Friday, July 2, 2010
"Hit me like a brick!"
As I finished KA, there were three particular sections that really "hit me like a brick." The statement by Chamberlain that says, "Another day like yesterday. . .and the Regiment will be gone. In the Union Army that was the way it was: they fought a unit until it bled to death. There were no replacements." To me this was a devastating statement. It really brought to home how many men died and "disappeared into the earth" during these battles. How many of them never made it home to their families? How many of them died without the comfort of their loved ones around? Then, when I read on page 317 about how Longstreet envisioned the battle, it made me realize how difficult it must have been for the officers to send their men into battle when they knew what was going to happen. They estimated losses in percentages. How many men are in "half a division"? How on earth did these officers distance themselves enough to not fall into maddness? The other thing that really hit me was the deep friendships between men on opposite sides of the battle demonstrated by the friendship of Armistead and Hancock. Some of these men had known each other for years. How difficult it must have been!
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The friendship between the combatants really surprised me as well. I remember reading somewhere that Longstreet and Grant had been the best of friends. I think I read that Longstreet had even been the best man at Grant's wedding.
ReplyDeleteThe war must have been so much harder for many of the regular army soldiers than we can imagine because of these bonds that had been forged over years of experience.
I can't even imagine. I sent my daughter to war in Afghanistan. That was PLENTY hard. I can't even imagine the pain it must have been for those wives and parents to send their loved ones off in those conditions (especially when they were right there to see them). I certainly wouldn't trade times with them.
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