The Horrors of the Civil War Part 2: The Aftermath

The Horrors of the Civil War Part 2: The Aftermath

The aftermath of the Civil War is known today as Reconstruction. It was a time when, as a nation, we tried our best to piece the country back together after the battles had been fought. The hardships faced were of all levels; physical, emotional, and mental. Did we have a future to look forward to as a nation? Yes, but the idea was buried under tainted land and massive amounts of dead bodies. It was up in the air as a cloud of dark smoke that lingered over every man, woman, and child as a reminder that even when it all clears, it will never truly be gone; it’ll live on in memories. The Civil War divided the nation, but the aftermath still meant that while the fighting was over physically, the hate and disagreements that had started it would linger, causing more turmoil and making us wonder if rebuilding and reconstruction were truly possible. Like with all things, it took some time to heal and reflect, and while certain matters were fixed, there was one part of Reconstruction that it didn’t matter if you were a former Union soldier or Confederate sympathizer; it broke you inside.

On April 15^th, 1865, just six days after the war had officially ended, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theatre by John Wilkes Booth. It left the nation in shock and dismay. It now meant that on top of every other matter that needed fixing and hung over like a dark cloud, a bigger and darker one had surpassed it. Reconstruction was now twice as hard to achieve, and in a way, Abraham Lincoln was the last casualty of the Civil War. He, more than anyone, felt the hardships and stress that the Civil War brought, despite not fighting in it. He oversaw the country during it and had generals coming to him and wondering when peace could be restored. Finally, when peace looked like it was restored, it was taken away in one fatal gunshot to the president. The very same man who had done everything he could to end the war. We as a nation were strong, and despite all the tragedies we faced, we did our absolute best to get through them.

The aftermath of the Civil War was just as brutal metaphorically as the battles themselves. They should never have happened in the first place, but when it was all over, it meant that unity was one step closer. For many families, it meant a loved one was gone, and they now had to live on without them, not knowing what their future was. Reconstruction wasn’t easy, but it also wasn’t as hard as long as we all came together as a nation to unify and unite on some common ground. The brutality that the war had caused and the nonsensical killing of our leader left the future in question. The nation was restored eventually, brick by brick, day by day, laying one gun down after another. The Civil War and the aftermath of it were both horrific times in our history, but if it did anything, it helped shape us going forward and shaped us into the nation we are today.

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