Behind the Blue and Gray: The Soldier's Life in the Civil War
Behind the Blue and Gray: The Soldier's Life in the Civil War
Select a format:
Perma-Bound Edition ©1991--
To purchase this item, you must first login or register for a new account.
Penguin
Annotation: Story of the Civil War as seen from the perspective of the common soldiers. Sequel to "A Nation Torn: The Story of How the Civil War Began."
 
Reviews: 5
Catalog Number: #26821
Format: Perma-Bound Edition
Special Formats: Inventory Sale Inventory Sale
Publisher: Penguin
Copyright Date: 1991
Edition Date: 1996 Release Date: 09/01/96
Pages: 102 pages
ISBN: Publisher: 0-14-038304-2 Perma-Bound: 0-605-33319-X
ISBN 13: Publisher: 978-0-14-038304-1 Perma-Bound: 978-0-605-33319-2
Dewey: 973.7
LCCN: 90046412
Dimensions: 26 cm.
Language: English
Reviews:
School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up-- This sequel to A Nation Torn: The Story of How the Civil War Began (Lodestar, 1990) is the story of the Civil War as seen from the perspective of common soldiers who served in Union blue and Confederate gray; coverage is from the first shots fired upon Fort Sumter to the long trek home at war's end. Ray is an excellent narrator and has chosen many informative, perceptive personal accounts upon which to base her work. The fears, horrors, boredom, and simple, transitory pleasures of these young men are brought into sharp focus by the many first-person writings. Especially moving is the chapter concerning medical care--primitive at best--and the prisoner of war camps--inhumane at worst. Readers may learn for the first time of the many Native American volunteers; all-black regiments; and the large number of German, Irish, and other foreign-born soldiers who fought in the war. Black-and-white historical photographs and reproductions flesh out this highly readable volume that should whet the appetite of readers and inspire them to delve further into a this period. --David A. Lindsey, Lakewood Junior/Senior High School, WA

Kirkus Reviews

A continuation of the ``Young Readers' History of the Civil War,'' begun in A Nation Torn (1990). Here, Ray discusses the soldiers' personal experiences: their early enthusiasm; the conditions they found in the armies on either side; their tempering under war's ordeals; roles played by diverse national groups; the hardships of hospitals and POW camps; the feelings of returning veterans. Ray's writing is vivid, if undistinguished, and aided by memorable photos of the period. Chapter notes would have been useful for tracing the origins of generalizations about the soldiers' feelings, and chronological information might have been better integrated. Nevertheless, an intense portrayal of the military experience, with resonance for today. Bibliography; index. (Nonfiction. 10-14)"

Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 1991)

Photographs. Luckily for posterity, the experience of the common soldier in the Civil War is well documented; so many of them wrote about it - in diaries, letters, or on any available piece of scrap paper. In her second volume on the Civil War, Ray focuses on the fascinating topic of how soldiers lived in both armies. Bibliography, index.

Reviewing Agencies: - Find Other Reviewed Titles
School Library Journal
Kirkus Reviews
Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 1991)
Wilson's Junior High Catalog
Wilson's Children's Catalog
Bibliography Index/Note: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Word Count: 20,045
Reading Level: 8.4
Interest Level: 5-9
Accelerated Reader: reading level: 8.4 / points: 4.0 / quiz: 105342 / grade: Upper Grades
Lexile: 1120L

In this second of a three part series, this book traces the events of the Civil War from the first battle to the surrender with emphasis on the experiences of the individual soldiers.

Whether they wore Union blue or Confederate gray, the untrained recruits of the Civil War quickly learned to endure the hardships of the army life. They experienced the horrors of battle, rampant disease, makeshift hospitals and prison camps, and even boredom. Drawing on letters, diaries, eyewitness accounts, and many vintage photographs, Behind the Blue and Gray explores the lives of soldiers from all walks of life, from all-black Northern regiments to young boys who lied about their age to enlist. 

Also in this series:
A Nation Torn: The Story of How the Civil War Began
A Separate Battle: Women and the Civil War 


*Prices subject to change without notice and listed in US dollars.
Perma-Bound bindings are unconditionally guaranteed (excludes textbook rebinding).
Paperbacks are not guaranteed.
Please Note: All Digital Material Sales Final.