From Western Deserts to Carolina Swamps

Lewis Roe was one of the few soldiers whose Civil War experience took him from the westernmost battles in Arizona and New Mexico all the way to the Atlantic seaboard. His diary, edited by John P. Wilson , describes both Indian skirmishes and Army-level battles. Roe’s diary entries and letters home capture the day-to-day drudgery of rain-soaked camps and maggot-infested coffee, as well as the excitement of battle, all the while retaining a remarkable sense of perspective. Wilson’s thorough