The Civil War left no Vermonters untouched, and few families free from pain. Vermont raised seventeen infantry regiments, one cavalry regiment, three batteries of light artillery, and three companies of sharpshooters -- nearly 35,000 soldiers in all. More than 140 letters -- carefully selected from some 9000 in several archives -- convey in personal terms the combat experience of Vermonters throughout the war. A War of the People covers the war chronologically, with editor Jeffrey D. Marshall providing running commentary. Supplemented with maps and photographs, it includes many voices -- from privates to colonels, mothers, wives, and best friends, young and old -- writing about battle narratives, camp life, financial advice, family matters, and much more. An African-American soldier from Hinesburgh, a French-Canadian soldier who enlisted in Milton, and dozens of others record their experiences at home and on the battlefront in unforgettable words.