The search for the story of the 38th Regiment of Iowa Volunteers commenced with an effort to find my great, great grandfather Charles Whitman Sawyer's Civil War story. A journey of discovery that spanned more than thirteen years. But Charles left nothing of his personal experiences and I wanted more of the story than his obituary and enlistment certificate could tell. I had a desire to learn what his daily life was like; where did he sleep, what did he eat, did he long for home, was he frightened or courageous in combat?

In my search I found a few words written by my ancestors own hand. But the details of what he experienced, what life was like for him came from the personal accounts of nearly fifty other men. Men from every Company of the Regiment who experienced the same things, felt the same fears, and the same joys that he felt. Through an almost day by day account - you will discover that these were ordinary men in extraordinary circumstances. Forced into an adventure that none of them could have imagined until they had to live through it. The terror of combat, the hopelessness of prolonged sickness, tedious camp life, and the exaltation of a great victory in the last major battle of the Civil War are all parts of their story.