With Fire and Sword

Samuel H. M. Byers was not just an American poet and diplomat; he was also a soldier who lived through the tumult of the Civil War. He reflects, In war, some seek adventure; others stumble into it. Byers served in a regiment that faced extraordinary challenges and ultimately fought itself into oblivion. Originally mustered with a thousand men, the regiment suffered staggering losses—seven hundred and seventy-seven were lost to death, wounds, and disease. The remnants of the unit were absorbed into a cavalry command. Byers, after enduring months of imprisonment and countless thrilling episodes in both captivity and combat, found himself mustered out as a supernumerary officer, the last survivor of his regiment. Throughout his time in the war, he meticulously kept a diary, chronicling his daily experiences over four years. This book draws from those diary entries, offering a captivating glimpse into the life of a subordinate soldier amidst monumental events, rather than a grand history of military operations.