Comedy of errors, tragedy of triumph -- Secession and mobilizing for war -- The Volunteers of '61 -- Why they enlisted -- Becoming soldiers -- "To slaughter one another like brutes" -- "A great canvass city" -- Keeping the army together -- Clashes within the high command -- Playing troops like fireflies -- Lee in command -- The battle for Richmond: the Seven Days' campaign -- Taking war to the enemy -- A failure of discipline -- Lee's officer corps and army culture -- The soldiers of '62 -- Supplying the army -- Camp and recreation -- Religion and morality -- Chancellorsville -- Arms and ammunition -- The failure at Gettysburg -- Home front -- Blacks and the army -- Combat -- Lee and the high command -- Preparing for the spring campaign of 1864 -- The overland campaign -- The trenches -- Medical care -- Manpower -- Desertion -- The grind of war -- Spiral of defeat -- The final days -- The sample.