Reminiscences of the Civil War, 1861-1865

CHAPTER VII.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SOLDIERS.

Difference of Soldiers.—There is as much difference in the make up of the average soldier as in the average citizen at home. It is said that variety is the spice of life and in the army we get variety with a vengeance, and the spice is sometimes a little bit peppery. The home training and habits as well as the natural disposition of the men will show itself in the army, and no amount of diplomacy can relegate these acquired or inherent qualities to the back ground. It is not everyone that can join heartily in a course of life that is distasteful, and one who does will be very apt to adopt the requirements of the new life to the exclusion of long established habits and customs, and will sometimes overdo himself in exercising uncalled for and unnecessary stunts.

The life of a soldier in a strenuous channel does run.

And the life is by no means a pleasant one;

The attractions that lure young men to the field

Are very seductive and to them many yield.

When they don the uniform and fall in line

They surrender their freedom and in servitude are confined.

It requires the decision of character and nerve of the brave

To imperil ones life his country to save.

This heroism throws aside all fear and dread,

But is never appreciated till the victim is dead,

We may eulogize the hero with eloquence, poetry and song,

But he quietly sleeps while the pageantry is going on,

The odor of the flowers that we place on the grave

Is lost to the hero who gave his life his country to save.

The Homesick Soldier.—The timid homesick soldier grieves himself to death, and if perchance he has to engage in a battle he welcomes the friendly missile that puts an end to his forlorn condition. He thinks of nothing but home and rather than drag out, to him, a miserable existence in the army surrenders his life freely and willingly. The following lines are intended to picture the end of one of this unfortunate class:

I am weary to-night and as lonely as can be,

I am far from my friends that I may never see,

I am hungry and cold; how can I my time employ?

I know my good christian mother is praying for her boy.

I on the cold ground must lie down to sleep,

If mother knew my condition how bitterly she would weep;

In camp I hear stories laughter and song,

I am longing for home and cannot join.

They tell me I am homesick perhaps it is true

I must shake off this despondency or I will never pull through

I am wishing for anything that can be arranged

Anything, just anything, anything for a change,

I hear the report of a signal gun,

Now we may listen for the sound of the old bass drum.

Fall in, fall in is the command to all,

And now we must answer at once to rollcall;

“Attention Company;” says the officer in time:

Forward double quick is the command that is passed down the line.

I hear the boom of cannon and rattle of smallarms,

The screams of the wounded show that the battle is on,

I am mortally wounded see how my blood flows,

I am sinking to rest, my troubles are o’er.

I am thirsty, feel chilly and cold and must sleep,

Farewell my dear mother, please do not weep.

I see you yes ’tis you, I knew you would come,

Now take me dear mother again to our home.

As the last word was spoken he drew the last breath,

And no mother there to sooth him in death,

The poor homesick boy in battle did fall,

He had listened and answered to the last rollcall.

Strenuous Soldiers.—Soldiers like citizens are sometime extremists, and are likely to say and do some very unreasonable things. They work themselves up to a high pitch of excitement, see but one side of a question and are intolerant. Soldiers of this class are usually not the most reliable and their rashness is liable to lead them to do things detrimental to the cause they represent. The following lines illustrate this objectionable element.

Sound the bugle and beat the drum,

Fall in line, let the enemy come,

Let us charge the Yankees and let them know

We can shoot them down and over their dead bodies go.

If they contest the ground we will make them feel

That there is some virtue in cold steel;

We will give up our lives our country to save,

We will be freemen or fill bloody graves.

Give them no quarter—we ask for none—

Shoot them down as fast as they come.

Conservative Soldiers.—The conservative soldier usually possesses nerve, pluck, humane feeling and a busy brain. He is cool and level headed and is not thrown off his guard by any sudden changes in his surrounding. He is generally a good citizen at home, has a sharp lookout for the betterment of his home and people and carries with him to the army the same conservatism that distinguishes him as a good citizens at home.

A quiet industrious citizen enjoying the comforts of home

Has no disposition a soldier to become,

Unless called upon by his country’s needs and demands,

For the protection of his home and his liberties to stand,

He then takes his place in line in a deliberate way

And not like a fanatic panting for the fray.

He leaves at home property and loved ones to face an invading foe,

Because his country commands him and duty requires him to go;

The best element of an army does not fight for plunder or fame,

Because such soldiers possess courage, nerve, heart and brain.

Reminiscences of the Civil War, 1861-1865

About This Book

CHAPTER VII. CHARACTERISTICS OF SOLDIERS.

CHAPTER VII.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SOLDIERS.