Preview: Thomas Moore, ed. “The Civil War Memories of Michael Burns”

I received a copy of a 178 page paperback with the almost equally long title, The Civil War Memories of Michael Burns (Private Company C, Eleventh Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry): The Youngest Soldier and the Worst Soldier That Carried a Gun from ’61 to ’64, from its editor, Thomas W. Moore. This is a 2010 self-published effort available at the link above. As the title implies, this is the memoir of a young soldier who saw service at First Bull Run – that’s the most important part as far as we’re concerned. While the coverage of that battle is brief and not too descriptive, the author’s notes help fill in the blanks. Burns had a colorful career in the army, which climaxed with a court-martial and a trip to the Dry Tortugas. There’s a lot packed into a short, large-print book, but if you have a particular interest in the 11th MA or army discipline, I think you’ll find this worthwhile.