The Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War, 1861-1865

In Short

Leander Stillwell’s memoir records the Civil War from the perspective of an ordinary enlistee in the 61st Illinois Infantry. Enlisting at eighteen, Stillwell marches through the Western Theater—surviving the chaos of Shiloh, the siege of Vicksburg, grueling foraging expeditions, and skirmishes across Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, and Tennessee. Written late in his life at his son’s request, the book bypasses grand military strategy to focus on the day-to-day realities of army life: bad rations, disease, long marches, and sudden violence. It endures as an unpretentious, remarkably detailed primary record of the conflict's human cost.

The Story

Leander Stillwell's narrative begins in early 1862 when he leaves his family's farm in Jersey County, Illinois, to enlist as a private in the Union Army. Marching through his home town under the gaze of his parents, he boards a steamboat bound for the seat of war. His regiment is thrust directly into the slaughter of Shiloh in April 1862, where the young soldier encounters the terrifying reality of artillery fire and the sudden, chaotic collapse of battle lines. In the aftermath, Stillwell navigates the dangers of camp disease, chronic illness, and bad food near Owl Creek, nursing himself back to health through long walks in the woods and illicit foraging.

As the regiment moves through Tennessee, Stillwell matures into an experienced soldier. He details the quiet monotony of railroad guard duty around Bolivar and Toone's Station, appreciating the solitude of night picket duty away from the foul smells of camp. The war's deprivations set in during harsh winters, where troops subsist on short rations and scavenge hardtack from the mud while dodging Confederate raiders led by General Forrest. By 1863, Stillwell's unit participates in the Siege of Vicksburg, where he observes the nocturnal displays of artillery shells and signal lanterns. Disease eventually strikes him down, landing him in a hospital at Helena, Arkansas, before he rejoins his regiment for campaigns across Arkansas.

Granted a brief furlough to return home to Illinois, Stillwell experiences a quiet reunion with his family, only to re-enlist for three more years. Back in the field, his regiment executes strenuous scouts and expeditions through Arkansas and Missouri, pursuing Confederate forces through wilderness terrain. Later in the war, Stillwell sees heavy combat in Tennessee, witnessing General Milroy rally faltering troops at Murfreesboro. Promoted through the ranks to first lieutenant, Stillwell takes part in garrison duty at Franklin, Tennessee, after the major battle there, where he is tasked with taking wounded Confederate officers into custody.

When the war concludes in 1865, Stillwell returns to his family's farm. The morning after his arrival, he strips off his officer's uniform, puts on his father's work clothes, and takes a corn knife into the fields to harvest standing corn. Looking back decades later, he considers his service as an ordinary soldier the proudest achievement of his life.

How It Unfolds

Leaving home behind Stillwell enlists in the 61st Illinois Infantry and marches through Jerseyville, catching a brief, proud glance from his mother before boarding a steamboat down the Mississippi River.

Surviving the furnace of Shiloh Arriving at Pittsburg Landing, the young private is hurled into the chaotic battle of Shiloh, where he raids a fleeing sutler's tent for sausage while dodging artillery shells.

Battling disease and camp monotony Plagued by severe illness along Owl Creek, Stillwell dodges pickets to recover his health in the woods, learning the harsh physical toll of army life between long stretches of guard duty.

Guarding the lines in Tennessee Stationed near Bolivar and Vicksburg, Stillwell watches burning shell fuses streak through the night sky and adapts to severe food shortages caused by Confederate raids.

Returning home and re-enlisting After a stay in a military hospital, Stillwell takes a brief furlough back to the farm, only to return to Arkansas and re-enlist for three additional years of service.

Final campaigns and peaceful return He witnesses intense late-war combat in Tennessee, manages Confederate prisoners at Franklin, and ultimately returns to Illinois to pick up a corn knife and resume farm work.

The People

• Leander Stillwell: The narrator and author, who enters service as an eighteen-year-old farm boy and rises through the ranks to First Lieutenant. He wants to survive the war with his honor intact, fighting off severe physical illness, combat danger, and camp fatigue to finish his term of service.
• His Mother: A stoic prairie woman whose proud smile as her son marches off to war sustains Stillwell through his early enlistment, embodying the quiet sacrifices of Union home-front families.
• Dan Keeley: The first lieutenant of Company D, an educated and refined young officer who earns Stillwell's deep respect and keeps the young soldier accountable when he strays from discipline.
• Chaplain B. B. Hamilton: The regiment's pious chaplain, who uses colorful biblical phrasing to encourage the soldiers before impending encounters with Confederate forces.
• General Robert H. Milroy: A Union general whose conspicuous bravery under fire—riding bareheaded in front of a faltering regiment—rallies the troops to charge and win the day at Murfreesboro.

In Its Own Voice

"I had been somewhat dreading the meeting, and the parting that was to come. I remembered the emotion of my mother when she first saw me in my uniform, and I feared that now she might break down altogether. But there she stood, her eyes fixed on me intently, with a proud and happy smile on her face!"

Context: Stillwell catches sight of his parents while marching through Jerseyville on his way to the front lines in 1862.

"A day or so after arriving at Bolivar the word came to me in some way, I think from Enoch Wallace, that our first lieutenant, Dan Keeley, had spoken disapprovingly of my conduct in that regard."

Context: Stillwell learns that his admired officer disapproved of his straggling behind the regiment to find a farm supper.

"So, the morning after my arrival, September 29th, I doffed my uniform of first lieutenant, put on some of father's old clothes, armed myself with a corn knife, and proceeded to wage war on the standing corn."

Context: Stillwell describes his immediate transition back to civilian life upon returning to his family's farm in 1865.

What It's Really About

Beneath its chronological narrative of marches and engagements, the memoir explores how ordinary, unpretentious people endure extraordinary hardship. Stillwell focuses on the sheer physical reality of being an enlisted soldier: the struggle against dysentery and fever, the search for edible food, and the psychological burden of constant uncertainty. The book rejects romantic notions of martial glory in favor of an honest depiction of duty, comrade loyalty, and democratic resilience. It asks how young farm boys adjust to the sudden brutality of nineteenth-century warfare without losing their humanity, illustrating how discipline and quiet determination transformed green volunteers into veteran soldiers capable of preserving the Union.

Why Read It Today

Stillwell’s memoir stands out among Civil War narratives for its absolute lack of grandiosity or pretense. Written in clear, conversational prose, it offers a vivid, ground-level view of the war as experienced by those in the ranks rather than commanders in tents. Readers who appreciate authentic historical voices will value Stillwell's sharp eye for human nature, his understated humor, and his granular details—such as the sound of southern frogs at night, the taste of stolen mulberries, or the sight of illuminated signal lanterns during the siege of Vicksburg.

The book is exceptionally easy to read, free from heavy military jargon or overly dense prose, though modern readers should expect nineteenth-century language and period perspectives regarding political factions and regional conflicts. Its appeal lies in its intimacy and honesty; it feels less like a formal historical text and more like listening to a thoughtful grandfather recount the defining adventure of his youth. It leaves the reader with a profound respect for the everyday sacrifices made by ordinary soldiers.