Adventures and Reminiscences of a Volunteer; Or, A Drummer Boy from Maine

The author recalls childhood as a city newsboy turned farm boy, the excitement stirred by the bombardment of Fort Sumter, and his determination to enlist as a young drummer in Company H of the 8th Maine Volunteers. He narrates camp life, marches, and combat episodes together with duties such as the stretcher corps, witnessing wounded and dead, and the bonds among comrades. Told in plain, self‑deprecating language, the memoir blends youthful patriotism, home memories, and candid remembrances of hardship, fear, and fellowship during wartime service.