Book excerpt: Intro -- Title Page -- Dedication Page -- Copyright Page -- Preface -- 1 - Old Abe and the Coming of the War -- 2 - Meet the Eighth Wisconsin -- 3 - The Making of Soldiers -- 4 - To the Front -- 5 - The Valley of the Mississippi -- 6 - The Eagle Regiment -- 7 - The Battle of Corinth -- 8 - Opening the Mississippi -- 9 - The Vicksburg Campaign -- 10 - Used Up: The Siege of Vicksburg -- 11 - Camped Among the Pines -- 12 - On the Move -- 13 - The Price of Cotton -- 14 - The Battle for Furlough -- 15 - After the Devil -- 16 - Jackass Cavalry -- 17 - Nashville -- 18 - Denouement -- 19 - In Tangel's Feature -- 20 - Bloody Shirt Politics -- 21 - Centennial -- 22- Old Abe at Peace -- Notes -- Bibliography