One of the most facinating looks you ever have into what it was like for the average confederate soldier is a book called:
DIARY OF
A TAR HEEL CONFEDERATE SOLDIER: wich can be read in its entirity on the web site below.
http://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/leon/leon.html
PREFACE
This diary was commenced for the fun of writing down my experience as a soldier from the Old North State. I never thought for a moment that I would put it in print; but now that I am getting old and have read so many histories written by our officers, but have never seen in print a history written by a private.
I know that my diary is truly the life of the man behind the gun, therefore I make bold to publish it. I am sure my experience was that of other privates, and a true history of my companies and regiments, as well as the Brigade, Division, and even Corp that I belonged to. I am certain that the men of ‘61 to ‘65 who read this will recall most vividly the camping, marching, fighting and suffering they endured in those never-to-be-forgotten days of long ago. And to the younger generation of Southern-born it will show how we endured and suffered, but still fought on for the cause we know was right.
Excellent read. The marching, bad weather, and continued fighting shows the level of effort required to even think of fighting a war.