Augustus Buell takes up the mantle of historian in an effort to preserve for future generations an understanding of what life was like in an artillery battery during the Civil War. This edition (now sans photographs) serves as a fairly comprehensive history of the notable movements, battles, and actions of a number of individuals who proudly served with the New York Volunteers. What makes this work uncharacteristic from similar ones of the period - and topic - is the fact that Mr. Buell was embroiled in a great deal of scandal regarding the accuracy of many of the tales within (as well as those included in his later, non-fiction works.) Accusations included libel, plagiarism, embellishment, and outright fabrication. Even so, this work offers a realistic glimpse into the unique life and times of an artillery soldier and - whether completely true or not - still serves as an interesting read.