Corporal Frank Steinbaugh penned a succinct and unemotional account of his time as a Union soldier in the American Civil War. In this book, Frank's great-great granddaughter compares his daily account of 1864 to Chaplain R. L. Howard's History of the 124th Illinois Regiment, allowing a more complete picture to emerge of Frank's character and experience. The 124th Illinois was an exemplary regiment that saw action at the Siege of Vicksburg and other important battles. Frank's diary is presented along with what happened after he was gone. This narrative is for historians interested in the Civil War soldier's day to day activity as well as those fascinated by the lineage of family.