Allegany to Appomattox : The Life and Letters of Private William Whitlock of the 188th New York Volunteers

"Allegany to Appomattox" describes the environment, enlistment, and political atmosphere that resulted in the Civil War from the perspective of one farmer, William Whitlock who at the age of thirty-five left his family for service to the Union. He wrote at least forty letters home to his wife and family. These unpublished letters serve as the foundation of the book. On September 7, 1864, William Whitlock, aged thirty-five, left his wife and four children in Allegany, New York, to join the Union army in battle. More than 100 years later, his unpublished letters to his wife were found in the attic of a family home. These letters serve as the foundation for Allegany to Appomattox, giving readers a vivid glimpse into the environment and political atmosphere that surrounded the Civil War from the perspective of a northern farmer and lumberman. Whitlock's observations tell of exhausting marches, limited rations, and grueling combat. In plainspoken language, the letters also reveal a desperate homesickness, consistently expressing concern for the family's health and financial situation and requesting news from home. Dunham's detailed descriptions of the war's progress and specific battles provide a rich context for Whitlock's letters, orienting readers to both the broad narrative of the Civil War and the intimate chronicle of one soldier's impressions. Describes the environment, enlistment and political atmosphere that resulted in the Civil War from the perspective of one farmer, William Whitlock, who at the age of thirty five left his family for service to the union. He wrote at least forty letters home to his wife and family. These unpublished letters serve as the foundation of the book.