An Artilleryman's Diary

"An Artilleryman's Diary" by Jenkins Lloyd Jones is a gripping recollection chronicling the experiences of a soldier in the 6th Wisconsin Battery during the American Civil War. The diary gives a personal view of the artilleryman’s everyday existence, feelings, and thoughts, while also highlighting major events and campaigns of war. Starting with the main character leaving his home and family to enlist, he describes his training at Camp Randall and his journey down the Mississippi River. His diary entries capture anticipation, loneliness, and the sharp differences between his previous life and the harsh realities of war.