Josiah Atkins's diary, written while the author served as an American soldier in the Revolutionary War, first in the infantry and later as a military nurse, is of importance not only to students of history, but also to students of literature; its clear, unadorned, though pleasant, style makes it one of the best journals written in America before 1800 by an author who had not had the benefit of university training.

What is known about the life of this man from Waterbury, Connecticut, is contained in the diary. Since the journal records only Atkins's experiences while serving in the military from January 1781 until shortly before his death in the middle of October of the same year, details of his earlier life must be reconstructed from descriptions he gives in the journal. He appears to have been married and the father of two children, Sally and Josiah, born while he...