A Summer in Maryland and Virginia

In Short

This narrative chronicles the experiences of the 149th Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the final, frantic months of their Civil War enlistment in 1864. It is both a tactical record of the unit’s movements—including the pivotal Battle of Monocacy—and a deeply personal memoir of a sixteen-year-old soldier’s life in the field, his capture by Confederate forces, and his harrowing survival in prison camps. It remains a vital primary source, preserving the authentic, day-to-day grit of a short-term volunteer regiment caught in the path of General Jubal Early’s invasion.

The Story

The narrative begins with the optimistic muster of the 149th Ohio at Camp Dennison, Ohio, in the spring of 1864. These were the "hundred days" men, citizens called upon to bolster the Union ranks as the conflict reached a desperate crescendo. The regiment is quickly deployed to Maryland, finding itself stationed at Fort No. 1, where the initial novelty of camp life gives way to the looming threat of Jubal Early’s Confederate army. The tension culminates in the Battle of Monocacy, where the regiment is thrust into a holding action. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Union forces succeed in their strategic goal: delaying Early long enough for reinforcements to reach and secure the capital.

Following the battle, the narrative shifts to the grueling reality of the march. The soldiers, burdened by heavy gear and blistered feet, navigate the Shenandoah Valley, encountering both the harsh realities of war and rare, poignant moments of human connection, such as stumbling upon a quiet, musical scene in a remote negro cabin. The arc takes a dark turn when the author describes his capture by Confederate forces. This transition marks the end of the regiment’s cohesive journey and the beginning of the author’s individual struggle for survival.

The final section of the book details the harrowing experience of life as a prisoner of war. The author is moved from a tobacco warehouse in Danville to the notoriously bleak Belle Island, where he endures exposure, starvation, and the pervasive threat of disease. His account of this period is unsparing; he writes of maggots in the rations, the stench of overcrowded quarters, and the slow decline of his comrades. Despite the grim conditions, the author maintains a sharp, observant eye, noting the cruelty of guards who denied them fresh spring water in favor of stagnant pools. He eventually secures his release by convincing a doctor of his dire physical state—a decision tempered by his guilt over leaving behind those too weak to survive. The story concludes with a reflection on the relics he managed to bring home and the eventual, bittersweet return to civilian life, forever marked by the memory of those who did not survive the summer.

How It Unfolds

The mobilization begins The regiment forms in Ohio, comprised of men eager to serve but largely unseasoned in the realities of long-distance campaigning. They arrive in Maryland with a mix of anticipation and the heavy realization that their training period will be brief.

The shadow of invasion The focus tightens on the strategic chaos of General Early’s move toward Washington. The regiment becomes part of a desperate defensive line at the Monocacy River, tasked with holding ground against a superior force to buy critical time for the Union capital.

The march and the struggle The narrative shifts from organized maneuvers to the chaotic, dust-choked reality of the retreat and pursuit. The author captures the physical toll of the march, the suffering of the displaced, and the lingering spirit of the soldiers as they sing "John Brown’s Body" under the moonlight.

The descent into captivity The tone darkens as the author is captured and processed into the Confederate prison system. The narrative here is confined and claustrophobic, detailing the transition from soldier to captive and the daily fight for basic necessities.

The final release The book closes with the author’s survival and eventual release from prison. He catalogues the items he managed to retain, providing a final reflection on the cost of the service and the enduring weight of the war on his young life.

The People

Colonel Allison L. Brown serves as the moral anchor of the unit. Described as a "Christian gentleman," he earns the unwavering devotion of his men through his leadership during the chaotic defense of the Monocacy stone bridge. General Lew Wallace appears as a strategic mastermind, whose decision to fight a delaying action against impossible odds is credited with saving Washington. The author, George Perkins, serves as the lens through which we see the war; he evolves from a naive sixteen-year-old on his first march to a cynical, hardened survivor in the prisons of Richmond and Danville. His comrades, such as the baker Whipple and the ill-fated Smith Miller, represent the diverse faces of the regiment—some finding escape through clever ruses, others succumbing to the brutality of the prisoner-of-war camps. Together, these figures illustrate a microcosm of the Union army: a mix of idealism, tactical necessity, and profound personal sacrifice.

In Its Own Voice

"If bound for Washington he thought he could delay him at least twenty-four hours, and it would take him two more days to get to Washington, and in that time Grant could get troops from City Point in time to save the Capitol."

This assessment explains General Wallace’s strategic rationale for committing his outnumbered forces to the Battle of Monocacy.

"We would lie there until awakened by the intense cold, to get up and walk again."

The author describes the wretched conditions at Belle Island, where prisoners had no protection from the elements.

"A captain in our regiment brought home a beautiful sword that belonged to one of Mosby’s men, and was found on the field after the fight at Berryville, Va."

The author highlights the artifacts that remained as physical reminders of the conflict long after the fighting ended.

What It's Really About

The central argument is that the “hundred days” regiments—often dismissed by veterans of longer service—played a vital, if unglamorous, role in the preservation of the Union. The book questions the cost of such service, contrasting the patriotic fervor of the initial enlistment with the harsh, dehumanizing reality of prison life. It explores the tension between grand military strategy and the individual soldier's experience, demonstrating that the survival of the republic often relied on the endurance of boys who were expected to perform the tasks of veterans. It is a meditation on memory, the camaraderie forged in crisis, and the profound, lasting psychological impact of combat.

Why Read It Today

Readers with an interest in the granular history of the American Civil War will find this account indispensable. It offers a rare, ground-level perspective from a soldier who was barely more than a boy, and his voice remains surprisingly clear, direct, and free of the flowery, heroic posturing common in later memoirs. You will feel the heat of the marches, the frustration of the thirst, and the genuine, unvarnished exhaustion of the troops. The book is not without its challenges; it is a product of its time, reflecting the period’s attitudes and limited, often dated, views on the people and politics of the era. You may also encounter inconsistencies in the narrative structure, as the author includes lists and side notes from his comrades to round out the history. However, for those looking to understand the human cost of the war—specifically the often-overlooked ordeal of the short-term volunteer and the prisoner of war—this book provides a haunting and essential record. It stays with you because it refuses to romanticize the war, choosing instead to present the survival of the individual as a quiet, desperate triumph against the machinery of conflict.