They led the armies of the Civil War and forged the most critical and violent chapter in American history... The military leaders, men of impassioned commitment and unrivalled courage, who recorded in vivid detail the war as it was, both on the battlefield and in their hearts and minds. These fascinating narratives are presented chronologically, woven together with insightful editorial notes, and accompanied by over 40 maps; together they comprise the Civil War experience, from daily army life to the sights and sounds of battle, to the moral and strategic decisions that rested upon the commanders' shoulders. Their words bring to life every significant passage in the course of the war.