The Sixth Wisconsin and the Long Civil War: The Biography of a Regiment

by James Marten

Overview

Reimagining one of the oldest genres of Civil War history, this book engagingly presents the story of the war and its aftermath through the lens of a single regiment, the Sixth Wisconsin. One of the core units of the famed Iron Brigade, the Sixth was organized in July 1861 and mustered out in the summer of 1865, playing major roles at Second Manassas, Antietam, and Gettysburg, and in the Overland campaign of 1864. But the regiment’s full history is found in the stories of its men learning to fight and endure far from home amid violence, illness, and death, and in the lives of families that hung on every word in letters and news from the front lines. Those stories also unfolded long after the war’s end, as veterans sought to make sense of their experiences and home communities struggled to care for those who returned with unhealed wounds.

Marshaling a vast archive, James Marten has crafted a compelling and highly original biography of the Sixth Wisconsin in war and peace. In seeing the fight through the eyes of the regiment’s roughly 2,000 men and those connected to them, readers will understand the long history of the Civil War as never before.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781469684246
Publisher:	The University of North Carolina Press
Publication date:	04/04/2025
Series:	Civil War America
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
File size:	10 MB

About the Author

James Marten is professor of history emeritus at Marquette University. He is author or editor of many books, including Sing Not War: The Lives of Union and Confederate Veterans in Gilded Age America.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Marten skillfully recaptures the world of the Sixth Wisconsin regiment in all its diversity. He deftly handles military operations and combat with just the right combination of strategic and tactical detail. And he vividly recaptures the humanity of the common soldier, from suffering to frolic and from remembrance to recrimination. This is an outstanding piece of work by a historian of great depth and range. It should become the gold standard for any work on a Civil War regiment.”–George C. Rable, University of Alabama

“James Marten’s The Sixth Wisconsin and the Long Civil War strips the gloss from our memory of the Civil War and brilliantly provides readers the gritty reality of the soldiers’ experience and the terribly high price paid to preserve the Union and destroy slavery.” — D. Scott Hartwig, author of I Dread the Thought of the Place

Editorial Reviews

“Of great interest and value to Civil War enthusiasts, historians, and students, Marten’s account offers a detailed exploration of the war’s long-term impact. The book’s literary quality is exceptional, presenting a well-researched and engaging narrative that captivates from start to finish.”—Library Journal, STARRED review

“James Marten should be commended for delivering such an important and interesting addition to the growing scholarship covering Civil War regiments.”—Emerging Civil War

“Marten skillfully recaptures the world of the Sixth Wisconsin regiment in all its diversity. He deftly handles military operations and combat with just the right combination of strategic and tactical detail. And he vividly recaptures the humanity of the common soldier, from suffering to frolic and from remembrance to recrimination. This is an outstanding piece of work by a historian of great depth and range. It should become the gold standard for any work on a Civil War regiment.”–George C. Rable, University of Alabama

“James Marten’s The Sixth Wisconsin and the Long Civil War strips the gloss from our memory of the Civil War and brilliantly provides readers the gritty reality of the soldiers’ experience and the terribly high price paid to preserve the Union and destroy slavery.” — D. Scott Hartwig, author of I Dread the Thought of the Place

From the Publisher