American Civil War Milestones - Essay Example

Assignment Document Analysis Essay: Civil War Introduction This is a document analysis essay and the topic of focus is American Civil War. The analysis will involve reading six letters written by soldiers in the battle field during the Civil War. The Civil War took place in the years 1861 through 1865. The parties involved were the United States of America (USA) and Confederate States of America. USA or the Union forces were led by President Abraham Lincoln, who is credited for abolition of slavery in the country. According to Divine et al, the victory of the Union forces in the Civil War helped to maintain territorial integrity, abolished slavery, and initiated a lengthy process of post-war reconstruction that ultimately shaped up the present day USA with a strong federal form of governance. Moreover, according to Sprague (a soldier of the Union forces), USA actually wanted to enthrall “the great principals of the human freedom and free labour”. These principals remain at the heart of the American nationhood even today. Thesis Statement: Based on my reading of these letters I argue that the American experience during the Civil War was characterized by sincere patriotism even in most miserable conditions of military camps and general hardships. Brief Summary of Each Source The documents that have been chosen for analysis are six letters written to Juliana Reynolds between the years 1862 and 1864, when the Civil War was at its height. The summary of each source is being given below: 1. Letter from Hiram P. Sprague to Juliana Reynolds, Feb 22, 1862 (Camp Jameson): Sprague was Reynolds’ cousin and he was writing from the battle field. In the letter, he first describes the difficulties he was facing in the military camp. Then he writes about Tilton, who was Reynolds’ beloved son. Next he writes about the progress of the Union forces. He further furnishes a vivid description of the land and vegetation of the Southern states. 2. Letter from John S. Smith to Juliana Reynolds, Apr 20, 1862 (Camp near Yorktown): Reynolds was Smith’s sister, and this letter shows how guilty Smith felt for not being able to write to her in proper time. Moreover, he describes the situation of the front with great enthusiasm. He further writes, “Our pickets and the rebels pickets are so close to each other in places that they can converse with each other.” Then he writes about Tilton and certain changes in the contemporary postal services for the military personnel. 3. Letter from Hiram P. Sprague to Juliana Reynolds, May 24, 1862 (Camp advanced on to Richmond): This letter extensively describes the contemporary situation of the rebel Southern states long with military progress of the Union forces. Sprague also writes on his worries about the fact that the war might linger, otherwise “why does the president Call out fifty thousand more troops?” This letter clearly exhibits the discomfort of a soldier at different high level government actions. 4. Letter from John S. Smith to Juliana Reynolds, Jul 22, 1862 (Camp near Harrisons Landing): In this letter, Smith informs his sister that he had been posted in a hospital. He faced tremendous pressure of work in his new engagement. He also appeared to be doubtful about USA’s success in the war. The letter is an evidence of the fact that the war situation had become rather complicated by the mid 1862. 5. Letter from J.B. McCracken to Juliana Reynolds, Aug 6, 1863 (Camp Parole): McCracken was Reynolds’ friend, and he wrote very anxiously about the war. He wrote about the risks and sufferings of the army. The letter can be used to prove that the Union forces were suffering a lot during those years. 6. Letter from John Conser to Juliana Reynolds, Sep 5, 1864 (Camp near Petersburg): Conser was another cousin of Reynolds. In this letter too, the writer expresses deep concerns about the lingering war. However, he also writes about the successes of the Union forces and surmounting pressure on the rebels. Key Themes that the Sources Share There are two major themes that the different sources share. The first is patriotism, and the second is discussion on the miserable conditions of the military camps. Writing about patriotism in relation to these letters, I feel that the kind of patriotism the Union forces shared was not all about nationalism. The concept of American patriotism spanned over nationalism, unionism, and most importantly, emancipation. According to Divine et al, the concept of emancipation which instilled a nationwide passion for freedom and free labor, acted like a catalyst in the process of maintaining integrity of USA. The Blacks and the Whites fought shoulder to shoulder in the US Army regiments on several occasions. However, demoralization did take place as the situation in the U.S. military camps deteriorated. In this context, Smith’s letter (dated Jul 22, 1862) becomes important. Smith writes to his sister, “but I had rather see the Union divided than to see the dreadful calamities produced by this war.” These calamities included scarcity of food and money, strict conscription, racial tensions, and widespread disease. Moreover, the list of personnel killed in action lengthened almost everyday. Ultimately, the letters show how patriotism can remain forceful even in conditions of immense hardships. Points of Consensus The selected letters from the Tilton C. Reynolds Papers almost invariably demonstrate two major points of consensus. Sincere Patriotism: Every soldier fighting for the Union was convinced that he was doing a noble task. As Sprague visits the South in Camp Jameson, he writes, “The land here is Owned in large Estates the Same as it is owned by the Nobility in Europe and they have Depended on Slave Labour to keep it up”. This comment shows that Sprague was not respectful towards the prosperity of South and boasted to be on the side of abolition. Likewise, Smith writes from the Camp near Harrisons Landing, “I fear but little of saving the Union.” This comment proves that Smith had been demoralized, but his regret for a possible defeat is established as well. Such a level of regret was impossible without the unionist zeal of sincere patriotism. Situation changed by the year 1864 when Conser wrote from the Camp near Petersburg, “There is a Great many Deserting and coming over every day.” Here, deserting refers to the act of the rebels leaving their own army. Union forces welcomed the rebels who were surrendering, and this was an exhibition of patriotic feelings on both sides. The Union forces wanted to “Carry relief, joy and hope to thousands of hearts that is as Loyal to the union as any in the North.” (Sprague) Miserable Conditions in Military Camps: The Civil War brought immense hardships to both the Northern and Southern states. Especially, the military camps were in most difficult situation. On February 22 1862, Sprague writes, “I have the missfortune to be Connected with about as bad a mess as in this Camp.” Further, on August 6 1863, McCracken writes from Camp Parole, “As long as we was there we got just half a pound of bread, once ounce of poor meat and a pint of slop called by them, bean soup. It was made of poor quality of beans.” Moreover, in the letter written on April 20 1862, Smith regrets using to following words, “Since I came here and being scarce of money I could not write as much as I should have done.” All these quotations from the letters prove that the miseries of military service were considerably serious, and sometimes, appalling. However, the Union forces finally emerged triumphant in the war. The victory might be attributed to strategy, planning, military superiority, etc. But undoubtedly the unbeatable sense of patriotism gave the U.S. Army an ethical advantage. Moreover, they were confident that their ultimate goal was freedom, which provided them with mental strength. Conclusion In sum I think sincere patriotism was an integral part of the American experience during the Civil War. There were people even in the Southern states who valued integrity of the United States. Examining the letters, I feel that all of the writers of those letters had deep rooted regards for the country’s national integrity. Undoubtedly they withstood the hardships of the military camps and the battle field with a moral sense of justice and love for freedom. Thousands of soldiers of USA shared this mentality, which became a key element that catalyzed the success of the Union forces. Additionally, there are some questions, which remain unanswered throughout the analysis of the selected documents. These documents do not throw enough light on the civilian hardships caused by the war. The question of ethical pursuits of the Confederate soldiers is also left unanswered. Most importantly, the analysis may appear to be one sided on certain occasions since all the authors were Union soldiers. How did the Confederate soldiers feel? What miseries did they face? These questions can be suggested for further research. Works Cited Conser, John. "Letter from John Conser to Juliana Reynolds, September 5, 1864." American Memory from the Library of Congress - Home Page. The Tilton C. Reynolds Papers, The Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, 5 Sept. 1864. Web. 13 Dec. 2011. . Divine, Robert A., George M. Fredrickson, Ariela J. Gross, et al. America Past and Present, Volume 1: To 1877. Harlow: Pearson Education, 2010. Print. McCracken, J.B. "Letter from J.B. McCracken to Juliana Reynolds, August 6, 1863." American Memory from the Library of Congress - Home Page. The Tilton C. Reynolds Papers, The Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, 6 Aug. 1863. Web. 13 Dec. 2011. . Smith, John S. "Letter from John S. Smith to Juliana Reynolds, April 20, 1862." American Memory from the Library of Congress - Home Page. The Tilton C. Reynolds Papers, The Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, 20 Apr. 1862. Web. 13 Dec. 2011. . Smith, John S. "Letter from John S. Smith to Juliana Reynolds, July 22, 1862." American Memory from the Library of Congress - Home Page. The Tilton C. Reynolds Papers, The Library of Congress, Manuscript Divison, 22 July 1862. Web. 13 Dec. 2011. . Sprague, Hiram P. "Letter from Hiram P. Sprague to Juliana Reynolds, February 22, 1862." American Memory from the Library of Congress - Home Page. The Tilton C. Reynolds Papers, The Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, 22 Feb. 1862. Web. 13 Dec. 2011. . Sprague, Hiram P. "Letter from H.P. Sprague, May 24, 1862." American Memory from the Library of Congress - Home Page. The Tilton C. Reynolds Papers, The Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, 24 May 1862. Web. 13 Dec. 2011. . Read More