The Empty Sleeve or, The Life and Hardships of Henry H. Meacham, in the Union Army

This book is an autobiography of Henry H. Meacham, a humble carriage-maker from Massachusetts, who valiantly volunteered for the Union army during the tumultuous Civil War era. Here, Meacham offers a poignant and solemn account of his experiences in the Thirty-Second Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, where he battled through arduous marches, unforgiving weather, and perilous combat. Amidst the horrors of war, Meacham's life was forever changed when he lost his arm in a violent battle outside Petersburg, Virginia. 'The Empty Sleeve' offers a glimpse into the struggles of disabled veterans and the heart-wrenching debates over the rising cost of Civil War pensions in the late nineteenth century.