Reviews for Bound to Be a Soldier: The Letters of Private James T. Miller, 111th Pennsylvania Infantry, 1861-1864

The average rating for Bound to Be a Soldier: The Letters of Private James T. Miller, 111th Pennsylvania Infantry, 1861-1864 based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2015-04-13 00:00:00 Andrew Godbee James T. Miller served in the same 111th PA Infantry as one of my great-grandfathers. Although he is not mentioned in the letters, the letters are fascinating as examples of a soldier's life in a nearby Company. These letters are difficult to read at times due to the lack of punctuation, spelling and grammatical "usage" and James' education level. (Hint: try reading with your ear and not your eyes). A good read.

Review # 2 was written on 2018-06-30 00:00:00 Mark Rosenthal A vivid portrait of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's brief post-Civil War life that cuts a sympathetic tone without indulging in Lost Cause mythology (except on the subject of prisoner exchanges). It's fascinating to read about Lee's surprisingly progressive reign as President of Washington College and the culture of devotion surrounding the man in the years following his surrender at Appomattox -- a devotion that would take several wrong turns in the years following his death. There are countless books about the American Civil War that expound on Lee's military genius but if you want to get a clearer sense of his character and legacy, I think reading Flood's book after Jonathan Horn's more recent The Man Who Would Not Be Washington: Robert E. Lee's Civil War and His Decision That Changed American History is a great way to go.