An English Soldier in the U.S. Army (Abridged, Annotated)

Book excerpt: "I left home for the United States in the summer of 1845, for the same reason that yearly sends so many thousands there, want of employment. I had both read and heard a good deal about America, and knew that money could not be picked up in the streets there, any more than at home; but I was scarcely prepared to find the scramble for the means of living so fierce and incessant, as I found it in New York." So for want of employment, 28 year old George Ballentine found himself in an army recruiting office and soon on his way to fight for the United States in Mexico. With humor and keen observation, Ballentine penned one of the few books about the forgotten Mexican-American War from the ranks. As an immigrant, he had many humorous and pithy observations of his adopted countrymen-in-arms, and he provides a fascinating look at the sweep of this brief conflict with our southern neighbor. For the first time, this long out-of-print volume is available as an affordable, well-formatted book for e-readers, tablets, and smartphones. Be sure to LOOK INSIDE by clicking the cover above or download a sample.