Audio Interview With a Man Who Fought in The Civil War

1,769 Views | 15 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by BQ78
Madman
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
CanyonAg77
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Don't let Dr. Watson listen to 13:00 mark
tmaggies
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
CanyonAg77 said:

Don't let Dr. Watson listen to 13:00 mark
So true but now you have stroked his ego by bringing him up!
BQ78
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Not looking for another Civil War pissing contest but the southern narrative of 1861-65 and the reasons for the war were not the narrative after the war.
CanyonAg77
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I'll admit that the interview is his answer after 80 years of thinking about it. But I suspect his attitude in 1862 was
1) those damn yankees aren't going to tell me what to do
2) those damn yankees killed my friends
(Distant #3) not gonna let them take my slaves
Cen-Tex
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
CanyonAg77 said:

I'll admit that the interview is his answer after 80 years of thinking about it. But I suspect his attitude in 1862 was
1) those damn yankees aren't going to tell me what to do
2) those damn yankees killed my friends
(Distant #3) not gonna let them take my slaves
3) not in our house
P.H. Dexippus
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Quote:

Civil War veteran Julius Howell of Bristol, Va. was 101 years old when he was recorded at the Library of Congress in June, 1947. He spoke of how he learned of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, 140 years ago this morning.
...
After gaining his freedom, Howell began an academic career, attending the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard before eventually becoming president of Virginia Intermont College.


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4600415


"[When I was a kid,] I wanted to be a pirate. Thank God no one took me seriously and scheduled me for eye removal and peg leg surgery."- Bill Maher
RPag
How long do you want to ignore this user?
This is something I have become interested lately; what was the common soldier thinking about during the war? What were their motivations? My grandfather has a letter written by a family member somewhere up the tree who fought at Shiloh and he wrote, to his wife I believe, saying he was worried about what would happen to his "beloved South" if invaded by the North.
BQ78
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
RPag:

Here are some books that will answer those questions:

An old classic in two volumes: Bell Wiley's The Life of Billy Yank and The Life of Johnny Reb

Of a more modern vintage see:

Gary Gallagher's The Union War and The Confederate War. I had the privilige of presenting a cash book prize award to Gary for both of those books for their contribution to Civil War history.

But for one that just answers the question of why the men fought on both sides, see James McPherson's For Cause and Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War.



RPag
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Going in my amazon cart, thanks.
OldCamp
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Quote:

what was the common soldier thinking about during the war? What were their motivations?
They had thoughts on honor, patriotism, and pride that we can barely comprehend today.

For example, upon joining Andrew Jackson's Army at the age of 20, Sam Houston's mother gave him a musket and told him "never disgrace it: for remember I had rather all my sons should fill one honorable grave, than one of them should turn his back to save his life"

They were looking for adventure. An insult to their home, country, lifestyle cut deep and had to be answered to defend one's honorpolitics be damned.

Another thing to consider was that people in that period were so much more in touch with their own mortality then we are today. Death at all ages from infants to the elderly was a more familiar circumstance. People did not go off to nursing homes or hospitals to die. They died right at home in the bed and were buried in the back yard. I don't believe people were quite as afraid of death as they are today. Dying in a good way was of paramount importance for many. Dying with honor, glory and being remembered as a hero occupied their thoughts.
tmaggies
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
PineTreeAg said:

Quote:

what was the common soldier thinking about during the war? What were their motivations?
They had thoughts on honor, patriotism, and pride that we can barely comprehend today.

For example, upon joining Andrew Jackson's Army at the age of 20, Sam Houston's mother gave him a musket and told him "never disgrace it: for remember I had rather all my sons should fill one honorable grave, than one of them should turn his back to save his life"

They were looking for adventure. An insult to their home, country, lifestyle cut deep and had to be answered to defend one's honorpolitics be damned.

Another thing to consider was that people in that period were so much more in touch with their own mortality then we are today. Death at all ages from infants to the elderly was a more familiar circumstance. People did not go off to nursing homes or hospitals to die. They died right at home in the bed and were buried in the back yard. I don't believe people were quite as afraid of death as they are today. Dying in a good way was of paramount importance for many. Dying with honor, glory and being remembered as a hero occupied their thoughts.





Very well put.....
libertyag
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
PineTreeAg said:

Quote:

what was the common soldier thinking about during the war? What were their motivations?
They had thoughts on honor, patriotism, and pride that we can barely comprehend today.

For example, upon joining Andrew Jackson's Army at the age of 20, Sam Houston's mother gave him a musket and told him "never disgrace it: for remember I had rather all my sons should fill one honorable grave, than one of them should turn his back to save his life"

They were looking for adventure. An insult to their home, country, lifestyle cut deep and had to be answered to defend one's honorpolitics be damned.

Another thing to consider was that people in that period were so much more in touch with their own mortality then we are today. Death at all ages from infants to the elderly was a more familiar circumstance. People did not go off to nursing homes or hospitals to die. They died right at home in the bed and were buried in the back yard. I don't believe people were quite as afraid of death as they are today. Dying in a good way was of paramount importance for many. Dying with honor, glory and being remembered as a hero occupied their thoughts.
Nicely said. Born at home, died at home. Lots of children died and lots of women died in childbirth. A lot of folks died from disease. Life expectancy was relatively short by todays standards.
Maximus_Meridius
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
BQ78 said:

But for one that just answers the question of why the men fought on both sides, see James McPherson's For Cause and Country: Why Men Fought in the Civil War.



Did you mean For Cause and Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War?

Btw, my wife hates you guys. My Amazon book bill is starting to reflect the national deficit thanks to all the recommendations here...
74OA
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
RPag said:

This is something I have become interested lately; what was the common soldier thinking about during the war? What were their motivations?
I think it's as simple as, "Invade my state and I'll fight you."
Rabid Cougar
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Lots of time they had no idea what they were fighting for except that their neighbors and kinfolk were going. State pride, national pride and family tradition were big deals in that time period. The "adventure" was also a big drawing point.

They had their "come to Jesus moments" when they "saw the elephant". They experienced the horrors of combat and stayed out of loyalty to the man/men next to them. It is no different than those in combat arms today. Politics be damned. You do it for your brothers.

You can see this in letters and journals. You also see the writer long for his loved ones at home. It's gut wrenching to see these intimate written words and then read the next letter is to his wife from his friend or officer saying that here husband was killed. Sometimes they say the "right" things, he was killed in the heat of battle swathed in glory. Other times, he was wounded before he ever knew what hit him and died several agonizing days later.

Notice I didn't assign this to North or South because it was just as prevalent on both side.
BQ78
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Yes, that is it, I put the first title of another book by another author that is also good, about the Battle of Franklin.
Refresh
Page 1 of 1
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.