Experiences of a Civil War Horse-Soldier

This book is a history of the 2nd New Jersey Cavalry during two years of the Civil War, 1863-65. It is a story told from the point of view of one enlisted man in this regiment, the author's grandfather, Corporal S. Townsend Walmsley. All the cavalry characters are true, documented factually as a result of the author's own research into original documents, as well as narratives told to him by other family members. It is a story of human sacrifice for country and ideals and the maturation of young men who eagerly went to war as invincible warriors, only to find that value for life, like ideals, was also precious. The details of everyday living and the research of their training, as in horsemanship, personalize the accounts and give the reader a sense of participation in this important history. The author's access to primary sources, such as his grandfather's journal and letters sent home during the war, lend the book its vitality and humanity.