Most members of the Sumter Flying Artillery, the largest battalion in General Lee's army, were small farmers, teachers, and merchants. The majority of them did not own slaves; they fought for the right of self-government. In this narrative account of the battalion's role in the Civil War, Speicher, a member of the Civil War Round Table of Kansas City and the Sons of the Confederate Veterans, draws on unpublished diaries, manuscripts, and letters to examine each battle the battalion fought and the daily lives of some of the individual soldiers. The book is illustrated with b&w historical photos from personal collections, many published for the first time, showing soldiers in uniform, on the battlefield, and in civilian life before and after the war. The book also includes a consolidated roster from the National Archives listing each officer's name, rank, and enlistment date. Speicher is retired from the US Army and teaching. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)