienced.
You can see a local news interview with Mr. Dutton here:
An excerpt from the book:
One Left Behind
I can’t describe my heart ache, when my comrades are no more.
I see their faces in my dreams and know they’re on That Far Shore.
I know my time is coming and I’ll join them soon enough.
I march to the next clash of arms and expect it to be quite rough.
You can purchase the book by following this link.
