History of the Eighty-sixth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, during its term of service

"HISTORY OF THE EIGHTY-SIXTH REGIMENT ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY" by J.R. Kinnear is a late 19th-century historical record that follows the 86th Illinois Volunteer Infantry through the Civil War. It tells the story of soldiers in battle, their feelings as they go to war for the first time, and what life was like for them in the army. Kinnear describes how the regiment was formed in Peoria, Illinois, back in August 1862 and the challenges they had as they marched toward Nashville; the reader is placed into the realities of their military training, the relationships between the soldiers, and the emotional and physical obstacles they overcame, including their first battle engagements. It's a story that respects the past but doesn't shy away from the harsh facts of war.