Yes, I was curious too - in fact, that's why I started to look into it.

I too wanted first-hand accounts; however, up until the advent of the Internet, the soundings of the general populace has always been poorly recorded...

I've got a volume of three massive tomes at home that wholly lean on first-hand accounts to put history in a new context (from antiquity to the modern era). I'll consult them when I'm back at home.

If I find anything really interesting, I'll create a follow on if necessary.