Life during the Civil War was not a pleasant time. There was basically utter chaos
going on the South. Soldiers had to deal with the harsh conditions and the thought of
death. Plantation owners had to worry about who was going to work their fields.
Business owners had to worry about who was going to buy their products. Citizens
had to worry about soldiers destroying their property. And the government had to
worry about how to pay the soldiers and how to end the war. This was a very rough
time to be alive. Soldier Life During The Civil War The camp life for a soldier was
hardly one to be desired. “The weather was hot and the water was bad, yet the men
kept in good spirits, and there was no grumbling at the hard drill and harder
work(Ratchford, 11).” The weather varied a lot during the Civil War. At times it
would snow up to depths of eight inches and sometimes it would rain and hail for
hours on end(Russell, 130). Other times it would be very hot. Sometimes when it
would rain, soldiers would wake up half submerged(Brown,122). Death was also a
major fear during the Civil War. “We cook and eat, talk and laugh with the enemies
dead lying all about us as though they were so many logs(Brown, 115).” The soldier
would march threw battlefields where dead men, horses, and smashed artillery were
scattered about in utter confusion; the Blue and the Gray mixed-their bodies so
bloated, distorted, and discolored from decomposition, that they were basically
unrecognizable(Mohr, 326). There was also the duties of the officers. “Often when a
detachment was on scout, there were no men left in camp to release the pickets, and
they had to remain on post for seventy-two hours at a stretch(Histor...
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...g, and killing(Ratchford, 11). To me it sounds as though
the life of a soldier during the Civil War is not one that I would want to live. I would
rather sit at my computer and type a paper about it than actually leave through it. The
soldiers and the civilians alike, had it very rough. The conditions were harsh and the
fear of death would be the only thing on my mind. Or fear of having my house burnt
down or taken from me is something I would not want to experience. In conclusion,
I would be very proud to shake any soldiers hand that fought in the Civil War.
Outline
I. Introduction
II. Life of a Soldier During the Civil War
A. Camp Life
B.
Death
C. Duties
D. Shooting
E. Food
F. Medical
G. Pay
III. Government and Citizens During The Civil War
A. Government Reaction
B. Citizens Reaction
C. Citizens Vandalism
IV. Conclusion
The book “For Cause and Comrades: Why Men Fought In The Civil War” by James M. McPherson examines the motivations of the soldiers who fought in the Civil War. McPherson wanted to understand why the men fought in the Civil War and why they fought so ferociously for such a large amount of time even though there was a huge possibility of death, disease and injurys.To answer the question regarding the reasons why men fought in the Civil War so viciously, and for such a long period of time, James McPherson studied countless amounts of letters, diaries and other mails that were written or sent by the soldiers who fought in the Civil War.
middle of paper ... ... After I was disposed of, the corporal then made the majority of the 27 sufferers march with the rest of the troops. Most of the men, including an Australian chaplain, died during succeeding weeks, largely as a result of this calculated brutality.’ (Iggulden, 2009, p.22)
The book ‘For Cause and Comrades’ is a journey to comprehend why the soldiers in the Civil War fought, why they fought so passionately, and why they fought for the long period of time. Men were pulling guns against other men who they had known their whole lives. McPherson’s main source of evidence was the many letters from the soldiers writing to home. One of the many significant influences was how the men fought to prove their masculinity and courage. To fight would prove they were a man to their community and country. Fighting also had to do with a duty to their family. Ideology was also a major motivating factor; each side thought they were fighting for their liberty. The soldier’s reputations were created and demolished on the battlefield, where men who showed the most courage were the most honored. Religion also played an important role because the second Great Awakening had just occurred. Their religion caused the men who thought of themselves as saved to be fearless of death, “Religion was the only thing that kept this soldier going; even in the trenches…” (McPherson, p. 76) R...
In James McPherson’s novel, What They Fought For, a variety of Civil War soldier documents are examined to show the diverse personal beliefs and motives for being involved in the war. McPherson’s sample, “is biased toward genuine fighting soldiers” (McPherson, 17) meaning he discusses what the ordinary soldier fought for. The Confederacy was often viewed as the favorable side because their life style relied on the war; Confederates surrounded their lives with practices like slavery and agriculture, and these practices were at stake during the war. On the other hand, Northerners fought to keep the country together. Although the Civil War was brutal, McPherson presents his research to show the dedication and patriotism of the soldiers that fought and died for a cause.
"Feature Articles - Life in the Trenches." Firstworldwar.com. First World War, n.d. Web. 05 Apr.
The day to day life for the regular soldier was not glorious. Many times the regiments were low on supplies such as food and clothing. They lived in the elements. Medical conditions were grotesque because of the lack of advanced equipment and anesthesia. “Discipline was enforced with brutality” as if all the other conditions were not bad enough.
Life in the trenches during the First World War was simply a blood bath. It was the last thing the hundreds and thousands of soldiers expected when they enlisted.
The Work of Death seemed inevitable to soldiers who embarked on the journey known as the Civil War. Throughout the Civil War, human beings learned how to prepare for death, imagine it, risk it, endure it, and seek to understand it. All the soldiers needed to be willing to die and needed to turn to the resources of their culture, codes of masculinity, patriotism, and religion to prepare themselves for the war ahead of them. Death individually touched soldiers with it’s presence and the fear of it, as death touched the soldiers it gave them a sense of who they really are and how they could change on their death bed.
of black and white southerners endured extreme hardship in the months following the end of the
620,000 people died (Civil War Trust), and countless were wounded in the Civil War. The civil war was bloody, and frightening. Anyone who fought in it was lucky to survive. But they didn’t survive without trauma. On the loud battlefields soldiers constantly saw their friends and fellow towns men drop dead on the ground all around. But guns weren’t the only thing to be afraid of, disease was as well. (Yale National Initiative). It claimed the majority of the 620,000 lives lost. In the end, the Union tasted victory, but not without a cost. The life of a soldier in the civil war was hell.
There were many hardships that the troops faced in and out of combat. The U.S. forces were dug in holding off the Germans, but were stuck there with disease and little food and supplies. During the winter, heavy snow storms pelted both the Germans and U.S. forces, this caused many guns, artillery, and equipment to freeze or jam and have to be thawed out. The weather in the region was supporting the Germans, while the U.S. were in thick forests and fog, so air support couldn’t be used.
Thousands of men would leave their wife’s and children behind to go to war. Some women would also go to war being nurses or spies. A lot of families also worked very hard just to survive while their husbands were off to war. The women had to find jobs or work the farm to support the family. Life at home for children was also very rough. Many of the children that were not eighteen years old would still join the army as drummer boys or bugle boys. The young children also helped around the camps by doing chores. The children that were eighteen became soldiers on the battlefields. Slaves during the civil war did anything they were told to do. Most of them worked in the fields all day from sunrise to sunset. Their only days off were on Sundays and holidays. There diet supplied by the slave owners was also very poor. They were not given any meat or fish. The slaves were also not given any good clothes to work in. It was also very hard to create a family because of the living conditions. They lived in huts and small shelters and slept on the dirt floors. Along with the food and living conditions, their health was very poor because they were not given good
From the inauguration of Lincoln and the secession of eleven states to the Union to the first exchange of fires at Fort Sumter, the inevitable Civil War began. Ever since America began to expand as an independent country, sectionalism (where the North wanted the abolition of slavery while the South wanted slavery) and growing conflicts between the north and south has always closely revolved around the issue of slavery. This long due problem finally blows up in the “United” States of America’s face as the Civil War. Conflicts relating to African Americans caused the war, changed the course and complications of the war, and shaped the war results in both informal and formal ways.
The American Civil War was known as the “war between the states.” The war was caused by differing opinions about slavery, as well as the North living in big cities and the South living in isolated farms, which helped breed resentment between the regions. This animosity led to the bloodiest war in American history. Prison camps during this time were a great example to show just how cruel this war actually was. Between 45,000 and 50,000 prisoners died in the prisons from wounds, infectious diseases, and contaminated food and water. The Prisoners during the war faced harsher conditions than soldiers fighting on the front lines due to cramped spaces, less abundant supplies, and appalling treatment from superiors.
Life during the 1800s in America was tough for everybody. There were rich factory and plantation owners that didn’t have much trouble but every farmer and his family worked themselves to the bone just to survive day to day. When the Civil War started, living conditions became far more difficult for every American. Civilian life in the North wasn’t nearly as dire as in the South. The Union blockades in 1863 caused food and supply shortages in the South. Southerners invented substitutes for coffee, tea, and other foods, which they normally imported from Europe. Many plantations switched from growing cotton to raising grain and livestock. In some states, cotton production was limited. Many men joined the army or were drafted while the women were left at home to work and support their family. During the battles that were near the towns there were casualties and plenty of wounded, and children would leave the safer walls of their homes to watch. Armies would intrude on farms, destroy fences, confiscate animals, and turn