The Preacher's Tale The Civil War Journal of Rev. Francis Springer, Chaplain, U.S. Army of the Frontier

Rev. Francis Springer, a chaplain in the Union army stationed in Arkansas during the Civil War through to the beginning of Reconstruction, kept a journal throughout his time in the service, as did many of his compatriots. However, Springer's journal is unique in that it is not just a record of daily life; he also wrote extended entries reflecting on what he saw and experienced. His honest appraisals of life in the Army of the Frontier make for fascinating reading, and his unique perspective as moralist, educator, and journalist provides new insight into the Civil War and how it was fought in the West.

William Furry is editor of the Illinois Times, the alternative newsweekly of Springfield, Illinois. He is the co-editor of Tramping Across America: Travel Writings of Vachel Lindsay and the Golden Book of Springfield. In addition, he was researcher and script consultant for two PBS documentaries, James Jones: Reveille to Taps, and The Lincolns of Springfield, Illinois.