Opinions wanted on this war novel

[Warning to the squeamish: Includes gory quotes]

I sometimes pick up children's books in the bargain bin at the supermarket. Sometimes they turn out to be worth the dollar, sometimes not. I'm still trying to make up my mind about this Civil War biography published in the early '90's, which got glowing reviews on its back cover, but which seems to me too gory for its intended (8-12) age group, but at the same time somewhat lacking in...something.

This is the scene:

"An enemy battery instantly returned the fire. Two cavalry horses were struck by the grapeshot. They screamed in agony, threw off their riders, and thrashed wildly on the ground before lying still. Two men had also fallen to the shot....The sight of the first soldier writhing on the ground, clutching his chest with his one good arm, brought sudden hot tears to her eyes. His other arm dangled limply, staining his uniform scarlet with blood.

"'I'm shot,' he cried out as if surprised. 'I'm shot, that's what I am, shot.'"

We also go from "As she held a canteen of water to a young infantryman's lips, he smiled and spoke to her. Before his words were out, a shell from an enemy battery tore him to pieces under her hands" and "Half of Edward's pale chest had been torn away, exposing part of the slow tortuous beating of his heart" to these somewhat anachronistic words of comfort: "Hang on. Better help is on the way. You might even get beef tea on the big ship. Those doctors are really into beef tea."

My own taste barometer says to put this one into the yard sale box, but maybe I'm just getting too critical and/or squeamish in my old age. What do you say? (If you recognize the passages, was this your kids' favourite book ever?)