The book, Field Of Battle: The Civil War Letters of Major Thomas J. Halsey, while admittedly a story of this soldier, is also , in many ways, the story of the American Civil War from Fort Sumter to Appomattox.  Major Thomas J. Halsey was a devout man of peace who at age 36 left his family of five in 1861 to fight for the Union as part of the 11th New Jersey Volunteers.  Thomas J. Halsey's motivation to join the army was not made based on a quest for glory but rather a desire to support other local soldiers who had joined the cause and to somehow end the conflict as soon as possible in order to hold the nation together as one.  The author does a credible job of linking a series of Major Halsey's letters together by providing a time line to the many historical battles and events that took place between 1861 and 1865.  Major Halsey's letters weave a rich story of a soldiers life which included: Camp life; 2) Daring raids; 3) Battlefield horrors at Antietam, Gettysburg and the Wilderness; 4) Sherman's march to the sea; 5) Black soldiers; 6) Andersonville prison horrors; 7) Flamboyant spies and 8) Great stratgist like Grant, Jackson, Lee and Lincoln.  The major sections of this book are as follows: 1) Prologue; 2) The Early War; 3) 1862; 4) 1863; 5) 1864; 6) 1865; 7) Epilogue; 8) Index; 9) Additional Reading; 10) Notes on Contributors; 11) Acknowledgments and 12) Illustrations Credits.  In addition to the narrative which is wrapped around 60 of Major Halsey's letters are the following: 1) 70 essays; 2) 210 vivid illustrations; 3) Assorted memorabilia and 4) 14 specially commissioned maps.  This book is certain to please anyone interested in American Civil War history.  This book is 156 pages and is in excellent condition.  The author is K.M. Kostyal.  Edition published in 1996.