Recollections of a Private Soldier in the Army of the Potomac

By: Frank Wilkeson

Narrated by: Paul Heitsch

Length: 5 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Who beside the enlisted men can tell how the fierce Confederates looked and fought behind their earthworks and in the open; how the heroic soldiers of the impoverished South were clothed, armed, and fed?

The memoirs of Grant, Lee, Hood, Gordon, Johnston, and other Civil War generals are some of our most common sources that we look at when learning about this tumultuous conflict.

But what about the voices of the common soldier?

Frank Wilkeson, when he wrote his account of the Civil War, aimed to rectify this and reassert the importance of looking at the accounts of the men who carried the muskets, served the guns, and rode their saddles into the heat of battle.

As he states in his preface, "The epauleted history has been largely inspired by vanity or jealousy, saving and excepting forever the immortal record."

Wilkeson and his fellow comrades who lived on the frontlines of the conflict had no need to rescue their reputations or assert their actions and thus their accounts provide a brilliant and unbiased alternative view of this bloody war.

After lying about his age Frank Wilkeson was just 16 when he joined the Union Army in 1864.

Through the course of the next year he saw some of the ferocious battles of Grant's Overland Campaign.

Recollections of a Private Soldier in the Army of the Potomac is a wonderfully refreshing account of the American Civil War that takes listeners to the heart of what it would have been like to have served in the front ranks.

Public Domain (P)2019 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Great Story

This was an interesting story from start to finish. Wilkeson’s insights are unique—things you don’t hear from dry Civil War history books that focus on the general officers. I also liked that he offered insights into topics that I had not read much about, Union prisoner of war prisons and how the Union handled bounty jumper.

Fair account of first-hand experience of war.

I loved the performance of the narrator, his voice did well conveying especially emotional points of the story. The writings itself I believe are a solid glimpse into the author's experience of the war, touching on a couple important battles and containing some often overlooked details by other authors on the Civil War. That said, I often felt jostled by how the author occasionally jumped to a new setting without bridging us from the previous experience, it felt there were some gaps. Of course real life recollections can be very much like this and taking everything into consideration, it was a good recounting of his experience and I consider these stories a national treasure and I do recommend the listen.

Best history is from actual soldiers

Very interesting most of the information in this book you won’t find in history books written by a modern day professors.

An awesome inside view of a Civil War Soldier

I do not leave many reviews, This being said I had to leave this one. This is a relatively short book but is absolutely fascinating. The author is a soldier in the Civil War, a private but it is clear that he has a good education but he does not get caught up in that. He tells a side of the Civil War from a regular soldiers standpoint that I have never read before in all of the books on the subject that I have read. For example he goes into great details about the two-tiered army, one part volunteers that could be counted on and the other "bounty jumpers" who were obvious and could not be counted on. He also discussed Petersburg in 1864 and how it was obvious from the common soldiers standpoint that if the Union attacked when they got there they could have taken Petersburg. Its not just a soldier bitching, he explains in detail how the common soldier could tell the quality and quantity of the men that they were facing. I highly recommend this book.

that's not how they taught it in high Is school!

A fascinating, unvarnished look at the Civil War through the eyes of the common soldier rather than the generals and politicians we usually read from. Certainly not the way I learned it in high school! Excellent read!

A True Account of Union Enlisted Experiences 1863-1865

Thoroughly enjoyed this recollection of experience by a Union volunteer who joined in late 1863 and served as an artilleryman and later artillery officer. His matter of fact descriptions of Army of the Potomac life and battles as an artilleryman and as a rifleman on the battle line were educational and without glorification. The narration voice was a steady drumbeat of matter of fact’ness that conveyed this 1880’s author’s purpose and intent.

Very well done!

A truly amazing story of a young soldier serving in blue. It’s short, but highly detailed. Narration was excellent.

A sobering revelation of cannon-fodder soldiering

This survivor relates a long series of degrading and harrowing experiences which reveal more than the best historian ever will. It is masterfully written: Private Wilkerson says very much, very quickly—and then stops. It is an enlightening Civil War gem.

Some things never change.

A great read for any combat veteran to hear that certain things the exemplifies the soldiers life. The accuracy of the lower enlisted intel network, the hurry up and wait game.

Excellent

This is one of the most authentic books that I have ever read of the Civil War. First hand up close and personal. No political correctness, just the raw unvarnished truth.