The Story of a Common Soldier

The story takes place during the American Civil War, and it follows the life of a Leander Stillwell, a soldier in the Union Army. He begins as an eager young man who joins up with his friends to fight for what he believes in. Over time, however, he sees that war is far from glorious; more than anything else it is just plain brutal and cruel. Yet this doesn't keep him from fighting on, even when he is forced to kill others.

The first major action that Stillwell writes about is the Battle of Shiloh, in southwestern Tennessee, he also saw action at Vicksburg, Murfreesboro, and Franklin. Stillwell's writings are an important primary source for the Union campaigns in the Western Theatre (Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama).

As Leander goes through the war, he experiences different sets of emotions - joy and sadness, pride and guilt. Leander sees the war as necessary, and so through all of these conflicting feelings he continues to fight. The story ends with Leander returning home after the war. His family is happy to see him alive and well, though many other men in town did not come back alive.