Rebel Yell & the Yankee Hurrah

by John Wesley Haley, Ruth L. Silliker (Editor)

On an "I will if you will" dare, John Haley enlisted in the 17th Maine Regiment in August 1862 "for three years, unless sooner discharged." ("Discharged, shot, or starved" would have been more accurate, Haley later wryly observed.) Though a reluctant soldier at first, he served steadfastly in the Army of the Potomac for nearly three years, participating in some of the most significant battles of the Civil War.

John Haley was not the only soldier to record each day's events in his journal by firelight or by picket's lantern, for his was a literate generation. He was unusual in that he later painstakingly rewrote his battlefield notes, "reflecting at leisure" and adding fascinating political and personal commentary to produce the remarkable volume he calls Haley's Chronicles.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Civil War

320 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1985

Reviews

[Holly]

A treasure, an absolute treasure. This has joined my best books ever in the world shelf. Haley, a simple yet keen observer of human nature and both subtle and great events has invited us to a view of a few years of his life. I have never seen the American Civil War and heard the bullets "whish" by or feel the exhaustion he endured, the loss, the small blessings. Most of all Private Haley has a wicked sense of humor, an apt use of the most amusing slang I've ever read, and a deep sense of humanity and goodness. On that last note I must also add he also reflect social norms of his time and reasons it out according to his understanding. It is odd to read this Union soldiers distinction between slavery and social equality, but offers a critical understanding of the time he lived in. His descriptions of Lincoln riding up to his company on a horse, and of hearing thousands of men in battle will echo in my memory forever.

[Todd]

These diary entries by a soldier serving in the17th Maine Infantry during the Civil War embed you with the troops as they fight, regroup, and scrounge for supplies. The narrative is straightforward and compelling. A little humor here and there serves to round out the vivid portraits of his compatriots and the officers leading them. Although it has the occasional slow spot, it's still worth five stars because of the intimate nature of Pvt. Haley's account of the war.

[KP]

A few discrepancies with dates in this book.

[Jim Bouchard]

The Civil War in the words of those who fought it- but not the marquis players! This is a compendium of letters and diaries from the front lines.

Fascinating! An interesting look at how much the attitudes of the everyman toward war, politics and leaders has changed over the last 100 years- and how little they've changed!