Long sentences that work well

I want to look at a few samples of the writing of John D. Billings, when he told in 1887 of his experiences in the Civil War. He shared his recollections in Hard Tack and Coffee, currently $0.99 for the Kindle version. Previously mentioned his book here.

Consider the smooth flow of the following two sentences. Yes, two sentences:

Taps ended the army day for all branches of the service, and, unless an alarm broke in upon the stillness of the night, the soldiers were left to their slumbers; or, what was oftener the case, to meditations on home; the length of time in months and days they must serve before returning thither; their prospects of surviving the vicissitudes of war; of the boys who once answered roll-call with them, now camped over across the Dark River; or of plans for business, or social relations to be entered upon, if they should survive the war. All these, and a hundred other topics which furnished abundant field for air-castle-building, would chase one another through the mind of the soldier-dreamer, till his brain would grow weary, his eyes heavy, and balmy sleep would softly steal him away from a world of trouble into the realm of sweet repose and pleasant dreams.

Wow.

Let’s break apart those two sentences.

First:

Taps ended the army day for all branches of the service, and, unless an alarm broke in upon the stillness of the night,

the soldiers were left to their slumbers; or,

what was oftener the case, to meditations on home;

the length of time in months and days they must serve before returning thither;

their prospects of surviving the vicissitudes of war;

of the boys who once answered roll-call with them, now camped over across the Dark River;

or of plans for business, or social relations to be entered upon, if they should survive the war.

All the thoughts that might flood the mind of a soldier as he tried to drift off to sleep.

Second:

All these, and a hundred other topics which furnished abundant field for air-castle-building,

would chase one another through the mind of the soldier-dreamer,

till his brain would grow weary, his eyes heavy, and

balmy sleep would softly steal him away from a world of trouble

into the realm of sweet repose and pleasant dreams.

The groggy path to sleep. I can feel the soldier drifting into slumber. Wow.

Those sentences weigh in at 96 words and 54 words. They don’t feel long. I find they engage the brain and create a complex, beautiful image.

Even some of the clauses are compound.

It would take me a lot of sentences and far more words to tell such a story, assuming I could even compose the idea.

Wish I could write that well.