"Cincinnati native William Haines Lytle volunteered for service in the Mexican War in late 1847. By 1861 the fervent pro-states' rights Democrat with strong family ties to Kentucky slaveholders was in personality and temperament more a Southern cavalier than a Yankee. But, like his father and grandfather before him, he believed strongly in the preservation of the Union."--BOOK JACKET. "Lytle's Civil War letters detail the intensity of the battles in the western theater and illuminate the activities of the Army of the Ohio and the Army of the Cumberland in the early years of the war. Because he liked to participate in society, his writings also offer glimpses of the interaction between Union officers and Southern civilians in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama."--BOOK JACKET. "During the Mexican War, Lytle primarily served garrison duty. Little has been recorded about garrison life during the Mexican War, but it was there Lytle learned to deal with troops and to handle periods of inaction and unpleasant situations. These skills would prove invaluable to him in the Civil War."--BOOK JACKET. "Lytle became known for his courage under fire and his devotion to his troops. He rose quickly through the ranks, participating in combat at Carnifex Ferry and Perryville. Lytle was killed at Chickamauga while leading a valiant charge to stop Confederate troops storming through an opening in Union lines."--BOOK JACKET.