Boy of Battle Ford and the Man - Blackman, W.

Covers the author's years growing up in early post-settlement Illinois, where he gave in to temptations such as drinking, gambling, and the lure of prostitutes before joining the army, finding God and becoming a preacher. Blackman peppers his story with the sordid details of the sinful times of his life as well as with discussions of faith and of struggling to understand his God.