For cause and comrades summary next preface to a greater degree than in any other war american civil war soldiers letters and diaries provide ample evidence for their motivations to enlist in the war and to fight historian james mcpherson has studied the writings of 1076 soldiers both union and confederate in order to tell the story of why . Overview for cause and comrades why men fought in the civil war is a 1997 nonfiction book by james m mcpherson mcpherson has taught at princeton since 1962 and written numerous books on the american civil war including battle cry of freedom which won the pulitzer prize in history after several instances of visiting civil war battlefields and . Morale and endurance summary analysis mcpherson got the idea for for cause and comrades in 1976 when he took several princeton students on a tour of gettysburg battlefield the group walked across the ground over which picketts charge including 13000 confederate soldiers took place on the climactic day of the battle. James m mcpherson this study guide consists of approximately 26 pages of chapter summaries quotes character analysis themes and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of for cause and comrades for cause and comrades why men fought in the civil war summary study guide includes comprehensive information and analysis to help