Here's the second: "Commanding Boston's Irish Ninth: The Civil War Letters of Colonel Patrick R. Guiney, Ninth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry", edited by Christian G. Samito, Fordham University, 1998. Born on 15 Jan 1835 in Parkstown, Co Tipperary, Patrick Guiney emigrated with his father when he was 7. His mother and younger brother joined them, in Portland, Maine, about a year later. Guiney became a lawyer, relocated to Boston, and married Jeannette Margaret Doyle on 8 Jan 1859. The newly-weds set up in Roxbury. The couple's first born died in infancy; a daughter, Louisa, born 7 Jan 1861, was their only other child. Originally, Guiney was 1st Lieutenant of Company I. When the regiment was mustered into Federal service, Col. Cass had him promoted to Captain and command of Co. D. Guiney was promoted to Major in Oct 1861 and to Lieutenant Colonel in Jan 1862. After Cass was wounded at Malvern Hill that July, Guiney became commander of the regiment and promoted to Colonel on 26 Jul 1862. Unfortunately, not everything was hunky-dory in the 9th - a lot of political intrigue went on. Guiney was an out-spoken supporter of the Lincoln administration and its policies, including emancipation. This never sat well with some of the company grade officers, who were dyed-in-the-wool Democrats and formed a cabal to have him removed. Political leaders at home attempted to use the 9th as a vehicle to advance their favorites as well. Despite all the back-biting, jealousy and other grief, Guiney stuck it out and remained in command. With little more than a month to go before mustering out, on 5 May 1864 during the Battle of the Wilderness, Guiney was shot in the face, a wound that cost him his left eye and left him badly disfigured. Jennie met him in a Washington hospital and brought him home to Roxbury. Although still recuperating, Guiney met his men at their homecoming on 15 June. Postwar, despite continuing ill health caused by his wound, Guiney remained active, serving in government positions, retaining his colonelcy of the 9th (now in the State Militia), continuing his private practice, and involved in veteran, Irish and Catholic affairs. He also remained a maverick, campaigning for Grant's 1868 presidential race. Guiney died 21 Mar 1877. Jennie lived to 1910, cared for by daughter Louisa, who never married, becoming instead an accomplished poet and remaining devoted to her dad's memory. The great majority of the letters are addressed to Jennie and were written from 4 Jun 1861, while the regiment was still in MA, to 2 Jun 1864, after Guiney had arrived home in Roxbury. Included in the collection is the letter sent by the cabal to Governor Andrew, trying to get rid of Guiney, and letters by others in rebuttal. Samito does an excellent job putting the letters into context, providing notes saying what's going on at the time the letters are being written, and providing biographical information. Citations and biblio are included. Dennis