Fables of Field and Staff

Step into the barracks of a volunteer infantry regiment where the real enemy isn't enemy fire but boredom, absurd regulations, and the endless ego battles of peacetime military life. James A. Frye crafts a loving portrait of military camaraderie through a series of fables told by Sam, a veteran with a seemingly bottomless reservoir of stories about the regiment's officers and their spectacular misadventures. The highlight: Captain Merrowbank, a man so convinced of his regiment's divine protection that he neglected basic preparations for a formal inspection, leading to a legendary disaster that earned his company the mocking nickname 'The Forty Thieves.' These aren't war stories in any traditional sense. They're quiet comedies of errors, sketches of men killing time between drills, and affectionate mockeries of the pomp and petty politics that define garrison life. Written in 1893, Fables of Field and Staff captures a vanished world of volunteer soldiers and Victorian-era barracks culture with warmth and genuine humor. It's for readers who enjoy the dry, understated wit of 19th century American writing and anyone who's ever served (or imagined serving) alongside characters who are equal parts ridiculous and lovable.