Charles A. Dana 
Recollections of the Civil War [PDF ebook] 
With the Leader at Washington and in the Field in the Sixties

As the Civil War seemed to spin out of control, President Lincoln sought more insight into the conditions on the front lines. Because he did not have full confidence in the controversial approach that General Grant had taken, Lincoln sent renowned journalist Charles Dana to keep an eye on things and report back. Recollections of the Civil War offers Dana’s account of what transpired, differing in several key aspects from "official" accounts.