The Boys' War: Confederate and Union Soldiers Talk about the Civil War

This book tells about alittle known reality of the Civil War. Valuable reading experience.

Thousands of boys fought in the Civil War, kids from 12 to 16, fighting with, and against, grown men. Some went to war over slavery; some went to protect their families. Many didn't even know the reasons; they just wanted an adventure, a reason to escape boredom. This is the story of those boys. Based on diary entries and letters, The Boys' War tells all about their war: Why they joined, what they wore, how they lived, what they ate, if they survived, if they didn't. You'll go with them from the homestead to the training camps right into the heat of battle. And by the end, you'll know them. --- from book's back cover

With the many boys who fought in the civil war most of them lied about their age. A lot of them wrote letters or had a diary. Johnny Clem had run away from his home at 11. At age 12 he tried to enlist but they refused to let him join because he was clearly too young. The next day he came back to join as a drummer boy. "I was not happy to trade a musket for a stick". He got his wish in the battle of Shiloh and he became a soldier. I recommend this book to people who want like war and/or personal stories. I liked it. I hope you will to.

Jim Murphy has given us a wonderful account of the Civil War with emphasis on the role the young soldier (teen and pre-teen) played in that conflict. The text is quite understandable and the illustrations, black and white photo of the Civil War, make this a valuable and interesting tool in sparking an interest in the young reader. The author uses many first hand accounts and has done a very good job with his research. The writing is not of the dry variety and seems to be able to hold the youner readers interest while still filling his or her head with many interesting and important facts. Highly recommend this one.

This book is very good & understandable. I like it mainly for the pictures.

Read this aloud with my children about 2 years ago. It sparked my son's interest in Civil War historical fiction. He is not an avid reader, but has read several civil war books including "Red Cap" by Clifton Wisler and just picked up "Across Five Aprils" for his sixth-grade historical fiction assignment. Jim Murphy is a fine writer, weaving quotes, diary entries and anecdotes into a lucent and revealing account of the lives of youths who participated in the Civil War. A fine book!