“We always found these ex-rebels friendly and glad that the war was over, and the parting in the morning would be like leave-taking of old friends.”… Read More Former Civil War enemies mingled on the final march
“During the afternoon we and the enemy were very near together, with the Rappahannock River only between us, but no fighting going on. Just before sundown the Yankee band came down to the river bank and commenced to play. Very soon our bands were on the bank on our side.”… Read More ‘Both sides were cheering, jumping up and throwing up hats and doing everything which tended to show enthusiasm’
Just before dark I passed a Federal officer sitting on the ground with his back resting against a large oak tree. He called me to him, and when I went he politely asked me to give him some water. There was precious little in my canteen, but I let him empty it.… Read More Yank to Reb at Gettysburg: ‘All of us should be in better business.’
While studying Civil War fortifications, I came across this interesting but chilling chart about the increasing lethality of weapons over time.… Read More Off the Charts: Increasing Lethality of Weapons Over Time
“Now that they had time to look [Grant] over and examine the results of some of the changes he introduced, the men had begun to see that, whatever else he might do, in or out of combat, he clearly meant business, and they found they liked the notion of this.”… Read More When Grant came east: ‘The boss had arrived.’
“Extortion runs so hie here we cannot support and clothe our family without the help of my husband i hope you will look to the justice of the peepils of this section of the state…”… Read More ‘Without my husband we are a desolate and ruined family’
“It was the first and only instance of Wheeler’s boys seeing a chicken which they could not get at.”… Read More One chicken that Wheeler’s cavalrymen couldn’t catch
Once a Federal band came down the river and played “Dixie.” We cheered them vociferously, of course. Then it played “Yankee Doodle,” and the enemy cheered. Then “Home, Sweet Home,” and the cheer went up loud and long from both sides of the river.… Read More ‘We became quite friendly with the enemy’s pickets’
“When will he come back?” The little children say, “When will papa come back? and what will he bring me?” The mother says, “He has gone into Pennsylvania with Gen. Lee, and he will bring back something for us.”… Read More When will Papa come back?
“I was ordered to the hospital in the rear of the left wing, … where myself and three other Surgeons, with near a hundred wounded were surrounded by Rebel Cavalry and taken to Murfreesboro as prisoners, We have been here ever since, working day and night with the wounded.”… Read More Captured Union Surgeon: “I have never been treated better by strangers anywhere.”
Civil War Nuances 