The Chatfield Story: Civil War Letters and Diaries of Private Edward L. Chatfield of the 113th Illinois Volunteers

by Terry M. McCarty, Margaret Ann Chatfield McCarty

From the publisher:
Fully annotated and meticulously researched, The Chatfield Story: The Civil War Letters and Diaries of Private Edward L. Chatfield of the 113th Illinois Volunteers is a stunning personal biography that illustrates a harrowing part of American history. Resonant, wise, and suspenseful, this elegantly wrought memoir is a story of courage, pluck, and survival against seemingly insurmountable odds. Chatfield’s life as a Union private unfolds with each successive missive, an incredible account from within the Western Theater of the Civil War: Cairo, Memphis, Oxford, Holly Springs, Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, DeSoto Point, Grand Gulf, Clinton, Vicksburg, Corinth, and Brice’s Cross Roads—where disaster awaited him. Fascinating in its approach and its depth, this spellbinding story of a young man whose name and family became famous in Colorado is a marvelous tale of accomplishment—a decidedly American story that truly begs to be heard.

Terry M. McCarty and Margaret Ann Chatfield McCarty have a shared passion for history which prompted them to transcribe and research the Civil War letters and diaries written by Edward L. Chatfield, Margaret's great-granduncle. During their research, they visited many of the regions described in Chatfield's travels and pored over reams of original information contained in local civic registries and libraries. Both originally from California, they now live in Georgetown, Texas. This is their first book.