Coloured Beast
Those drum roll and trumpet and
Patriotic display during utter
Chaos.
This is a war fought,
Not for land,
Not for gold,
But for color.
Why differentiate them by color?
We are humans after all.
Paint them white, go ahead,
And you will see
them differently.
Why fight for color?
We are brothers after all.
Kill them all, go ahead,
And you might realize you just
Killed a friend
Why kill for color?
We are all colored.
Continue with your beastly acts, go ahead,
And you might just realize you just
Unveiled the beast in you.
Tan Yong Yao
Sunday, March 29, 2009
A poem written during the American Civil War
After All
William Winter
The apples are ripe in the orchard,
The work of the reaper is done,
And the golden woodland redden
In the blood of the dying sun.
:
At the cottage door the grandsire
Sits pale in his easy-chair,
While the gentle wind of twilight
Plays with his silver hair.
~
~
A woman beside him;
A fair young head is pressed,
In the first wild passion of sorrow,
Against his aged breast.
~
And far from over the distance
The faltering echoes come
Of the flying blast of the trumpet
And the rattling roll of the drum.
~
And the grandsire speaks in a whisper;
"The end no man can see;
But we give him to his country,
And we give our prayers to Thee."
~
The violets star the meadows
The rose-buds fringe the door,
Over the grassy orchard
The pink-white blossoms pour.
~
But the grandsire's chair is empty,
The cottage is dark and still;
There's a nameless grave in the battle-field,
And a new one under the hill.
~
And a pallid, tearless woman
By the cold hearth sits alone;
And the old clock in the corner
Ticks on with a steady drone.
Subject Matter:
This poem is about an old man who went to battle during the American Civil War and never came back. When, presumably his daughter, found out that he is dead, she became very depressed.
Purpose/Theme:
The poem illustrates the preparation of army on both sides, the Union and the Confederate. This illustration was done by picturing the army as an orchard, and the soldiers as the apples. The poet wrote of the apples being ripe which was to show they are prepared for battle and the individual states as the reaper. Throughout the entire poem, the poet used calm and beautiful terms to show the contrast of chaos and sadness with serenity and beauty.
Emotion/Mood:
The poem appears very calm at a brief glance, but as you read on, you will come to discover the tragedy of the poem. Despite describing the orchard in the first stanza as a very beautiful one by using terms like “golden woodland”, created an omen to show that there would be something bad happening. The phrase “blood of the dying sun” shows it. If you look at this phrase just on its surface, it might just appear like a descriptive phrase. But upon closer look, you can sense the omen in it.
The poet uses contrast to show the sadness. This falls under craftsmanship but yet, it creates the mood.
Craftsmanship/Technique:
The poet was also good in writing a stanza that would link to the next and hence creates a mood for the following stanza. In the fourth stanza, the poet wrote about drums and trumpets which symbolises the starting of the war and calling of all the soldiers. Carrying on to the fifth stanza, the poet talked about the old man leaving for army. This phrase “The end no man can see;But we give him to his country” shows it. The old man was willing to sacrifice. This also brings out the tragic mood of the poem.
Another example is the sixth stanza, when the poet used very beautiful terms to describe the surroundings but finally, it boiled down to the long absence of the old man which shows his death.
The poem actually moves on in a chronological order, starting from the preparation of the army, the calling of soldiers to battle and finally the death and moaning of the old man. This gives readers a very clear illustration of the situation then. The poet also described the sound in the poem through the old clock that goes “tick”. This creates a very sad tone at the last stanza during the moaning, where the clock “Ticks on with a steady drone.” It shows the reality of life and that no one cares about the death. The poet used the word “drone” to shows and emphasise on it.
Summary:
The structure and use of language in the poem creates a very solemn and contrasting tone switching from beautiful to sad almost instantly. By doing this, it really brings out the sorrow in the people and tells us a lot about the American Civil War.
Tan Yong Yao (2p3-26)
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Causes of the American Civil War and the key players involved
Causes of the American Civil War
1)Causes of the American Civil War:
The major cause of the American Civil War is slavery. Slavery in the United States first began in Virginia in 1619. By the end of the American Revolution, most northern states had abandoned the institution while it continued to grow and flourish in the plantation economy of the South.
1)Causes of the American Civil War:
The major cause of the American Civil War is slavery. Slavery in the United States first began in Virginia in 1619. By the end of the American Revolution, most northern states had abandoned the institution while it continued to grow and flourish in the plantation economy of the South.
In the years prior to the Civil War almost all sectional conflicts revolved around the slave issue. This began with the debates over the three-fifths clause at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and continued with the Compromise of 1820, the Nullification Crisis, the anti-slavery Gag Rule, and the Compromise of 1850.
Slavery and the control of the government
Throughout the first half of the 19th century, Southern politicians sought to defend slavery by retaining control of the federal government. While they benefited from most presidents being from the South, they were particularly concerned about retaining a balance of power within in the Senate. As new states were added to the Union, a series of compromises were arrived at to maintain an equal number of "free" and "slave" states.
In 1820, Maine entered as a free state while Missouri joined as a slave state. The balance was finally disrupted in 1850, when Southerners permitted California to enter as a free state in exchange for laws strengthening slavery. This balance was further upset with the additions of free Minnesota (1858) and Oregon (1859).
2) Key players of the American civil war:
Confederate Leader: General Robert E. Lee
Union Leader: General Ulyssess Grant
Robert E. Lee was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia on January 19, 1807. His father was the famous "Light horse Harry" Lee. He was one of George Washington's General and a one-time governor of Virginia. His mother, Anne Hill Carter, came from a famous family as the Lees.When Robert E. Lee was 54 years old, he was just about to retire when there came a crisis. In 1861, the states of the deep South seceded from the Union and made their own nation, the Confederate States of America.
Ulyssess Grant was born on April 27, 1822, in Point Pleasant, Ohio. His parents' names were Jesse Root Grant and Hannah Simpson. Ulyssess' real name was Hiram Ulyssess, but he went by Ulyssess. In 1839, he went to the United States Military Academy where a congressman mistakenly called him Ulyssess Simpson Grant but he decided to keep the name.
Marcus Lim (2p3-20)
source from: http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110670/Leaders.htm
Technology during the war
When did the war begin and end officially?
April 12, 1861 – April 9, 1865 (last battle ended May 13, 1865)
How was the war fought?
The war was fought through a long period of time. Strategies like trench warfare were deployed. The new technologies introduced revolutionised the way the war was fought and how planning was done.
Slaves also joined in the war.
With what technology?
The new technology ranged from weapons to cameras and telegraphs to tin cans. New weapons allowed soldiers to be more effective, but this new technology also meant that more soldiers were killed.
Photography meant that the war was the first conflict to be accurately recorded with real-life images, rather than an artist’s impressions.
Telegraphs meant that commanders could communicate more quickly with each other and with their respective presidents.
Tin cans allowed food to be shipped longer distances without spoiling, although the fare offered in these convenient packages were not as varied or as tasty as modern canned goods.
Rifles were quicker to load and put a spin on a bullet, increasing its accuracy and firing range. By 1863, most infantrymen on both sides had the new rifles.
Another improvement was a new bullet, called the minie ball, which was easier to load into a rifle than the older type of ammunition. The new guns improved a soldier’s fighting effectiveness, but they also inflicted more causalities than the older weapons. Civil War surgeons were hard pressed to deal with these more extensive injuries.
Other new Civil War technology included the Gatling gun and the torpedo. The Gatling gun, a kind of machine gun on wheels, was not used much during the war, but when it was used it was devastating.
The South made extensive use of torpedoes, which were not the self-propelled missiles of today, but more like mines. Some torpedoes could be detonated electronically when an enemy vessel neared.
First use of submarines
The Confederates used steam- powered small submarines dubbed Davids, after the biblical youth who battled the giant Goliath and the forty-foot Hunley, which was operated by a hand cranked propeller, turned by eight men. In February 1864, the Hunley sank the U.S.S. Housatonic. Shortly thereafter the Hunley sank.
The Union army also attempted to use submarines, commissioning the forty-seven foot Alligator (yes, it was green). The Alligator was initially propelled by oars, but these proved unwieldy and were replaced with a screw propeller. The Union submarine did not prove to be an effective weapon and it sank off Cape Hatteras in 1863.
Railroads
Railroads were invaluable for carrying men and supplies; the North’s railroad system was more effectively organized, than the South’s. Two-thirds of the nation’s rails were in the north and northern rails were all more uniformly gauged than those in the South, allowing trains to run without fear of encountering a rail gauge they were not designed for.
Yet, the South quickly learned to use its rails to great advantage. One prime example was the reinforcement of Confederate troops, which routed the Union forces at the First Battle of Manassas, were transported to the area by rail.
Telegraphs
While the railroads improved physical transport, the telegraphs improved communications. Field commanders were able to communicate with one another far more rapidly than the old method of sending a messenger on horseback.
At one point, Lincoln sat in the Washington telegraph office through the night, sending orders to his commanders as the battle logistics changed. Telegraphs were also a great boon to folks on the home front, looking to hear the latest news. Some Civil War soldiers grew adept at putting up temporary telegraph wires, which the enemy often cut.
Photojournalism
Photojournalism also allowed the people back home to understand what was going on more effectively than they had in past wars. While the cameras were cumbersome by today’s standards, they gave an accurate record of events. Famed Civil War photographer Mathew Brady provided an invaluable historical record.
Unfortunately, Civil War technology to preserve food was not as well advanced as many other areas were during the conflict. The soldiers did have the luxury of canned foods, but these were not seasoned in the way we are accustomed to and were probably quit bland; the main canned item was pork and beans, but without spices or tomato sauce. Of course, refrigeration was lacking as well, limiting soldiers in the field to salted meats, since these did not spoil easily.
Wayne Teo (2p3-30)
April 12, 1861 – April 9, 1865 (last battle ended May 13, 1865)
How was the war fought?
The war was fought through a long period of time. Strategies like trench warfare were deployed. The new technologies introduced revolutionised the way the war was fought and how planning was done.
Slaves also joined in the war.
With what technology?
The new technology ranged from weapons to cameras and telegraphs to tin cans. New weapons allowed soldiers to be more effective, but this new technology also meant that more soldiers were killed.
Photography meant that the war was the first conflict to be accurately recorded with real-life images, rather than an artist’s impressions.
Telegraphs meant that commanders could communicate more quickly with each other and with their respective presidents.
Tin cans allowed food to be shipped longer distances without spoiling, although the fare offered in these convenient packages were not as varied or as tasty as modern canned goods.
Rifles were quicker to load and put a spin on a bullet, increasing its accuracy and firing range. By 1863, most infantrymen on both sides had the new rifles.
Another improvement was a new bullet, called the minie ball, which was easier to load into a rifle than the older type of ammunition. The new guns improved a soldier’s fighting effectiveness, but they also inflicted more causalities than the older weapons. Civil War surgeons were hard pressed to deal with these more extensive injuries.
Other new Civil War technology included the Gatling gun and the torpedo. The Gatling gun, a kind of machine gun on wheels, was not used much during the war, but when it was used it was devastating.
The South made extensive use of torpedoes, which were not the self-propelled missiles of today, but more like mines. Some torpedoes could be detonated electronically when an enemy vessel neared.
First use of submarines
The Confederates used steam- powered small submarines dubbed Davids, after the biblical youth who battled the giant Goliath and the forty-foot Hunley, which was operated by a hand cranked propeller, turned by eight men. In February 1864, the Hunley sank the U.S.S. Housatonic. Shortly thereafter the Hunley sank.
The Union army also attempted to use submarines, commissioning the forty-seven foot Alligator (yes, it was green). The Alligator was initially propelled by oars, but these proved unwieldy and were replaced with a screw propeller. The Union submarine did not prove to be an effective weapon and it sank off Cape Hatteras in 1863.
Railroads
Railroads were invaluable for carrying men and supplies; the North’s railroad system was more effectively organized, than the South’s. Two-thirds of the nation’s rails were in the north and northern rails were all more uniformly gauged than those in the South, allowing trains to run without fear of encountering a rail gauge they were not designed for.
Yet, the South quickly learned to use its rails to great advantage. One prime example was the reinforcement of Confederate troops, which routed the Union forces at the First Battle of Manassas, were transported to the area by rail.
Telegraphs
While the railroads improved physical transport, the telegraphs improved communications. Field commanders were able to communicate with one another far more rapidly than the old method of sending a messenger on horseback.
At one point, Lincoln sat in the Washington telegraph office through the night, sending orders to his commanders as the battle logistics changed. Telegraphs were also a great boon to folks on the home front, looking to hear the latest news. Some Civil War soldiers grew adept at putting up temporary telegraph wires, which the enemy often cut.
Photojournalism
Photojournalism also allowed the people back home to understand what was going on more effectively than they had in past wars. While the cameras were cumbersome by today’s standards, they gave an accurate record of events. Famed Civil War photographer Mathew Brady provided an invaluable historical record.
Unfortunately, Civil War technology to preserve food was not as well advanced as many other areas were during the conflict. The soldiers did have the luxury of canned foods, but these were not seasoned in the way we are accustomed to and were probably quit bland; the main canned item was pork and beans, but without spices or tomato sauce. Of course, refrigeration was lacking as well, limiting soldiers in the field to salted meats, since these did not spoil easily.
Wayne Teo (2p3-30)
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Conclusion of the war
This is a timeline of the conclusion of the American Civil War:
1 .Surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia (Confederate) ~April 9
2. Surrender of Gen. St. John Richardson Liddell's troops (Confederate) ~April 9
3. Disbanding of Mosby's Raiders (Confederate) ~April 21
4. Surrender of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and his various armies (Confederate) ~April 26
5. Surrender of the Confederate departments of Alabama, Mississippi and East Louisiana regiments (Confederate) ~May 4
6. Surrender of the Confederate District of the Gulf (Confederate) ~May 5
7. Capture of President Davis (Confederate) ~May 10
8. Surrender of the Confederate Department of Florida and South Georgia (Confederate) ~May 10
9. Surrender of Thompson's Brigade (Confederate) ~May 11
10. Surrender of Confederate forces of North Georgia (Confederate) ~May 12
11. Disbandment after the Battle at Palmito Ranch (Confederate) ~May 13
11.1 Surrender of Cherokee chief Stand Watie
12. Surrender of Kirby Smith (Confederate) ~May 26
13. Surrender of CSS Shenandoah (Confederate) ~November 6
There are lots of events which happened and eventually lead to the conclusion of the war. There were two major stage in the peace-making and conclusion that ended the war. The surrender of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and his armies to Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman on April 26, 1865, at Bennett Place and Lee's surrender occurred at Appomattox on April 9, 1865.
Surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia (Confederate) ~April 9
Gen. Robert E. Lee commanded the Army of Northern Virginia, while Maj. Gen. John Brown Gordon its Second Corps.
Surrender of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and his various armies (Confederate) ~April 26
The second and last major stage in the peace making process concluding the American Civil War was the surrender of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and his armies to Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman on April 26, 1865, at Bennett Place. Johnston's Army of Tennessee was among nearly one hundred thousand Confederate soldiers that were surrendered from North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. The conditions of surrender were in a document called "Terms of a Military Convention" signed by Sherman, Johnston, and Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Raleigh, North Carolina.
source from wikipedia
1 .Surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia (Confederate) ~April 9
2. Surrender of Gen. St. John Richardson Liddell's troops (Confederate) ~April 9
3. Disbanding of Mosby's Raiders (Confederate) ~April 21
4. Surrender of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and his various armies (Confederate) ~April 26
5. Surrender of the Confederate departments of Alabama, Mississippi and East Louisiana regiments (Confederate) ~May 4
6. Surrender of the Confederate District of the Gulf (Confederate) ~May 5
7. Capture of President Davis (Confederate) ~May 10
8. Surrender of the Confederate Department of Florida and South Georgia (Confederate) ~May 10
9. Surrender of Thompson's Brigade (Confederate) ~May 11
10. Surrender of Confederate forces of North Georgia (Confederate) ~May 12
11. Disbandment after the Battle at Palmito Ranch (Confederate) ~May 13
11.1 Surrender of Cherokee chief Stand Watie
12. Surrender of Kirby Smith (Confederate) ~May 26
13. Surrender of CSS Shenandoah (Confederate) ~November 6
.
.
.
There are lots of events which happened and eventually lead to the conclusion of the war. There were two major stage in the peace-making and conclusion that ended the war. The surrender of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and his armies to Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman on April 26, 1865, at Bennett Place and Lee's surrender occurred at Appomattox on April 9, 1865.
Surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia (Confederate) ~April 9
Gen. Robert E. Lee commanded the Army of Northern Virginia, while Maj. Gen. John Brown Gordon its Second Corps.
Early in the morning of April 9th, Gordon attacked, aiming to break through Federal lines at the Battle of Appomattox Court House, but failed, and the Confederate army was then surrounded.
At 8:30 A.M. that morning, Lee requested a meeting with Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant to discuss surrendering the Army of Northern Virginia. Shortly after twelve o'clock, Grant's reply reached Lee, and in it Grant said he would accept the surrender of the Confederate army under certain conditions.
Lee then rode into the little hamlet of Clover Hill, where the Appomattox county court house stood, and waited for Grant's arrival to surrender his army.
Surrender of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and his various armies (Confederate) ~April 26
The second and last major stage in the peace making process concluding the American Civil War was the surrender of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and his armies to Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman on April 26, 1865, at Bennett Place. Johnston's Army of Tennessee was among nearly one hundred thousand Confederate soldiers that were surrendered from North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. The conditions of surrender were in a document called "Terms of a Military Convention" signed by Sherman, Johnston, and Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Raleigh, North Carolina.
source from wikipedia
Tan Yong Yao (2p3-26)
Who caused the war and what were the countries/states involved
Who started the war
It all begin when eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the U.S. and form a party, “ Confederate States of America”, also known as The Confederacy.
This party, fought against the U.S federal government, The Union, which was mostly supported by the free states, and other slave states in the North.
Then, in 1860, the Republican Party campaigned in the presidential election, and they were against the expansion of slavery beyond the states that were present then. The Republican’s victory during the election caused seven southern states declaring secession from the Union before Lincoln took office. This caused the U.S. administrations to reject secession and regarding it as rebellion.
Thus, the main reason for the American Civil War to begin was the act of slavery in America. Soon after the elections, hostiles and violence started to take place.
Which countries/armies/states fought in the war?
South Carolina
Argued for slavery rights in the South.
Confederate States of America
Seven states had declared their secession from the Union. They established a Southern government, the Confederate States of America.
The Confederacy
Seven Deep South cotton states seceded by February 1861, starting with South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas.
The Union states
Twenty-three states remained loyal to the Union: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin. During the war, Nevada and West Virginia joined as new states of the Union.
Nicholas Khek (2p3-23)
It all begin when eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the U.S. and form a party, “ Confederate States of America”, also known as The Confederacy.
This party, fought against the U.S federal government, The Union, which was mostly supported by the free states, and other slave states in the North.
Then, in 1860, the Republican Party campaigned in the presidential election, and they were against the expansion of slavery beyond the states that were present then. The Republican’s victory during the election caused seven southern states declaring secession from the Union before Lincoln took office. This caused the U.S. administrations to reject secession and regarding it as rebellion.
Thus, the main reason for the American Civil War to begin was the act of slavery in America. Soon after the elections, hostiles and violence started to take place.
Which countries/armies/states fought in the war?
South Carolina
Argued for slavery rights in the South.
Confederate States of America
Seven states had declared their secession from the Union. They established a Southern government, the Confederate States of America.
The Confederacy
Seven Deep South cotton states seceded by February 1861, starting with South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas.
The Union states
Twenty-three states remained loyal to the Union: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin. During the war, Nevada and West Virginia joined as new states of the Union.
Nicholas Khek (2p3-23)
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Letter from a woman to her brother in the army
Nancy Dowis
In this letter to her brother S.J. Steele, a Union soldier, Nancy Steele Dowis tells him of all her anxiety for family members, both those in the army and those sick at home.
Lynn Camp Ky
At home Mar 9 1862
Dear Brother,
With much anxiety -- I assume the present appearance to write to you that you may know that I am well and my family also.
We live here in a land of distress and war. There is now an Army stationed in this County and a battle expected at Cumberland Gap. My oldest son is in the union Army and will be in the battle when it comes Oh! what distress. A great many of our relations are also in the same regiment (7th Ky.)
I am very anxious to know what the times really are in your country. I cant rely on the papers for news. There seems to be great distress in your country. You must write to me and let me know all about the times there. Mother is very ill. she has been at the point of death for a long time. I believe she is stricken with palsy. She was perfectly useless in every respect -- but is now getting a little better so that she can talk a little, but the left side of her body is perfectly paralized. She will never get over it.
The rebels are pretty well cleaned out of Kentucky and I hope the game is about played out with them. There is a great deal of sickness in County now and a good many deaths also. Bill Dowis is dead. Several others also that you know. I lost my youngest son by accident. He volunteered in the service and by accident shot himself and died away from home. I have now but three children. Tell Sam Mitchell if he is at your house that his folks are all well & Bob is in the Army. Brother Speed is in the Army also. Be sure to write.
Your sister,
Nancy
Letter from Nancy Steele Dowis to her brother S.J. Steele. She was the mother of Gale Dowis.
15 February 1998 Margy Miles
Source from : http://www.ket.org/civilwar/athome.html
The above extract is a short letter written by Nancy Steele Dowis to her brother S.J. Steele. After reading through the letter, I can infer that people living in the times of the America Civil War didn’t have a good time, be it physical conditions or mental distress.
From the very first line, I can already infer that she was very anxious about the situation of the war. “With much anxiety -- I assume the present appearance to write to you that you may know that I am well and my family also.” The way she phrase the sentence seems to show that there was turmoil in the country and that she was lucky to be alive and could write a letter to her brother. From all these evidence, I could clearly say that people at that time actually had a bad feeling for the war, and a very pessimistic attitude. If the writer wasn’t afraid that she might be killed in the war, she could have used a more nationalistic tone, like “I’m writing to tell you that my family and I are well. You need not worry because I believe the Union army will protect us from harm.” But, the very fact that she started of the letter with the phrase “With much anxiety” proves it otherwise. The people actually had no confidence in the victory of the war and the security of themselves, hence explaining the use of the word “anxiety”.
Secondly, the second paragraph very clearly shows the state of the people. The second paragraph was started off immediately by saying “We live here in a land of distress and war”. This confirms the elaboration in my previous paragraph when I said the people were afraid and anxious of the war. The sheer description of the state of the place Nancy lives in could also effectively tell us the state the country was in. “distress” was used. This word could be very general in terms of description. Nancy could be describing the deaths, the shortage of food or the condition the place she was living in. However, in the following lines, she talked about her oldest son in the Union army which was going to battle. At the end of that line, she used the word distress again. “My oldest son is in the union Army and will be in the battle when it comes Oh! what distress.”
Thirdly, Nancy started pouring out all the sadness, distress and helplessness in her. “Bill Dowis is dead. Several others also that you know. I lost my youngest son by accident. He volunteered in the service and by accident shot himself and died away from home. I have now but three children.” This evidence really showed what the people at that time went through. The children they lost, the friends they lost, all in the war. The people must have felt very unsecured and no confidence in the war.
In conclusion, I can say that the some people actually didn’t have a good feeling for the war because they lost too many friends and family members due to the war. They were also probably afraid of their own death. However, some people actually volunteered to fight in the war like Nancy’s youngest son. This, showed the very “loyal” attitude some people had.
Tan Yong Yao (2p3-26)
In this letter to her brother S.J. Steele, a Union soldier, Nancy Steele Dowis tells him of all her anxiety for family members, both those in the army and those sick at home.
Lynn Camp Ky
At home Mar 9 1862
Dear Brother,
With much anxiety -- I assume the present appearance to write to you that you may know that I am well and my family also.
We live here in a land of distress and war. There is now an Army stationed in this County and a battle expected at Cumberland Gap. My oldest son is in the union Army and will be in the battle when it comes Oh! what distress. A great many of our relations are also in the same regiment (7th Ky.)
I am very anxious to know what the times really are in your country. I cant rely on the papers for news. There seems to be great distress in your country. You must write to me and let me know all about the times there. Mother is very ill. she has been at the point of death for a long time. I believe she is stricken with palsy. She was perfectly useless in every respect -- but is now getting a little better so that she can talk a little, but the left side of her body is perfectly paralized. She will never get over it.
The rebels are pretty well cleaned out of Kentucky and I hope the game is about played out with them. There is a great deal of sickness in County now and a good many deaths also. Bill Dowis is dead. Several others also that you know. I lost my youngest son by accident. He volunteered in the service and by accident shot himself and died away from home. I have now but three children. Tell Sam Mitchell if he is at your house that his folks are all well & Bob is in the Army. Brother Speed is in the Army also. Be sure to write.
Your sister,
Nancy
Letter from Nancy Steele Dowis to her brother S.J. Steele. She was the mother of Gale Dowis.
15 February 1998 Margy Miles
Source from : http://www.ket.org/civilwar/athome.html
The above extract is a short letter written by Nancy Steele Dowis to her brother S.J. Steele. After reading through the letter, I can infer that people living in the times of the America Civil War didn’t have a good time, be it physical conditions or mental distress.
From the very first line, I can already infer that she was very anxious about the situation of the war. “With much anxiety -- I assume the present appearance to write to you that you may know that I am well and my family also.” The way she phrase the sentence seems to show that there was turmoil in the country and that she was lucky to be alive and could write a letter to her brother. From all these evidence, I could clearly say that people at that time actually had a bad feeling for the war, and a very pessimistic attitude. If the writer wasn’t afraid that she might be killed in the war, she could have used a more nationalistic tone, like “I’m writing to tell you that my family and I are well. You need not worry because I believe the Union army will protect us from harm.” But, the very fact that she started of the letter with the phrase “With much anxiety” proves it otherwise. The people actually had no confidence in the victory of the war and the security of themselves, hence explaining the use of the word “anxiety”.
Secondly, the second paragraph very clearly shows the state of the people. The second paragraph was started off immediately by saying “We live here in a land of distress and war”. This confirms the elaboration in my previous paragraph when I said the people were afraid and anxious of the war. The sheer description of the state of the place Nancy lives in could also effectively tell us the state the country was in. “distress” was used. This word could be very general in terms of description. Nancy could be describing the deaths, the shortage of food or the condition the place she was living in. However, in the following lines, she talked about her oldest son in the Union army which was going to battle. At the end of that line, she used the word distress again. “My oldest son is in the union Army and will be in the battle when it comes Oh! what distress.”
Thirdly, Nancy started pouring out all the sadness, distress and helplessness in her. “Bill Dowis is dead. Several others also that you know. I lost my youngest son by accident. He volunteered in the service and by accident shot himself and died away from home. I have now but three children.” This evidence really showed what the people at that time went through. The children they lost, the friends they lost, all in the war. The people must have felt very unsecured and no confidence in the war.
In conclusion, I can say that the some people actually didn’t have a good feeling for the war because they lost too many friends and family members due to the war. They were also probably afraid of their own death. However, some people actually volunteered to fight in the war like Nancy’s youngest son. This, showed the very “loyal” attitude some people had.
Tan Yong Yao (2p3-26)
An update~The Map of the USA
.jpg)
Saturday, March 14, 2009
A letter by a slave~Jane Giles 14/3/09
Jane Giles
Jane Giles was a slave belonging to Margaret Preston of Lexington. While on a trip to New York, Jane ran away. Later she wrote to her former mistress to explain why. Another letter tells us that life as a free African American during these times was not comfortable. These letters were not written during the Civil War, but six years before.
Jane Giles (New York) to Margaret Wickliffe Preston
(Washington D.C.), February 8th 1854
Mrs William Preston
Madam. I take this oppertunity to wright you these few lines to inform you that I am well at this time and I hope you are the same. Dear madam I sopose you wonder why that I left you. Well I will tell you the Reason one Reason was because you Parted me and my housbond as tho we had no feeling and the Next Reason was because you accused me of stealing Money and I was not gilty of it but because I am coulard You sopose that I have not got any feelings I have feelings thank god as well as you and I sopose you feel the Loss of me as much as I do the loss of you. I worked for you when I was with you and dear madam I am working for my Sealf and let me inform you that I Loved my housbond as well as you do yours if I never see him again in this world but I am in hopes to meet him in Haven
I sopose you will call this impedance But I do not I have nothing Against Mr. Preston he treated me well he would not have sent my husbound away had it not been for you and I would have been yet with you. But Never mind Every boddy must have trubble
I Remane Yours
Jane Giles (Box 49)
Source from:
http://www.ket.org/civilwar/aamerican.html#top#top
The above is a letter from a slave to her mistress. After reading the letter, I can infer that she is actually a polite person from the way she addresses her mistress who mistreated her. She also forgives her mistress and this action is actually very magnanimous.
I say that she is very polite because she doesn’t just address her previous mistress by her name. Throughout the letter, she uses the term “dear madam”. This way of addressing was very polite as people only use “dear” or “madam” throughout the whole letter when writing to someone he or she is related to or respect. However this slave was writing to her previous mistress who mistreated her by separating her husband and her. The evidence “ Parted me and my housbond” shows this.
Secondly I say that she was magnanimous because of the fact that she actually wrote to her mistress and at the end of the letter, she forgave her mistress for mistreating her by saying “But Never mind Every boddy must have trubble”. What her mistress have done to her was very horrible. Other than slaving her and her husband, she also separated them and left each of them with no emotional comfort.
Also, her mistress accused her of stealing money although she was not guilty of it. In her letter she wrote that her mistress accused her for stealing money because she was a black. This shows the amount of racism there was in those days. The phrase “you accused me of stealing Money and I was not gilty of it but because I am coulard” shows it. Another way that shows her mistress mistreats her is that she says in her letter that her mistress thinks she has no feelings. The phrase “You sopose that I have not got any feelings” shows this. But yet despite all these treachery done to her, she forgave her mistress by saying everyone has mistakes.
In conclusion, I think that some slaves might forgive their white masters because like Jane, she thinks that everyone makes mistakes. Whereas there might be some who think that the white masters do not know what they were doing were wrong, but just following the trend. On the other hand, there would definitely be some people who would hate the whites for doing this to their ancestors or in general do that to their race.
Tan Yong Yao (2p3-26)
P.S. The grammatical error in the letter was originally like this as it was written by a slave.
Jane Giles was a slave belonging to Margaret Preston of Lexington. While on a trip to New York, Jane ran away. Later she wrote to her former mistress to explain why. Another letter tells us that life as a free African American during these times was not comfortable. These letters were not written during the Civil War, but six years before.
Jane Giles (New York) to Margaret Wickliffe Preston
(Washington D.C.), February 8th 1854
Mrs William Preston
Madam. I take this oppertunity to wright you these few lines to inform you that I am well at this time and I hope you are the same. Dear madam I sopose you wonder why that I left you. Well I will tell you the Reason one Reason was because you Parted me and my housbond as tho we had no feeling and the Next Reason was because you accused me of stealing Money and I was not gilty of it but because I am coulard You sopose that I have not got any feelings I have feelings thank god as well as you and I sopose you feel the Loss of me as much as I do the loss of you. I worked for you when I was with you and dear madam I am working for my Sealf and let me inform you that I Loved my housbond as well as you do yours if I never see him again in this world but I am in hopes to meet him in Haven
I sopose you will call this impedance But I do not I have nothing Against Mr. Preston he treated me well he would not have sent my husbound away had it not been for you and I would have been yet with you. But Never mind Every boddy must have trubble
I Remane Yours
Jane Giles (Box 49)
Source from:
http://www.ket.org/civilwar/aamerican.html#top#top
The above is a letter from a slave to her mistress. After reading the letter, I can infer that she is actually a polite person from the way she addresses her mistress who mistreated her. She also forgives her mistress and this action is actually very magnanimous.
I say that she is very polite because she doesn’t just address her previous mistress by her name. Throughout the letter, she uses the term “dear madam”. This way of addressing was very polite as people only use “dear” or “madam” throughout the whole letter when writing to someone he or she is related to or respect. However this slave was writing to her previous mistress who mistreated her by separating her husband and her. The evidence “ Parted me and my housbond” shows this.
Secondly I say that she was magnanimous because of the fact that she actually wrote to her mistress and at the end of the letter, she forgave her mistress for mistreating her by saying “But Never mind Every boddy must have trubble”. What her mistress have done to her was very horrible. Other than slaving her and her husband, she also separated them and left each of them with no emotional comfort.
Also, her mistress accused her of stealing money although she was not guilty of it. In her letter she wrote that her mistress accused her for stealing money because she was a black. This shows the amount of racism there was in those days. The phrase “you accused me of stealing Money and I was not gilty of it but because I am coulard” shows it. Another way that shows her mistress mistreats her is that she says in her letter that her mistress thinks she has no feelings. The phrase “You sopose that I have not got any feelings” shows this. But yet despite all these treachery done to her, she forgave her mistress by saying everyone has mistakes.
In conclusion, I think that some slaves might forgive their white masters because like Jane, she thinks that everyone makes mistakes. Whereas there might be some who think that the white masters do not know what they were doing were wrong, but just following the trend. On the other hand, there would definitely be some people who would hate the whites for doing this to their ancestors or in general do that to their race.
Tan Yong Yao (2p3-26)
P.S. The grammatical error in the letter was originally like this as it was written by a slave.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
