Despite all of the traveling this summer, I've made some
progress on the Branch-Lane manuscript. I've been working on a chapter about
daily life. The first part of this chapter actually walks a reader through what
a normal (non-campaign) day was like. I covered things like sleeping
arrangements, roll call, food, drill, guard mounting/pickets, dress parades,
and down time, while Sundays brought inspections and church services. The rest
of the chapter deals with other aspects of daily life, like writing and getting
letters from home, camp fun, gambling, snowball fights, music, visitors in
camp, hygiene, and accidents. Yet to be included are sections on getting paid
and clothing. Handled in other chapters will be the whole medical aspect (there
was a sick call every morning), and military disciple.
In the past, I have integrated the daily life into the chronological
sequence of the book. I thought with the
Branch-Lane brigade book that I could probably better explain what life was
like by keeping it all together. I guess you, the readers, will tell me what
worked better.
In writing a brigade history, I have found scores of
illustrations from their letters to illustrate the various points. That's
great. But, at the same time, I can only use a couple out of maybe ten or more.
It is a challenge, but I hope you will enjoy what I've come up with. The Daily
Life chapter will probably be the largest chapter in the book.
It is my hope to have the Daily Life chapter finished up by
the end of the week. Then it is on to Chancellorsville. I image this will be
the most challenging, considering the number of things written regarding the
mortal wounding of Jackson.
Onward and upward....
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