Daily Archive

The war began when Southern batteries opened up on Ft. Sumter.

The bombardment did damage to the Fort but there were no casualties caused by the firing.

The actionresulted in a strong interest on the part of the Charlestonian citizenry as they gathered on roof tops to watch the spectacle of fireworks.

Confederates set up tents on the Battery in Charleston.

“The army camp was the place where the recruit ceased to be a civilian and learned how to become a soldier. He would spend more time in camp than on marches and in battle combined.

It was in camp that he was introduced to the mysteries of the army: bugle calls and drum beats, the military chain of command, discipline, the necessity of taking care of equipment, and obedience to orders. He drilled as best he could; he learned something about pitching a tent and using a weapon.”

James I. Robertson, Soldiers Blue and Gray: p. 41.

“Approximately 180,000 blacks served as Federal soldiers. This figure represents 9 percent of the North’s fighting force. One-third of the blacks (68,17 died in the service, with sickness causing thirty times more deaths than battle.”

James I. Robertson, Jr., Soldiers Blue and Gray: p. 35.

“A typical Civil War soldier was a white, native-born farmer, Protestant, single, and in the 18 to 29 age bracket.”

Cited in Soldiers Blue and Gray, Robertson: p. 25.

“A typical unit was the 19th Virginia. Of its 740 original members, 302 were farmers, 80 were laborers, and 56 were machinists. Among the remainder were 10 lawyers, 14 teachers, 24 students, 3 blacksmiths, 2 artists, a distiller, a well-digger, a dentist, and 4 men who classified themselves as Gentlemen.“

Cited in Soldiers Blue and Gray, Robertson: p. 25.

“The hard core of either army was the infantry company. Its 65-100 privates formed a small workable unit. Because it was raised in a single locale, the company had all the atmosphere and appearance of a large family. “

James I. Robertson, Jr., Soldiers Blue and Gray: p. 20.

When not engaged in skirmishing, which was rare during the Civil War, some companies found work to do like repairing bridges like this one. This kind of hard work was typically preferred to the monotonous life inside the camp.

80% of Union fighting men were foot soldiers, infantrymen

14% served in the cavalry

6% in the artillery

75% of the Confederate fighting men were infantry

20% were cavalry

5% in artillery

Source: Soldiers Blue and Gray, Robertson: p. 19.

“What a difference one year [of field experience] in service made . . . A woolen blanket and a piece of shelter tent twisted together, and thrown over our choulders; haversack loaded with a dozen hard tack and a small piece of ’salt horse;’ little bag of coffee and sugar, mised together; all sorts of hats or caps; little to eat, but plenty of ammunition; dirty, ragged, and with a full assortment of ‘gray backs.’ But we were veteran soldiers then.”

- 4th Rhode Island infantryman
Cited in Soldiers Blue and Gray, Robertson: p. 15-16.

“Most of the volunteers North and South were farm boys who brought with them the language, ideas, and customs of rural America. Friends usually enlisted together, with companies originating in locales. Hence, neighborhood associations and attitudes were merely transferred to an army framework.”

James I. Robertson, Jr. Soldiers Blue and Gray: p, 12.

“The shame, the folly, the outrage, seemed too great to believe, and we half hoped to wake up from it as from a dream.”
- Jacob D. Cox, fought at Franklin at General rank.

“The Southern private received $11 monthly - when he got paid. [The Northern private got $13 with bounties.] Many Confederates went a year or more without seeing a paymaster. When the money did arrive, it was so inadequate in the face of galloping inflation as to be all but worthless.”

James I Robertson. Jr. Soldiers Blue and Gray: p. 10.