"The rare intimate biography that is historically compelling and satisfying…"
The McCartys lay bare an improbable story of war, fortitude and survival during a little known chapter of the American Civil War. The Chatfield Story is a remarkable personal biography that sheds light on the inner workings of one lone Union private, but also illuminates the psyche of an entire generation.

Authors McCarty meticulously annotate each letter and diary entry while providing background narrative before and after, so the reader has the fullest possible understanding of the history, events and the subject in question. Fortified with wartime maps, topographical charts and generous appendices, readers are fully armed and ready to take on this formidable lesson in human endurance, grit and determination.

The book is the rare intimate biography that is historically compelling and dramatically satisfying. The story begins with Edward's birth in Middlefield Township, Ohio, in 1842 and ends 24 years later at the close of the Civil War, following Chatfield through the Western Theater --Cairo, Memphis, Oxford, Holly Springs, Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, DeSoto Point, Vicksburg, Corinth and other key battlegrounds.

Well known in Colorado, The Chatfield Story has now come into the zeitgeist through the impeccable efforts of the authors, who have painstakingly researched and documented not only one man's life, but also the coming-of-age of a nation during its darkest hour. Chatfield's letters and diary punctuate a lively and dynamic telling of history that is as much an American story as it is a personal memoir.

But the real value of this work is that it teaches U.S. history in an accessible, engrossing way. It delivers an entertaining, educational and wholly enjoyable excursion through our shared past and one remarkable life. Easy to read, faultlessly researched and masterfully written. Kirkus Discoveries

"Extensive research and thoughtful commentary…" Edward Chatfield fortunately left to posterity several diaries and over 100 letters relating to his service from 1862 to 1865 as a private in the 113th Illinois Infantry. He was in the Vicksburg Campaign and helped guard the Corinth-Memphis sector before being captured following the disastrous Battle of Brice's Crossroads (June 1864). He managed to survive the hell-holes of Andersonville, Millen and Florence before being exchanged and returning home.
     He later became a rancher in Colorado. With extensive research and thoughtful commentary, Peg McCarty, one of Edward's descendants, and her husband Terry have done a wonderful job in presenting Edward's story in proper context in a beautifully produced and well-illustrated book. Where there are gaps in the record, they utilized valuable sources, such as the unpublished memoir of  one of Edward's friends who was with him throughout their captivity. Highly recommended for adding to the understanding of the experiences and viewpoints of Union soldiers in the Western Theater and as a tribute to the men in blue who suffered so much because of the incompetent leadership at Brice's Crossroads.~ John B. Lundstrom, Author and Curator Emeritus of History, Milwaukee Public Museum   

"Hard to put down…" This is a fascinating story of the Civil War told thru the eyes of a young Northern soldier. His journal writing is informative and his letters home to family are filled with heart warming and heart breaking stories. Chatfield has a way of conveying war details that make the book hard to put down. The authors have added valuable resource information that helps one understand the characters and enhances the reading of the letters. ~ C. Patterson, "History Buff" (G.T. Texas)