Most Civil War regiments came from rural areas of the country but the 14th Brooklyn was taken from the city of Brooklyn, New York. Having been a militia unit until the outbreak of the war, they were quickly mobilized and they served in most of the major battles in the East. Their bravery in battle was noted by both friends and enemies and certainly by the military leadership on both sides.

The book tells of the military and the personal side of fighting; the soldiers' letters home show their homesickness as well as their willingness to endure whatever was necessary to preserve what they believed was right. It shows the relationship between the men of the regiment and the people of Brooklyn, who rather than the Federal government, provided some of their supplies. This was particularly true of their distinctive uniforms modeled after the French chasseur uniforms with bright red pants. The 14th kept these uniforms even after the Federal government standardized the Union uniform to the blue with which we are all familiar.