In this delightful and profusely illustrated book, the author recounts in colorful detail his early childhood in northern Louisiana, his enlistment in the Claiborne Rangers in July of 1861, which became Company L of the 12th Louisiana Infantry Regiment, his experiences during the four years of the War Between the States, and his long trek home from North Carolina after the surrender of the Army of the Tennessee on April 26, 1865. Valuable insights can be found here into the sufferings endured by the common soldier in the Confederate army, as well as their courage and commitment to their country and to one another.