What is the author’s message? Which story events helped you to figure this out?

The author’s message in the book The Civil War: Moments in History is that we can relate to the people who lived in Civil War times.  The author showed how they are like us.  During the conflict 16 and 17 year old boys were fighting and dying.  Younger boys played the drums and led troops into battle. Men in prison camps got sick because they drank adulterated water, they had no shelter from the sun, and they ate bad food.