Three Years With the 92nd Illinois: The Civil War Diary of John M. King

by John M. King, Claire E. Swedberg (Editor)

This unusually detailed and literate diary, written by a soldier who was later to become a newspaperman, records his personal experience of the latter part of the Civil War. King discusses his enlistment, the drunkenness and incompetence of some of his commanding officers, disparities between treatm

262 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

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Reviews

[Zachary Guthrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

John M. King led a typical soldier life in his service during the Civil War. The reader finds himself asking the question "Why?" He fought a war in which his personal feelings were left unchallenged. But, Mr. King fought the war because he needed to fight for his country. His sense of pure patriotism impacts the readers mind—especially with the horrors of the Civil War. Although Mr. King experienced much of the war on the sidelines near the end, his experiences in the war provide the most realistic view of common soldier life.

The diary keeps insight about the general’s drunkenness in the Illinois 92nd regiment and dreary injustices towards minorities and other citizens. Their conditions and behavior of these generals are unacceptable in today’s military. John M. King disliked this aspect of soldiering and consumed hardly any alcohol himself. He would be in the minority for his abstinence of alcohol. As I read this account, I identified with his hatred for alcohol and became empathetic toward his poor state. And I think his hatred for alcohol is well-founded.
However, these injustices are from a Northern perspective and not a Southerner's. John M. King had an indifferent stance toward these issues in his diary, but I suspect that he had no love for blacks. But, the Union's perspective is kept consistent and the foul, racist language towards African Americans permeated the conversations King had with his fellow soldiers.

The books style keeps to Mr. King’s original as possible but can be read in regular form with clear thoughts flowing from one point to another. The flow the book is consistent rather than choppy. Miss Swedberg did an excellent job editing the diary. Most diaries I have read might be disjointed and choppy but this diary was readable! I recommend this book for anybody interested in studying about the common soldier's experience during the Civil War. This aspect of the war may seem "boring" to some readers but does have its exciting moments.