Preserve It Reader In Remembrance of Me: The Writings and Saga of American Civil War Soldier George W. Belles
It seems that Ron Bardnell and George Belles are kindred spirits. George Belles was a member of Co. E, 139th Pennsylvania, and served with the Sixth Corps from September 1862 to the end of the war. He wrote numerous letters to his sister back home in Apollo, Pa., as well as his brother and other friends. Rod Bardnell also served in the army, in a war almost 100 years later during a tour in South Vietnam. Though Belles’ letters are not full of detailed battle descriptions they do tell of camp life, picket duty and reflect Belles’ changing attitude toward the war and his chances of surviving. Indeed, as part of the 139th Belles saw action from Fredericksburg, Salem Church, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Fort Stevens, Fisher’s Hill, Cedar Creek, Petersburg and Lee’s retreat to Appomattox. The regiment was involved in some heavy action. At one point his company was down to only six men. Yet God must have been looking out for Belles as he came through the war unscathed. He was a deeply religious man, which is often reflected in the letters. Each series of letters begins with a narrative by Bardnell explaining what was happening in the war and Belles’ life. The letters are presented in a script lettering which this reviewer found annoying but they were still quite readable. What really drove me crazy, however, was that most of Belles’ letters began with the same sentence or a variation of it, “Dear sister it is with pleasure I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at present and hope these few lines will find you enjoying the same blessing.” Come on, George, put a little spice in your life!! The maps aren’t very good, but they do serve to give the reader some idea of what was happening. Bardnell’s narrations are well written and nothing jumped out at me as being terribly incorrect. There are two illustrations of Belles, one bust shot and one of him, his wife and daughter. The volume ends with three shots of Bardnell showing him in the Vietnam bush and today. I liked this book even though the letters were pretty tame. I recommend it for an easy read as well as those little tidbits of information a researcher might pull out of it. My hat’s off to a fellow Nam vet. Reviewer: Blake A. Magner is the Book Review Editor of Civil War News. He makes his living as an editor, writer, cartographer and photographer of Civil War history. He is author of At Peace With Honor: The Civil War Burials of Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. |
Illustrated, maps, bibliography, glossary, softcover, 248 pp., 2009. Merriam Press, 133 Elm St. Apt. 3R, Bennington, VT 05201, $19.95 plus shipping.