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| Antietam National Battlefield (Source) |
The area around Sharpsburg, Maryland is very pretty. Last year, when I stood on that field, it seemed that the battle was happening just beyond the reach of my senses. While I couldn't feel the thump of cannon, nor hear the trilling of trumpets and the thumping of drums, I could almost imagine the smell of powder smoke. Sulfurous and not all that pleasant.
I looked around and realized, at the Sunken Road, that where I stood, where my 3 year old grandson ran and played, the ground was once soaked with the blood of my fellow Americans.
I walked out a ways from the road, towards where the men in blue came into the attack, then turned back towards the road. What must those men have felt as that lane erupted in musket and rifle fire as they advanced through the corn?
What must the men in gray and butternut have felt as they opened fire on the advancing Northerners? One can only speculate.
I cannot imagine what it would be like to advance into enemy fire, standing shoulder to shoulder with my friends and comrades. I cannot imagine what it would be like to be splashed with the blood and the body parts of those men beside me. Or perhaps be brought low myself, either with the instant oblivion of death, or the lingering agony of a bad wound.
There must be a special place in Hell for those who actively seek to send their fellow humans into harm's way, into the absolute horror of battle. At least one can hope so, though I believe in forgiveness, there must be some punishment for those who seek to destroy life and property.
But that is beyond my ken, for now I hope wiser heads prevail and we can avoid battle and grief in the future. Even though I know it's probably a false hope.
The following video is much more than an animated battlefield map, historical photos and footage of reenactors in large numbers adds a great deal to what might otherwise be a boring academic presentation, the American Battlefield Trust has done a superb job of presenting, in just a few minutes, what was the bloodiest single day in American history.
Once again I neglected to mark the anniversary of this here blog. Today, we've been "in business" for 12 years and 1 week, exactly.
Glad you're all along for the ride.
It's hard to believe. It's almost unimaginable. You know they fought that little war with the very latest innovations in technology, engineering and military thinking plus the most modern weapons in any army in the world. They developed tactics and numbers that were inconceivable in the old countries in Europe. That would be seen as European armies completely ignored the effect of rifling and breech loading.
ReplyDeleteIt's also hard to believe you've been at this for 12 years or that I started 2 years before you did. I think you had something to say whereas I was just curious at the outset, how it worked. I'm forced to admit, 14 years and I've never looked a SQL in the eye or even found out what they are but Lex used to go and on about them and what a pain they were. Glad I don't have any.
Sometimes it's best not to peek under the hood.
DeleteI can't believe I've been at it this long. Lot of water under the bridge in that time. As to your blog, I just feel like it's always been there.
Fare thee well, my Captain!
I too have visited reenactments of the revolutionary and civil war. Fascinating people there. Walking and seeing the sunken road is disturbing.
ReplyDeleteWar should be personal, so we learn not to play. It's sad to hear folks chatter about how this group deserves this and that as its but little brown people OVER THERE on TV where it's happening. Like a sports ball game to most on the internet, full of lies, blame throwing and statistics of how "Well" OUR Teams doing and how poorly led and poor equipment the other side has (looking at Ukraine mostly, but Gaza also)
The "leadership" risks little, seldom if ever is their own blood or their children involved.
The lyrics of Fortunate Son, Creedence Clearwater Revival wanders into my head.
HMS Defiant, like all conflicts I've studied. The TACTICS of the LAST WAR applied without fully realizing the effectiveness of the NEW WEAPONS. The Generals often forced close order drills of the Napoleonic Era musket drills against rifle fire effective at over 5+ times the muskets range. WW1 Infantry charges against barbed wire, artillery churned up muck and machine guns springs to mind.
In some ways you can't blame the generals for adhering to the old way of doing things, the span of command was still how far a drum beat or trumpet call could carry over the noise of battle. Being within hearing of the commander was critical at times. Communications technology would advance to allow troops to disperse more, better training meant the commanders could trust their men not to run off.
DeleteWarfare evolves, the smart bet is to stop fighting wars, but we've yet to evolve that far.
War IS personal; certainly for those who fight and for those who love them. I have walked those field as well. Whether fortunately or not , I can imagine what it must have been like.
DeleteWar IS awful; yet there are times when it is necessary, the ultimate of tragedies for me is when it is not necessary and yet is started or continued for "reasons". Being maimed or killed can be accepted on some level, but only if it is for purpose. The thing that always scared me was the possibility of being " wasted"; only faith in Him allows me a measure of peace.
Boat Guy
My faith is one of the things which help me to soldier on in these insane times.
DeleteCongratulations on your twelve years plus Sarge, thanks for all the work you and your fellow contributors have put into this blog, Northland Salute!
ReplyDeleteAnd what a long, strange road it's been at times. But gratifying in so many ways.
DeleteNot just the amount of death and dying bothers me, but that the slaughter was so unnecessary and rose out of utter incompetence on both sides. The Southern army was put into the vise by the commander's overconfidence and over complicated plans, the Northern army was denied the victory they should have had by the under confident, may I say cowardice, of it's commander.
ReplyDeleteAlso McClellan was always convinced that the Confederate army was far larger than his own. He used the Pinkertons for intelligence purposes, they might have been good cops but they were lousy spies.
DeleteTwo thoughts for today: When I have walked the civil war battlefields I have mostly been like you. Interested in the tactics and wondering what those men who fought there thought in the hours, minuets, seconds leading up to the clashes. What they were thinking as they sat there looking across the fields or into the forests around them. But when I have been in some places I have felt there were places I should not step, the ghosts are still there and their small pieces of ground that they bought and paid for, even more so than in a cemetery.
ReplyDeleteSecond, I feel that all of these politicians and pundits that yell at each other and call for sending our troops and wealth here, there and everywhere should be forced to take a month and go see all of the places. These various pieces of hallowed ground where we have spent our nations youth and treasure. Understand the cost when sides are whipped up to a frenzy and the collective rage is let out and neither side gives.
Antietam is one of those places and at that place and others my great, great, great grandfathers were across the field from each other with their neighbors from GA, PA and NY.
You have felt the same things I have. Hallowed ground in many ways.
DeleteWow Sarge. That was exceptionally well done, to the point that I feel like I should watch more of them.
ReplyDelete"They have plundered the world, stripping naked the land in their hunger… they are driven by greed, if their enemy be rich; by ambition, if poor… They ravage, they slaughter, they seize by false pretenses, and all of this they hail as the construction of empire. And when in their wake nothing remains but a desert, they call that peace." - Publius Cornelius Tacitus
Many happy returns on the 12 year anniversary. It truly is quite an accomplishment.
I thought the film was exceptional, like you, I need to watch more of them.
DeleteOne needs to remember that death was a common and often unexpected event then, even when not engaged in battle. Of the 620,000 military deaths in the Civil War, about two-thirds were NOT from Minie balls, bayonets or artillery fire. but from microbes, sanitation and food-borne diseases. Religion was very strong, and those factors may have made the fear of going into battle less than our
ReplyDeleteJB
Death by disease was common due to the concentration of so many people in confined spaces with questionable hygienic practices. Which is also probably why living in the uncrowded country was better than living in a crowded city.
DeleteGood point about religion being a factor. A comfort in an hour of terror.
War is the game where if someone wants to play you have to join in, not a lot of choices.... and it's an OLD game.
ReplyDeleteOne of the oldest games there is.
DeleteHeartiest congratulations on 12 years of blogging here, my morning digital friend!
ReplyDeleteThe post this morning was most interesting, sobering, and thought-provoking. Being from the left coast of this great nation, we were not taught so much about the Civil War as we were on the Second World War, and the effect it had on the west coast from Japan and all. But then history had barely been written at that point in time!
I have mixed emotions about the political involvement in war. I hate it. And yet it provided me with the notion that this gung-ho flaming Patriot Kid was trying to do something for my nation! I found out many years ago, that what I had done was not a really all that moral and was led by people who were after money and prestige not winning the battle. I think God for the leader ship I had at that time and the camaraderie and esprit de corps that was present in Vietnam.
My great grandfathers met in a prisoner of war camp. During that time they were both from Georgia, and of course, had been used as political tool at the time being poor uneducated and hard-working men. It is a curious story and one I enjoy telling the children who cannot comprehend it.
As I continue to age, and I mean really age, (I just had a week off with severe stomach flu)I increasingly feel that my war was inconsequential and a treacherous waste of blood and treasure. But, the job was better than working for a living and it was dream come true from age eleven on.
I ramble, therefore I have to get coffee and stop. Old men can say this. “Love you all here at the Chez”
Your war may have been "inconsequential and a treacherous waste of blood and treasure," but the men and women who fought it were anything but. The young fellow going off to Vietnam need not bow his head to any man.
DeleteYou guys did your duty, as best you could. That counts for something.
I've played at reenacting the War of 1861. I've worn the layers of wool in 95/95 weather (that's temperature and relative humidity - which for this Native of the Golden State was a close approximation of Hell), while helping to manhandle an 1,800 pound gun. Breathed the smoke. BUT I didn't have to endure incoming fire, or seeing my brothers in arms cut down by ball, shot, and shell. I have not heard the screams of the wounded and dying, nor smelled the stench of blood and loosed bowels. No matter how accurate the persona, the equipment, the scenario of the pretend battle, some things just can't be conveyed.
ReplyDeleteThe accuracy of the rifled guns was amazing. One Confederate, when talking about the Federal Ordnance Rifle opined, without much exaggeration, that "They can shoot at the head of a pickle barrel and hit it nine times out of ten at a mile." Here is a clip of the Grayling competition https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVZkuK0NjoA . That's a Parrott Rifle, you can see the front sight mounted on the right trunnion, the little knob at the breach is where the stadia peep sight is mounted. The gun you see right at the start is a 3" Rifled Gun, (Wrought Iron) aka 3" Ordnance Rifle. The doohicky you see at the back is where the pendulum hausse rear peep sight is mounted, the front sight is near the muzzle, and is a standard blade type. The pendulum hausse could swing freely to allow the sight to remain vertical on uneven ground. https://www.dixiegunworks.com/index/page/product/product_id/165/category/542/category_chain/540,542/product_name/AC1106+Pendulum+Hausse Graduated in 1/4 of a degree up to 5 degrees. Inside the limber chest was a Table of Fire with range, elevation, time of flight, and time of fuse. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/table-fire-limber-chest-inch-ordnance-454631082
Sorry, I do tend to go on about artillery of that era.
Really good footage. The recoil is something Hollywood nearly always gets wrong.
DeleteSo do a lot of reenactors who should know better. "If you stand behind a cannon when it's fired you'll be crushed."
DeleteWell, no. Unless you are oblivious. At live fire events I've never seen one jump back so quickly that a person would be in serious danger from it.
Another interesting video. https://youtu.be/MgqIWDPMALk?si=AQ-3kYqGxpglVfhH
Smarter Every Day is an excellent program!
DeleteStrange, blogger forgot who I am, and now remembers. Computers, don't expect logic from them.
ReplyDelete"You do| feel| think| worship as I say will be the end of humanity or civilization or both.
I don't want war. It seems to be an intelligence test, and the people in charge fail, repeatedly.
Again and again.
DeleteDocumentaries about war reveal much, but they don't reveal the hours of boredom, hours of terror, the deafening noise of explosions and gunfire, the cries of the wounded, the grief of losing brothers in battle, the horrible wounds, the collateral damage of civilians, and the stench of death. The videos, or photos, of the devastation only touch on what happens afterward. Years are spent in repairs, once peaceful places bring moments of remembering the war, and generations lose those more precious than anything else. People that could have shared a meal, had moments of happy events, or were only separated by language, killed unmercifully to satisfy the politics of those that stayed insulated from the horror they created.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, even the winners of wars lose a piece of their humanity. While it sometimes is the only method to achieve peace, I would think the path of the human race would have found a solution long ago. Maybe it did, but decided to crucify the teacher instead of embracing the message.
And that last sentence says it all. Especially considering what day it is.
DeleteA few years ago walked around Cowpens with my youngest son. Sobering experience.
ReplyDeleteI would like to walk that field myself, an interesting battle.
DeleteThis is a daily stop for me. Enjoy what is shared here in both content and the comments. Congratulations on your dozen years!!!
ReplyDeleteFranknbean
As long as we're having fun and maybe learning something new, I'll keep going.
DeleteA most appropriate post for the time of year, Sarge. I remembered Catton's "A Stillness at Appomattox" with the Union bugles blowing when a lone Confederate officer galloped madly toward the Union lines, a white flag of truce fluttering from a staff. The realization slowly came. "It was Palm Sunday, and they would all live to see Easter".
ReplyDeleteWhat better time for a war to end than the celebration of Our Risen Lord.
DeleteIf the people "in charge" got put on the front lines, we would probably see less war.
ReplyDeleteExactly.
DeleteThe vermin who start wars will NEVER be forced to endure combat. That's a flaw that WE will pay for in their stead. Start a war? YOU should be first to fight. It might make them take their diplomatic responsibilities a little more seriously if they knew they'd be leading from the front.
ReplyDeleteIndeed!
Delete