The Rebel Yell and the Yankee Hurrah

by John W. Haley

Book Overview

The Civil War journal of a Maine volunteer " In 1981, Ruth Silliker was doing research at a library in Saco, Maine, when she came across the... diary of John Haley, a young private in the 17th Maine Regiment, Army of the Potomac... the finest feature of the book is Haley himself-an unlettered young man with a wry sense of humor & an ability to turn a delightful phrase... an absolute must for Civil War buffs." -Publishers Weekly

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0892721863
• ISBN13: 9780892721863
• Release Date: January 1985
• Publisher: Down East Books
• Length: 311 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.0" x 0.8" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

a civil war account from the trenches

for a Maine volunteer and army private John Haley was incredibally articulate. He had a wry wit and sharp sense of humour. He paints a vivid picture of day to day life in the field. Haley has a self depreciating manner that lends credibility to his accounts as you don't feel he is embellishing in order to elevate his own status. I really felt this was an honest account of the hardships of the war as well as the mundania. If you love civil war history or like myself have a fondness for Maine history you should put this journal at the front of your list.

Good read; better than many diaries

John Haley went to war with a Maine infantry regiment and wrote down his experiences in this book. Overall, the book is an interesting account of one average soldier in the biggest war America has ever seen. Many tidbits of information are tossed out making the reader re-read them again. One such piece is a reference to a Confederate sharpshooter who was killing many Union soldiers. The person is finally killed and he turns out to be a BLACK man. This book is good for Civil War buffs, for those wanting a "feel" of what it was like to fight for the Union, and those who think that no blacks fought for the Confederacy.