Dear Delia: The Civil War Letters of Captain Henry F. Young, Seventh Wisconsin Infantry

Dear Delia chronicles the story of Henry F. Young, an officer in the famed Iron Brigade, as told through 155 letters home to his wife and family in southwestern Wisconsin. His insights, often poignant and powerful, enable readers to witness the Civil War as he did. Writing from the battlefront in Virginia, Young's devotion to Delia and his children runs deep through his letters. His concern for them captured his loneliness and heartfelt worries as he was away. As he described the war to his beloved wife, he often pondered his place in a world bigger than the one he left in Wisconsin. Young covers innumerable details of military service--from the camaraderie, pettiness, and thievery he witnessed among the troops to the brutality of internecine war. He was an equally astute observer of the military leadership, maneuvers and tactics, rumored troop movements, and what he considered the strengths and weaknesses of African American soldiers. He kept up with Wisconsin and national politics, often noting incidents of graft and corruption and offering pointed opinions regarding the 1864 presidential election. Candid, contemplative, and occasionally humorous, Young provides a clear window into everyday events during wartime. Epitomizing the feelings of many midwesterners of the time, Young's communications highlight his unflagging patriotism--his fierce determination and willingness to sacrifice for a country he loved.