An overview of the disease, injury, and death of Civil War soldiers shows how the misery and tragedy on and off the battlefield ultimately led to milestone advances in medical practices. Conditions linked to poor diet, hygiene, and sanitation, and contagious diseases prevalent in soldiers' abysmal living conditions, played a large part in the human devastation, along with injuries received in battle that often led to deadly infections. Thumbnail descriptions of individual experiences, often including a photograph, give depth to the big picture by offering personal stories of Union and Confederate soldiers, surgeons, stewards, nurses, and volunteers. While a scarcity of existing Confederate records prevented an even coverage of the two armies, there is care given to including accounts of Black soldiers and civilians, as well as ways in which women were involved, especially in a new role as nurses. The final chapter looks at some of the others ways the Civil War advanced medical practices, such as battlefield triage, improved hospital facilities, and support for veterans. Plentiful sidebars, photographs, and archival illustrations support the text. (Age 12 and older)