Perspectives from the South

Reading through the documents this week that focused on perspectives of Southerners, one phrase seemed to resonate with most of the writers. "Military despotism" seems to be a prevalent fear among the writers of these documents. They fear that, especially through the acts of military conscription and the suspension of habeas corpus, the government is acting in a manner un-republican. I found it to be interesting that a fear of un-republican government taking over the South would be so prevelant. In the fourth document, The North Carolina Legislature voices their concern over what they perceive to be an un-repbulican government. It reads, "...That the act of the late Congress, entitled 'an act to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in certain cases,' violates the fundamental maxim of republican government..." I find this to be especially interesting considering the fact that the Confederate government was founded by its blatant abandonment of republican government by their refusal to accept a legitimate election. Now, in a number of these documents, they cry foul at an apparent abandonment of republican government. These documents also show the desperation many Southerners felt by 1864 and 1865 as the war was drawing to its conclusion. In the 6th document, Cornelia Peake Mcdonald wrote about how she witnessed many Confederate soldiers deserting. Lee's army was continually being defeated and many soldiers were hearing about the hardships of their wives and children they had left at home, so they deserted the army to take care of their families. Besides, they never signed up for the war anyways. This was what made conscription so bad. It took men away from being the provider for their families. This is what Eliza Adams wrote about in her letter to President Jefferson Davis as she pleaded with him not to make her son go into the army as his role at home was so important since he was the last son of her 6 left at home. She couldn't afford to lose him. Overall, those in the South were not at all happy with the way the war had unfolded. It was only draining them more and more of family and subsistence.

Lincoln

In this blog, I'd like to focus on the Gettysburg Address and Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address. Certainly, the Gettysburg address has been somewhat canonized in American history books. Children have been made to recite the first few paragraphs while wearing a top hat and a fake beard. But while re-reading it here, it seems that Lincoln does not even want to be there on that day. The gravity of the moment, I think, demanded a coming to grips with reality for everyone there. That action, facing death, broken life and a broken nation had to have challenged Lincoln's resolve. Without giving up hope for the future, I got the sense that Lincoln found himself swimming in dissolution during that ceremony. He said, "...we can not dedicate - we can not consecrate - we can not hallow - this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract." I think Lincoln knew he was right; he knew he was right about the preservation of the Union, about ending slavery in that Union and about the steps he had to take in order to meet those demands. But, I think he had a hard time reconciling the fact that a large portion of his brothers and sisters so staunchly rejected his resolution, to the point that they would bring this type of mass devastation in opposition. In his second inaugural address, he continues in his sense of befuddlement that the South would go to such great lengths and fight so long and hard for an issue he knows he stands justified. He says about the North and the South, "Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces' but let us judge not that we be not judged." He continues to talk about God's role in the great struggle between the two sections, and although Lincoln believes he was on God's side (if God had a side in this mess), he almost seems apologetic that even his side had to engage in an armed conflict of that magnitude in order to bring about justice. There is no doubt though, that Lincoln clearly states in this address that slavery was wrong and by whatever endeavor necessary must be erased from America's boarders. He was not hesitant to blame the South for starting the war and for continuing it in blatant disregard for God and country.

Soldier Reflections

The first few documents focusing on the soldiers come from the early part of the war in 1861 and 1862. It is interesting to see how the language changes to the two last documents which are dated from 1863. The earlier documents seem a bit naive about the war and the ensuing combat. The later documents seem to evoke more of a desperate tone. The key document that sums up the mood of the early part of the war for the soldiers is Charlie Willis' diary from 1862. In this exempt, he wished for more action and complained of boredom. However, Tally Simpson's letter from 1863 shows the language of a soldier who has had to endure a number of battles and setbacks. His demeanor is much more sober and pessimistic than the documents from a year earlier. In the end, he sees a crushing defeat of the Confederate army, which, as a Confederate soldier, saddens him but he has resolved himself to continue the fight because it is God's will that he fight and die. It is interesting to observe how confidence dwindles as the war moves on.