Dear Sarah

by John Henry Pardington

"Cpl. John H. Pardington, a member of the 24th Michigan Infantry of the famous Iron Brigade, was an articulate and observant soldier. His letters are filled with patriotic dedication to the cause, longing for his wife and baby, details of camp life, and reflections on the Battle of Fredericksburg, the Battle of Chancellorsville, and other engagements. They are also touching love letters, made even more poignant by the knowledge that Pardington will be killed at the Battle of Gettysburg. The letters reflect John's concerns about everything at home: how Sarah is being treated by relatives, the baby's exposure to scarlet fever, Sarah's money needs, and their plans to buy a home. The letters also reveal the stresses of war and the heroics of everyday life, whether at home or on the battlefield."--BOOK JACKET. "The collection also includes letters to his sister and father-in-law in which his opinions of President Lincoln, the changing leadership of the Army of the Potomac, and the hoped-for