Fallen Leaves: The Civil War Letters of Major Henry Livermore AbbottMajor Henry Livermore Abbott of the 20th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was the most widely known and highly respected officer of his rank to serve in the Army of the Potomac. He distinguished himself in every battle in which he participated, from Ball's Bluff until the Battle of the Wilderness, where he died in command of his regiment. Fallen Leaves is a collection of Abbott's wartime letters to his family and friends, the majority published here for the first time. Robert Garth Scott's introduction contains a biographical sketch of Abbott that offers the most complete account of his life to date and, in his epilogue, recounts the details of Abbott's final battle and death. Also published with the letters are more than 30 photographs, many of them showing members of the 20th Massachusetts. Abbott's letters convey an immediacy which gives readers a sense of being part of an inner circle of friends and relatives. This quality lends itself to fresh and compelling reading for Civil War scholars, buffs, and general readers alike. |
Contents
MY TASTES ARE NOT WARLIKE | 30 |
BALLS BLUFF Now We Shall Have Our Revenge | 47 |
AN ADMIRABLE LOT OF FELLOWS | 70 |
A LETTER IS A GODSEND | 97 |
WITH TERRIBLE FORCE | 122 |
FREDERICKSBURG Nothing but Murder | 142 |
FIGHTING JOE HAS TAKEN US | 166 |
GETTYSBURG Worth All Our Defeats | 184 |
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Common terms and phrases
1861 Dear Papa 20th Mass 20th Massachusetts 2d Mass afraid Antietam army Ball's Bluff Bartlett battle Battle of Antietam Battle of Fredericksburg Battle of Gettysburg believe Billy Milton Boston Brig brigade Burnside Camp Benton campaign Capt Carry cheering colonel command Confederate course Courtesy USAMHI Dear Mamma devlish duty enemy Falmouth Federal feel fellow field fight fire Fletch Fletcher forces Fredericksburg friends George Gettysburg Give my love glad going governor H. L. Abbott hear Holmes Hooker hope John John Sedgwick Josiah Gardner Abbott killed leave letter lieutenant Lowell Macy Maryland Massachusetts McClellan miles never night obliged officers Oliver Wendell Holmes Palfrey Perry picket Poolesville Potomac Rapidan River rebels regiment regt river Sedgwick sent shot soldiers soon suppose tell terribly thing troops Union Virginia Warrenton Washington wounded write