The Horrors of the Civil War Part 1: Bloody Battles

The Horrors of the Civil War Part 1: The Bloody Battles

The Civil War was one of the most gruesome blemishes in our history. It marked a time that we were so divided as a country that rather than try to come to a reasonable compromise, we went to war and fought each other, spilling so much bloodshed at the end that it felt like neither side had truly won. Any reason for a war is both complicated and unnecessary, but in this case, it truly showed the flaws and gaping holes we saw in each others logic. Reason aside, the Civil War in itself was bloody, barbaric, and at times inhuman like all wars are. There were hundreds of battles that took place on land and turned them from nature’s gardens to blood soaked graveyards. Some started and ended as mere exhibitions with little to no dead and more wounded, but many left bodies covering grass for miles and making death itself blush when it came time to collect. Why did we feel the need to kill each other over a misunderstanding? And if we were so divided at the beginning, then what exactly were we at the end of the war?

The battles during the Civil War may have been well fought by both parties, but the horrors of them live on long after they were fresh. Hundreds of thousands of men were killed during the Civil War. Either in battle or a few days after wounds, or because medical practices weren’t standard back then, men just died as a result. It was also likely that those who did survive but had missing limbs or scars probably wished they had died on the battlefield so that they didn’t have to live with the proof of fighting or thoughts that haunted them daily. First Bull Run, Shiloh, Vicksburg, and Antietam were some of the war's biggest and bloodiest battles fought. The First Bull Run was the first fought on land. Shiloh had a massive amount of deaths on both sides, Vicksburg saw the Union gaining a major advantage, and Antietam saw one of the biggest numbers in casualties, with over 23,000 men dead.

Then there’s the battle at Gettysburg. The battle of Gettysburg is widely considered one of the most important battles because so much was at stake, and now today, while that is still the case, it is also known for being one of the bloodiest battles to have taken place, with between 23,000 and 28,000 casualties. Gettysburg was the battle of all battles. It was so gruesome and so defining that it's said that even today, the ghosts of soldiers are seen on the grounds at Gettysburg still fighting because they don’t know that the war is over. The Civil War can be looked at as a brutal ceremony in which fighting was necessary in order for unity to be restored. But can that really be said? Is that what it was all for? Surely, another more peaceful solution could have taken place because, as we know, war is never necessary, despite what some people say. The Civil War is now looked back upon as a blemish in our history, but also an important time for our country, and one that still rings true today.

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