Anyone interested in medical history or Civil War history will find this book very engrossing. The author, who has written several books on Civil War related topics, briefly summarizes the court-martials of fifty surgeons from the Union Army during the war. He explains the charges, the evidence and testimony, the verdict, and what happened to the doctor afterward, then he provides insightful comments about the case at the end of each summary.

The book has revealed some colorful characters, some truly heroic physicians and some buffoons. One doctor was charged with, among other things, using the regiment's ambulance to escort a known prostitute to the theater. Twice. Another was charged with desertion after he briefly left his regiment in the middle of winter to use his own money to buy lumber with which to make a roof and floor for the regimental hospital, which had neither.

I learned a great deal about Civil War conditions and also medical thought at the time, and gained new insight into just how difficult a war surgeon's job is. My interest in this book was such that, although I could not remove it for the library, I went back to read it on site several times over the course of about three months until it was finished. ( )