This paper can
understand Grant’s (who was certainly acting on Lincoln
Several Confederate
armies still exist, especially General Johnston’s army in Tennessee
And then there is
the Negro problem. Suddenly millions of
freed slaves will flood our cities, fill our jobs, demand schools and
homes. Will they reek their own special
vengeance on their humiliated Southern masters?
It is hard to believe that bloodshed is truly over. Even so, this paper rejoices with the news
that the end of the war is at hand, and this paper has total confidence in
President Abraham Lincoln to continue to guide this country back to the
thriving Union it was and hopes to be.
This war was a lost cause, as General Lee and Jefferson Davis have called it. Too be honest, I’m surprised we lasted this long. At least we fought with a noble cause, using old fashioned chivalry. We were only defeated by the Union through numerical and industrial force, which beat our military skill and courage. The North is going to destroy our traditional way of life, forcing us to accept blacks into our culture and adding industrial buildings everywhere. They will be remembered as heroes for doing this, but all the hero business is all hogwash. They just want to look like the saviors of a nation, when really they refused peacefulness and instead wanted to trade it for violence. I have loved being one of the faces of our lost cause, being the red and gold cavalry man. The confederacy will still live on even whilst under the control of the Union.
ReplyDeleteIf I were alive today, I would jubilant but disappointed at the same time. The only reason that would cause me to be jubilant is the fact that millions of slaves have been freed. This makes me so proud because I did not die in vain. My wish of abolishing slavery has been fulfilled. On the alternative, the reason I have been disappointed is because of the North not willing to hang General Robert E. Lee. This is complete bosh considering the fact that I was on the side of the Union, yet I was still hanged. Meanwhile, General Robert E. Lee, was on the side of the Confederates and Union will probably not even throw him in a callaboose. He is one to blame for all the casualties of both sides. He is no leader. He is only a coward that is not willing to admit his mistakes. In the end, I hope our country makes the right decision in what to do with the horrid General Robert E. Lee.
ReplyDeleteThe war may be over, but this nation is full of hatred. Hatred, dispute, anger, and frustration. The open fighting may be over, but the bloodshed is never over. There are negroes running wild through the streets! God can only imagine what they're planning in the terms of vengeance. The war may be openly over, but internally, in the heart of America, the war will never be over.
ReplyDelete(Thank God above that the war is over. So many lost, and so many wounded. The war is over, technically. However, the bloodshed is most likely not over. In fact, I believe the bloodshed is hardly ever really over. We can only hope that it will be kept to a minimum. I pray for the families of those who went to fight and never returned. The fact that General Grant allowed Lee to keep his sword and his horse, Traveller, just shows that the North wants to reunite the countries. It shows that no matter how torn apart the nation gets, Lincoln wants us to be a whole. He is willing to forgive, and we should all think about what that means for us.)
The war is over, and the Union has won. Revenge burns bright in my heart, the Union may think they have won, but Southern spirit lives on. Southern armies still exist and maybe one day we can rise up and fight again. I agree with JEB Stuart that the Confederacy will live on, it will live on in the hearts of Southerners. In my opinion, Jefferson Davis was the boss leader in the history of America. Soon the North will see that this war was a dreadful mistake, and that they don't want African Americans taking their jobs. The Confederacy will rise again, and will always live on in the hearts of Americans.
ReplyDelete( The war is over, and I rejoice with all Northerners. Our nation is whole again and I am pleased that I can quit my job of being a spy. There may still be problems, like incorporating African Americans into our lives and Confederate armies, but our nation is strong once more, and we will flourish in the future.
(The war is finally over, but I can’t come out of hiding. I’m joyous about slaves being freed, of course, but everyone knows I was a spy. I did a grand job spying at first, but President Davis became suspicious. I skedaddled one night not long ago. As I fled, I attempted to burn down Davis’ house. Scuttlebutt is that it was a shoddy attempt. At least we won the war, and slaves are free.)
ReplyDeleteThe Civil War is finally over. After roughly two years of fighting, the Union came out as the true winner. Not only did the Union come out as a true winner, a Union major came out for me. Major Joseph Clapp Willard fell under my influence. Even though I was born as a Confederate, I could never consent to a private marriage. "My parents and relatives would be mortified and distressed to death; acquaintances would disown me; it would be illegal; and above all it would be wrong. I cannot claim to be a Christian (unfortunately) but I have a conscience, and am governed by it. I dislike to say 'no' to one so dear, but there is no alternative in this case. I will grant any request which is right and proper, and would make you the happiest man in the world if I could without compromising myself . . . I [will not] place a barrier between myself and all friends. It would be wrong for you as well as for me. Neither of us could be happy, for the curse of God would cast upon us." (quoted in Winkler, No Sacrifice Too Great, 2010)
ReplyDeleteSadly, two impediments stood in the way of our marriage, Willard's commission in the Union Army and my wife Caroline. Eventually, on March 2, 1864, he divorced his wife Caroline the day after his resigned commission and we got married at the Metropolitan Hotel in Washington on the 10th of March.
One day, I was asked by a friend of how I could marry a Yankee, so I replied, "I knew I could not revenge myself on the nation, but I was fully capable of tormenting one Yankee to death, so I took the Major."
When the civil war first began, I had a strong belief that a Union victory was a key step to the abolition of slavery. I have been proven wrong. The war is finally over, however, the status of African Americans is still being debated on. I am glad the for the war to be over, but I wish there was a greater turning point for African Americans. Toward the end of this war, I decided to lay my trust in President Abraham Lincoln. He has proven to this Union that he is a strong, fit leader for this Union. When I first heard of him, General Grant seemed like a dangerous and mighty war leader whom didn't fight for a cause. At the end of war, I came to realize that this man is also noble and honest man. During these years of war, I have given my services to the Union by being a nurse to tend for the sick and injured (and I was also a Union spy). I am now ready to prove to the Union that the freedom of African Americans is the right path to take.
ReplyDeleteAfter hundreds of thousands of casualties, this war is over. The Confederate States of America are no more and the Union has regained the seceded states. The South has had its infrastructure massively damaged by the repeated raids by the North. Grant has allowed for us to continue our life and allowed Lee to surrender with no additional terms. This war has gone far longer than I thought it would, not that I intended to choose a side in the beginning. Everyone in the present United States has been affected by this war. I lost two of my sons when they were suspected bushwhackers. After years of fighting, this war is finally over.
ReplyDeleteThis war appears to be over, but that is not really so. Even though the South has surrendered, our two groups of men are still filled with anger and hate. We will never again be happy, united states at heart. And through this all, the biggest snake of them all, Lincoln, still lives! Eventually, someone has to put an end to his treachery. Whoever does shall be seen as a hero in the southerners eyes. (And I aim to do just that. It is what God willed me to do, so I must do it.) Do not give up southerners, for even in our darkest hour, I will not relinquish my hope. The rest of you shouldn't give it up either.
ReplyDeleteI have seen first-hand the men who have suffered through the war. Serving as a nurse in Union gives many opportunities to see the toll that battle has taken. As glad as I may be that General Lee has yielded, I can’t help but feel as though the war is not completely over. We cannot go blowing about this victory. Other armies still exist in the South, there is no telling what may become of them. Lee’s surrender may discourage some people, but the South still has game. General Johnston’s army will stand fighting until someone comes personally and defeats them. They will not die quickly. As for the freed slaves that will join our cities, welcome them. They have suffered much more than the men of the army. They were treated as savages. If you feel hatred towards the South for putting for putting our men out of action, then most certainly you should feel hatred towards yourself for treating other human beings in the same way. There are many complications resulting from this civil war, but why should we feel down? The war is coming to an end. Slowly but surely. Lincoln will guide our country back to a whole as it was four years ago.
ReplyDeleteLong ago our states were one. We fought side by side against Great Britain, but now look at us. Seething hatred at each other. The war is done, but many are still ignorant. The slaves have been freed at last, but was it worth the cost? Many of our own have been killed on the fields of war. The south has finally given in. I can take a deep breath of relief even though there is still some work left for me to do, now Lincoln can sew us back together as we once were. I believe that someday the blacks will sit side by side at school and live beside one another in the distant future. For now, I will smile at the freedom of the slaves and honor those who risked their lives for it. Long live America.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that the war is over! Not long ago, I was freed as a prisoner of war, and now, the war is over and the slaves are free! I am disgusted at how so many people are complaining that the slaves will take their jobs and their property. The slaves have already done enough work in their lives, they deserve jobs and money much more than most people making those complaints. Perhaps, now, after freeing the slaves and giving them rights, people will see injustices elsewhere, such as the injustice that women have to deal with. I think that the south should be tightly controlled to prevent people who cannot accept that they lost the war from rebelling, but I also think that the south should be given appropriate materials to recover from the war, as to not cause even more anger. The slaves should be given money or similar to help them establish a life, as all of the free slaves now have nowhere to go. Now that the war is over, it is time for america to rebuild, with black and whites as equals!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAt last, the war is finally over. After seeing much of the pain and agony of fallen and injured soldiers, I am glad we no longer have to fight and force lives up the spout. Missing limbs, and deep lacerations will hopefully be something of the past. Although the war may be over, tensions are still present. There is still rage between the extremists. Many still believe in slavery and refuse to give up that point of view, despite us winning the war. Confederate armies still remain possibly waiting for the next attack. Meanwhile, with all the Negros free, it may just cause more problems than we have anticipated. They are taking all of our jobs and our homes. Not only are they clogging the flow of our cities, but I've also heard scuttlebutt of slaves causing trouble by seeking vengeance on their previous masters. Nevertheless, I am proud to see that the Union is reunited once again.
ReplyDeleteNonsense, completely wrong. There is no way that we have seen the last of disagreements between the north and southern armies. There is just no possibly way. Courthouse or not. However, one thing that can change is that the resolution can become less violent instead of having to have a massive war for something dumb, like the amount of land one side owns. On the upside, the war is over at last. After 5 grueling years of battle, the Generals for the south have given up. I think a big reason why the North won is because of their outstanding General once again, Mr. President, Abraham Lincoln. I believe that us northerners are joyus because our armies have reunited as a result of this war. Therefore, not everything about the war can be catagorized as negative. Again, I believe both sides should be grateful that the war is over.
ReplyDeletePOST #8 DUE May 20th
ReplyDeleteBLOG TITLE: Editorial 8th LEE SURRENDERS
DATE POSTED: May 20th
RESPONDING TO: Harper's Weekly Editor
POST:
At last! This war has endured much past its wanted time. My original presumption foretold that this war would be over in three months, not three years. Grant's surrender plans were logical and thoughtful, unaffected by his emotions. Only a calm and collected general such as him could have made such an insightful decision. The United States of America is united once again. This means that we Northerners have to give the South a boost. Instead of punishing them and acting out of vengeance, we must restore their economy and help them prosper alongside us as fellow countrymen. Furthermore, the South is, no doubt, still sore at us; it will take time to restore our once united mindset. I believe that Grant has already taken those first steps towards restoration, and he has my full support behind his back.
Sadly, I cannot take much pride in the Union victory as I would have liked due to demotion from my service as Union Spy Chief. However, I will keep my vigilance as I must—this country is infested with many angry, ruthless, fanatics who are speaking of regicide. I am certain that the North will soon need me. While tensions between the North and South continue to soar, I am confident in my ability to be of help to the North and anticipate my return to serving my country with my well deserved status.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI have not, and will not be hanged. I will not reveal my location, but I can tell you that my family and I are out of Lincoln's hands. I am disgusted by how this paper has compared me to the barbaric savage John Brown. Escaping on bail was one of the least honorable actions I have ever taken, but for Dixie to live on, it is what I had to do. I must ask for those in Tennessee to keep fighting. Our beliefs will not live on if we have no army. I trusted, and still do trust, my great friend General Lee, but I never should have put a man in command of a confederate army who disliked slavery. A man who believed in slavery would not surrender for the sake of just a horse and a sword. However, we would never have made it as far as we did if he had not been in command. Our message lives still on.
ReplyDeleteOur country has finally began to mend. Justice has come for our fellow black men, for they are now free. Grants` actions of mercy toward Lee and his army showed courage. He acted as I have caring for confederate soldiers, and he understands that all men should be created in a dignified manner. However, we are far from the finish line. Men are broken and resources are scarce. The need is great. As one unified whole, we can heal our country under Lincoln and bring ourselves back to health. The war is finished and the Union is victorious!
ReplyDeleteI resigned my job as a Northern spy months ago, and at the time I missed my work. Today as I look back on it I have no regrets, yet I would never want to go back. I have re-made my life here in England and am happy. America, however does not seem to be going very well. I don't think anyone in the North or South could possibly be content with the outcome of this war. By that I mean, no one is completely satisfied, there are missing pieces along with so many dead and wounded for both sides. I can not imagine this Nation as a whole and frankly, I do not think that it will become as our founding fathers had ever hoped for. If I were to keep my head up, which I have been trying to do lately, I would say if America ever become united as one, I will come back. As for now we will see what happens, and I do hope for the best.
ReplyDeleteI knew this war wasn't for me, and wouldn't end up helping me, but only hurting me. Nothing benefiting me has come out of this war, so I think it was useless. I know this war was not just for me, but what's the point of making all the sacrifices I have made if it is not going to help me. Since both of my brothers are dead from fighting in the war, I have no one to work my plantation, we are already broke. With no slaves to work our farms we are gonners. I wanted slaves and black people to have rights, and to be protected from cruel treatment, but I didn't want slavery to end. I am not happy that the North won and I wouldn't have been happy if the South won. What I was looking for was a neutral resolution.This war has killed my two brothers, jeopardized my business, has erased all good memories, and has permanently scared our lives, we will never live the same. From now on I will have to live my life in great despair, because of this war. I just hope that Lincoln can revive this nation to it's potential.I knew this war wasn't for me, and wouldn't end up helping me, but only hurting me. Nothing benefiting me has come out of this war, so I think it was useless. I know this war was not just for me, but what's the point of making all the sacrifices I have made if it is not going to help me. Since both of my brothers are dead from fighting in the war, I have no one to work my plantation, we are already broke. With no slaves to work our farms we are gonners. I wanted slaves and black people to have rights, and to be protected from cruel treatment, but I didn't want slavery to end. I am not happy that the North won and I wouldn't have been happy if the South won. What I was looking for was a neutral resolution.This war has killed my two brothers, jeopardized my business, has erased all good memories, and has permanently scared our lives, we will never live the same. From now on I will have to live my life in great despair, because of this war. I just hope that Lincoln can revive this nation to it's potential.
ReplyDeleteI knew this war wasn't for me, and wouldn't end up helping me, but only hurting me. Nothing benefiting me has come out of this war, so I think it was useless. I know this war was not just for me, but what's the point of making all the sacrifices I have made if it is not going to help me. Since both of my brothers are dead from fighting in the war, I have no one to work my plantation, we are already broke. With no slaves to work our farms we are gonners. I wanted slaves and black people to have rights, and to be protected from cruel treatment, but I didn't want slavery to end. I am not happy that the North won and I wouldn't have been happy if the South won. What I was looking for was a neutral resolution.This war has killed my two brothers, jeopardized my business, has erased all good memories, and has permanently scared our lives, we will never live the same. From now on I will have to live my life in great despair, because of this war. I just hope that Lincoln can revive this nation to it's potential.I knew this war wasn't for me, and wouldn't end up helping me, but only hurting me. Nothing benefiting me has come out of this war, so I think it was useless. I know this war was not just for me, but what's the point of making all the sacrifices I have made if it is not going to help me. Since both of my brothers are dead from fighting in the war, I have no one to work my plantation, we are already broke. With no slaves to work our farms we are gonners. I wanted slaves and black people to have rights, and to be protected from cruel treatment, but I didn't want slavery to end. I am not happy that the North won and I wouldn't have been happy if the South won. What I was looking for was a neutral resolution.This war has killed my two brothers, jeopardized my business, has erased all good memories, and has permanently scared our lives, we will never live the same. From now on I will have to live my life in great despair, because of this war. I just hope that Lincoln can revive this nation to it's potential.
ReplyDeleteAs the war dwindles, so are the southerner's spirits. At the start of this great war, the South was strong and the clear conqueror. The North's soldiers were nothing but goners. Eventually, we pulled through and General Lee had no choice but to surrender at the Appomattox Courthouse. Although Lee is without a doubt in my mind a devil traitor, he should not be put to his death. I fear that it will only cause some uproar from the South. Hopefully the newly freed blacks will not strike vengeance on their masters, or it will make the Union regret its decision of releasing them. I look forward to prosper along side new friends and people of all colors, in the years to come.
ReplyDeleteI have respect for General Ulysses S. Grant and how he handled this situation maturely. The Union may have won the war but what does that really mean? Think about it: more than 600,000 deaths and 400,000 injuries. There is also a nationwide debt that may never break even. Now that the war is over, how is the general public going to react about the freedom of black slaves? Most of the citizens who fought for the freedom of these innocent lives will not have much trouble adapting but you never know which way the wind may blow.
ReplyDeleteI am so delighted to have the soldiers come home but I am worried about how they are going to carry out their lives. Most of them have lost their jobs due to being gone too long or the building they worked at was destroyed or they couldn't do the job because they lost a limb. The farmers were especially effected because they haven't been able to grow their crops for years so the fields would be barren or their farms could have been tampered with during the war. With all that we've lost, i'm not sure how this country could be the "united" states ever again.
ReplyDeleteI breathe only a tense whisper in a myriad of contention. This war was beyond my will from its birth, and I will conclude ever so harshly that the South did not practice a “way of life”, but instead a torturous manner towards those who had done no wrong. A withdrawal, as I will brand it, will be excruciating when considering these confederate addicts. We will watch from our Northern throne as the South scours Mother America for any hope- for a revival of the drug they bruised within the folds of their palms. We will decorate our wrists of liberated spirits, though, I fear that the embers of slavery will continue to flicker red. Only time will erode our differences. Only time will erode a habit. Only time will unify us. Though through this, slavery has not been fully abolished. I do not know, from what has been said, that there is any difference amongst what I support in comparison to the other abolitionists, however, with that word of Mr. Phillips, which is the criticism of General Banks and his policy, I hold that his policy is our chief danger at the present moment. It nearly enslaves the Negro, and makes the Proclamation of 1863 a mockery and delusion. What is freedom when its definition is seen as so malleable? I hope this war is only a platform in the struggle of the abolishment of slavery, and that its pursuit will transcend beyond my time.
ReplyDelete“It is the right to choose one's own employment. Certainly it means that, if it means anything; and when any individual or combination of individuals undertakes to decide for any man when he shall work, where he shall work, at what he shall work, and for what he shall work, he or they practically reduce him to slavery.”
My son, Charles Douglass, after being discharged from the 54th Massachusetts regiment, has risen to the rank of first sergeant in the 5th Massachusetts Cavalry, yet he copes with a wage below that of a white soldier. The Civil War has concluded, though its seeds have immured themselves beneath our soil. I wish to upturn these seeds before they root, whilst performing this action in a manner that will aid the South in its transition to a path without slavery. I commend Grant for his act of kindness towards the defeated General Lee, as it is mandatory for our nation to be healed. It is mandatory that the North’s moral intentions are brought to light in the face of the South, for they will have to swallow the inevitable factor of a decrease in job opportunities alongside many other major factors- the fate of Jefferson Davis. My beliefs on his sentence align to those of my rehabilitating pacifist personality. As I wished for John Brown, he should not be sent to the gallows, but it no way does this excuse him for the intolerable actions he has committed. I prefer Davis to be an example for change. An example for the adamant confederate mindsets.
The bloodshed will linger further, causing our future to reek of the crimson poison. I believe in Lincoln’s ability to guide us, though his role as a president will grow increasingly harder. This nation is not a spoil, as it shall flourish under the right care. It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake. The struggle will allow is to prevail. The struggle will earn us liberty.
The war was a long and hard one. And I surely am glad that it has ended, but I wonder what I am to do after I am no longer needed in my generals position. Although I do doubt that the violence is completely over. Something tells me that south wont give up this easily. I do hope that this will be over though. The blood shed has gone on long enough, and I think that we all deserve at least a little peace for the time being.
ReplyDeleteThe terror from the moments before my death still burns fresh in my mind. The crashing waves, each big enough to swallow me whole, the frantic screaming of my two accomplices, the utter trepidation in my stomach knowing that this is where my life shall end. I find irony in the fact that my death may very well have been my own doing. Had it not been for the $2000 worth of gold sewn into my clothes, I might have held a chance at life. I shudder to think of what might become of my precious daughter, Rose. Who will care for her in my absence?
ReplyDeleteAbout 8 months later…
I am no less than churning up the soil around my earthly prison when this egregious and ghastly news reaches my rotting ears, already torn through by the claws of time. Shackled to this unalterable position by the confines of death, I have no choice but to bemoan my powerlessness to act. Indeed, I have not felt such an acute sense of suffering before—nothing must be more painful than wanting—no—needing to do something but being unable to do it. My decaying bones still rattle with heart stopping shock—given that I my heart still remains. All I can feel within my empty rib cage is a rapidly escalating sense of dread for the country that I had so devotedly chained my life to. I had never imagined a happening that outweighed death, but now I am emptily face to face to it. I died believing in the Confederacy’s victory and even that has fallen down. The biggest problems have the simplest of solutions, it seems. Our five year long, blood cloaked war has come to an end with a mere sentence. No heroic battle where one side stands upon the other, declaring their victory over the dead bodies of their adversaries, bloody fist clutching a rifle. No—all it required was General Lee binding our Confederate flag white and, like a shot bird, we fell. I have no confidence that we now possess even a glimmer of hope towards victory. Lee carried all of us upon his back, and with his surrender, we will inevitably follow.
My only solace lay in Grant’s generosity. I lighten at the thought that my fellow “countrymen” can live in peace without fear of prosecution. I had previously underestimated Lincoln and Grants’ hearts. “…this will not embrace the side-arms of the officers, nor their private horses or baggage. This done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to their homes, not to be disturbed by United States authority…” are wondrous terms indeed. Grant’s additional gratuitous provision of food has further indicated that our bearings may not be as dire as they seem. For this, I am grateful. Yet, I cannot help but wonder: “Had we been the ones looking at white, would we have acted the same?”
Worries gnaw at me at a pace that time and decay can’t hope to compete with. I shudder to think of the animosity the former Confederates would have to face in front of the freed slaves. I have no doubt that the slaves will do anything in their power to return their “favor” twice fold. I can only hope that our prejudice will hold fast. Otherwise, our physical welfare, along with our already destructed mental sanity, will be no longer guaranteed. The terms of surrender can only shelter our material selves from the onslaught of our new countrymen. From whatever other harm may come, we are left to fend for ourselves. As for our beloved but undoubtedly defeated President Davis, I can only lay and hope. All of our former power and competency have been stripped from our hands. We are no better than meek dogs waiting apprehensively for our masters’ decisions, knowing that we have no choice but to follow.
“Rest in peace” is just an empty phrase, fed to those who believe. I can see no end to humanity’s suffering, given and run beneath their own hands. My nightmare is merely an episode in the story of this earth, one that, no matter how I tried and prayed, ultimately led to nothing. I can only hope for the happiness of my daughter and family now, as I see not and care not for the rest. Time will run its course, knowing naught.
Pure bliss. I am happy to know that my presence will no longer be needed as a spy, but I will always remembers theses years. The Union has finally achieved what was thought to be impossible. But with battles such as this one, there is an extremely large death toll. People everywhere have lost loved ones, and are met with the bittersweet end of this war. But once the celebration comes to an end, we will be forced to look down at the damage that has arisen. Chaos and bloodshed blanket these grounds, but it is up to us, as a whole country, to work hand-in-hand to bring our home back to its original state.
ReplyDeleteFinally we are safe outside again. This awful war is over and fresh air has never felt so nice. Little sister still doesn't get it, but she cries constantly. Daddy still isn't home either and I cry at night, hoping he is okay. Mother cries a lot too. Things won't ever feel the same around here in the destroyd town of Atlanta. I hope things can now go back to normal but it is too early to tell.
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