This study delivers its message a hundred times: the American Civil War involved suffering. The degree of suffering overwhelmed all military glory. The exhilaration of battle dissipated under the load of fever, diarrhea, maggots, blood, dysentery, pain, pus, and putrefaction. It is the story of imperfect human beings, struggling to save lives and support their armies, fighting the enemy, fighting their superiors, and fighting against strange afflictions...