Titled quite appropriately, Through Ordinary Eyes does not jump out to the reader with great enthusiasm, but then it is not meant to. The book is wonderful, though, because it is the correspondence of an ordinary private in the Union Army and of his family. This primary source on the Civil War tells the story of the war from one who was there. Private Rufus Robbins, was an ordinary 31-year-old man who volunteered with the 7th Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteers in the early days of the War, feeling that it was his patriotic duty to serve and preserve the Union.

Born in 1828, Rufus Robbins lived with his family in South Abington, Massachusetts. His family was involved in the cobbler, or shoemaking, industry. Family members cared for their small farms and worked at making shoes and boots. The company the Robbins worked for had contracts to make boots for the Union Army. The family discussed this work in their letters, which shows what some people were doing on the home front in supporting the war effort.

Robbins’ letters are articulate in their eyewitness view on Army life, which was usually mundane. The letters cover the period June 1861 to December 26, 1862. The soldiers, as Robbins showed, tried to inject excitement into their lives when they could with games and exploring the area they were in. He also delineated the boring but necessary duties of a soldier, like drilling, more drilling, marching and such. He also discusses what guard duty was like and how dangerous it could be. Robbins and his regiment were involved in the Peninsular Campaign with participation in the battles of Fair Oaks (May 31, 1862) and Nine Mile Road (June 25, 1862). He heard and wrote about battles which he was near but was not personally involved in.

Robbins writes to his family of attending religious camp meetings and revivals. The Robbins were Universalists, and Rufus used various occasions to promote his religion without pushing it on others; he would discuss religion with anyone who wanted to. Religious feelings and conversions occurred on both sides of the War. There were those, though, who had no religious feelings, and the War had no effect on them to become religious. Some on both sides became criminals.

Robbins writes to his family of attending religious camp meetings and revivals. The Robbins were Universalists, and Rufus used various occasions to promote his religion without pushing it on others; he would discuss religion with anyone who wanted to. Religious feelings and conversions occurred on both sides of the War. There were those, though, who had no religious feelings, and the War had no effect on them to become religious. Some on both sides became criminals.

Photographs of Robbins and of his family are featured, as well as illustrations from period newspapers and magazines about various war scenes. Maps are included as is a timeline of Robbins service in the Army. There are endnotes for each chapter and an index at the end of the book. Ella Jane Bruen and Brian M. Fitzgibbons provide an introduction that sets the scene for the Robbins family and their time period.

Ella Jane Bruen teaches at Sacred Heart High School and Intermediate School at Kingston, Massachusetts. Brian M. Fitzgibbons has been a Civil War re-enactor with the Massachusetts Twelfth Regiment of Volunteers and is the translator of the book 101 Reykjavik (2003). A hardbound copy of Through Ordinary Eyes was published by Praeger in 2000. This book is recommended to Civil War enthusiasts and students looking for primary sources on the Civil War.