Corporal Edwin J. Barden (Ned) wrote letters to his girl Sara (and later his wife) while assigned to General Grant's headquarters from 1861-1865.

As a soldier in the 7th Connecticut Infantry Regiment, he documented Union army and navy battles, weapons, travels, and movements. These letters provide an up-close soldier's view of life on the front lines, and include officer assessments, horrid weather, transient housing, poor food, hung deserters, and valiant "colored" forces fighting battles in Texas long after Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox.

Through his eyes, you experience this horrid time in history with a real-time view of civil war life, leadership, and a love that sustained two people. Ned and Sara married in 1864 and built a family that will spawn five generations of military fighting men.

These letters are transcribed exactly as delightfully written. They provide a spellbinding look at a soldier's life in the Union Army and at an enduring love during a war that split apart a growing nation.

Of great historical significance, a 1905 published book was discovered while transcribing these letters that was written by Stephen Walkley, another soldier and Unit Historian in the 7th Connecticut Infantry Regiment.

"History of the Seventh Connecticut Volunteer Infantry

Hawley's Brigade, Terry's Division

Tenth Army Corps

1861-1865"

Twentysix chapter introductions from this amazing history book allow the reader to follow the war and the unit's role as Ned's letters progress through the years.

The editors preserved the punctuation and spelling as written. Spacing is only partially preserved due to formatting.

Corporal Barden wrote the orders, received the battle and casualty reports, and saw the horrors at the soldier and commander levels.

Observe the spelling and punctuation improve as the years progress.

Laugh, cry and gasp at the stories fresh from the battlefields.