Army Life in a Black Regiment cover

Army Life in a Black Regiment

by Thomas Wentworth Higginson

"*Army Life in a Black Regiment* has some claim to be the best written narrative to come from the Union [side] during the Civil War," wrote historian Henry Steele Commander. "Higginson's picture of the battle which was the origin of 'praise the Lord and pass the ammunition' and his reading of the Emancipation Proclamation to the black regiment are unsurpassed for eloquence." A Union colonel wrote this book —originally a series of essays— from New England, in charge of black troops training on the Sea Islands off the coast of the Carolinas. A lively and detailed wartime diary, it offers a refreshing portrait of life in the Union Army as the narrator captures the raw humor that develops among the men in combat. His portraits of the soldiers, routines of camp life, and southern landscapes are unforgettable.

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?