Members of the West Point class of 1846 fought in three wars and produced 20 generals.

Foreword / James M. McPherson -- pt. 1. West Point. From every degree of provincialism -- Sighing for what we left behind -- As intelligible as Sanskrit -- Oh, for the sight of our native land -- Death in the family -- Gone are the days of our youth -- pt. 2. Gone for a soldier. War at last -- That city shall soon be ours -- The seventeen-minute victory -- To the halls of the Montezumas -- Indian country -- India-rubber women and buffalo men -- The bloody saddle -- The courtship of Miss Nelly -- pt. 3. And the war came. Our men at Sumter -- Waiting for the ball to begin -- The first shot -- Stonewall's great locomotive heist -- The shirttail skedaddle -- pt. 4. Down in the valley. The valley man -- The odd couple -- From under the little faded cap -- My friend, my enemy -- Delightful excitement -- pt. 5. Brother against brother. High hopes and paranoia -- Maryland, my Maryland -- The man in the red battle shirt -- The night the general was fired -- Caught in the rain -- Shots in the night -- Death of the enthusiastic fanatic -- The dandy at the foot of the class -- Where is my division? -- pt. 6. Closing out the war. The meeting on the court house steps -- The wind that shook the corn.