September 1854 It seemed like an age, lying there waiting for the order to continue our advance. All the while, from the heights beyond the river the Russian artillery fired upon us and from the front we heard the crackle of musket fire as our skirmishers pushed theirs back. Cannonballs passed over our heads with a sound not unlike tearing cloth, and struck the ground in front of us, throwing up earth. At first I was not afraid, for the men talked and laughed among them selves, even when they were showered with soil. Then we began to suffer our first losses...

April 1587 Now I saw the Spanish ships clearly. Even from this distance I could see the men on board scurrying around the upper deck's, and knew they were hurrying to their stations, ready for battle. But we had been too quick for them. FIRE roared Mr Belson from the centre of the gundeck. Jones thrust his smoking taper into the back of the cannon and sparks flared from out of the hole. Back Jones shouted, and we all leapt away-just in time because a loud explosion filled the area around us with smoke, bright sparks and flames...

The historical diaries in this series are written by fictional characters set in real periods of history. This is the diary of Tilly Middleton, London, 1553-1559. She describes watching an execution at the bloody Tower of London.

A second volume of the collected correspondence of the great African-American reformer and abolitionist features correspondence written during the Civil War years The second collection of meticulously edited correspondence with abolitionist, author, statesman, and former slave Frederick Douglass covers the years leading up to the Civil War through the close of the conflict, offering readers an illuminating portrait of an extraordinary American and the turbulent times in which he lived. An important contribution to historical scholarship, the documents offer fascinating insights into the abolitionist movement during wartime and the author's relationship to Abraham Lincoln and other prominent figures of the era.