“All for the Union: The Civil War Diary and Letters of Elisha Hunt Rhodes”, and “The Conflict Begins: The Battle of First Bull Run”
The
book All for the Union: The Civil War
Diary and Letters of Elisha Hunt Rhodes is an account of the war from the
beginning, though the darkest of times, until its final hours. The diary starts
from Rhodes decision to join the Union Army when the war had just begun a
decision his mother was originally against and follows his journey as a Union
Army private all the way to his final days in the Army as Lieutenant Colonel.
Rhodes diary demonstrates the horrors of his first battle that takes place at
Bull Run in a letter he had written to his mother. Rhodes describes what he saw
when he decided to look upon the battle field writing “When the line had formed
again I started off for the scene of action to see how the fight was
progressing. As I emerged from the woods I saw a bomb shell strike a man in the
breast and literally tear him to pieces.”[2]
Throughout the book Rhodes says that he would not leave the army because he
wants to see the war to the end and sees his faith in god and country as a way
to keep moving forward with the battles and hardships that he would encounter
throughout his tenure in the war. Rhodes diary also describes other problems of
the war which is constant moving and the living situations of the soldiers who
have to constantly battle the elements of the seasons as well as the threat of
sickness and death. Rhodes testimony of the war is not only a letter for
himself or for his family to remember but also a testimony of the horrors that
war can bring to a country as well as the final rewards that can be attained.
One
of the horrors of the war was conceived in its infancy and would be remembered
by all that lived through it and that was the Battle of First Bull Run also
known as the Battle at First Manassas to the Southern States. The documentary
“Civil War Journal: The Battle of First Bull Run” would paint the picture of
horror in a war that many thought would only last during the summer months.
Opening with a quote from President Lincoln’s words,
All the armies of Europe, Asia, and Africa combined,
with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest,
with a Bonaparte for a commander, could not by force take a drink from the Ohio
or make a track on the Blue Ridge in a trial of a thousand years. At what point
then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer. If it ever reach us it
must spring up amongst us; it cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our
lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we
must live through all time or die by suicide.[3]
Starting with the words of the President
of the United States the documentary shows the horrors of the first battle.
What everyone thought would be a quick war would quickly turn into a bloodbath
that would see soldiers retreating scared for their lives. The documentary uses
reenactments as a demonstration of the first battle the soldiers played by
regular men who hadn’t lived through the war as well as historians speaking
about the battle and finally using quotes from the letters and final words of
the men who fought and died at there. Describing how the armies of the North
and South moved into position as well as the smallest of things that would
hinder one army and help the other the documentary moves each piece of a very
gruesome puzzle into place for the first battle of the war until the bitter
end.
Where
Rhodes diary starts at the beginning of the war and into the march onto the
first real battle the documentary shows the true horrors that happened there. The
documentary shows both sides of the war, North and South their plans and their
movements throughout the area. Though Rhodes talks about the battle and the
retreat his part in the battle was incredibly small because his infantry was in
the back he did write about the retreat but the documentary showed a longer
battle that would bring horrors to anyone who lived through it. Since multiple
accounts were brought together in “Civil War Journal” the narrative is more
complete and not a one sided account. The documentary also fills in the gaps
that are in Rhodes account because he was just beginning his time in the
service of the army and didn’t know about all of the things that the higher ups
on both sides knew. Another contrast to Rhodes account was that the documentary
showed is that people really didn’t take war seriously because when the
soldiers were walking towards each other on the battlefield they had
spectators. These spectators packed picnic baskets and dressed up for the
occasion so that they could see the battle which they thought wasn’t going to
have any impact. When the guns started firing and the men were dying on the
battlefield those who came to watch retreated and left everything behind. These
people were in the crosshairs of a war that had just begun.
Most
people have only read a handful of books based on the American Civil War so
it’s a rare treat to be able to read a book that truly encompasses the troubles
of soldiers and the truth about a war that is now one hundred and fifty years
old. When a person is in school in the United States especially Middle and High
School the Civil War is only spoken about for a small amount of time unless the
teacher specializes in the subject. Outside of school most people don’t stop
and think about something in the past but the past can help most people move
forward as well as helping them stop another war. All of The Union is a book that should be read by both students and
history buffs alike as it shows the difficulties of choosing a life on the
battlefield as well as the rewards someone would attain for their service. Edited
by Rhodes great grandson Robert Hunt Rhodes who also plays a significant role
in gathering these accounts. Along with Elisha Hunt Rhodes accounts Robert Hunt
Rhodes also masterfully add notes to the account of his great-grandfather that
would help everyone understand the war and those involved. Though at times the
book seems as though it were a lost part of The
Lord of the Rings because of the long journey that Rhodes takes between the
each battle, but the outcome for Rhodes is still the same his journey is
fulfilled and he’s able to see it through to the end. The documentary “Civil
War Journal: The Battle of First Bull Run” is something that history buffs and
teachers would love since it has a panel of experts as well as the reenactment
which would draw in students so that they would learn about the war as well as
engaging the students into the narrative of the war. The only thing about the
documentary that is distracting is that during the time of Hollywood movies and
the new millennium most students would look at the narrative and find it
boring. The documentary could also be updated to take into account of more
soldiers but that would be something that would only be possible in a Hollywood
movie. Outside of there negatives both the book and the documentary would be a
great addition for any student as well as any person who likes to read about
the past as a way to look into the future.
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