The American Civil War is arguably the most important event in the nation's history. It's been written that "everything in American history leading up to 1860 was a cause of the Civil War and everything that has happened since was caused by the Civil War." An overstatement? Perhaps, but not by much. And so on these days surrounding Memorial Day, which began in response to The Civil War and as the nation commemorates the sesquicentennial of that conflict I'm devoting a series of blogs to some observations of The American Civil War; then and now.
There’s a chinkle of spurs and the crunch of boot heels
on the dry, rocky sun bleached path. The creaking of
leather is slightly audible beneath the jangling of sabers that hang from their
belts and the Sharps carbines slung over their backs. Some stray civilians wander into the area and
stop to point at the three as they stride with purpose along the uneven lane. The trio is clad in blue wool
jackets trimmed in yellow and fastened with a row of dull brass buttons. Their trousers, also of wool are light blue,
tucked into knee high black boots that wear a layer of gray dust. Each man wears on his left hip a large .44
caliber revolver, the brown handle peeking out from a black flapped
holster. Two of the men have full
beards, the third wears the rough stubble of a few days growth. Their faces are splotched with dirt and their eyes, heavy and weary from lack of sleep are barely shaded from the morning sun by the leather brims of their caps. Woolen, worn, and grimy, each
cap bears the crossed saber insignia that designate them as cavalrymen. One of the three sips coffee from a beaten old tin cup while another takes an occasional pull from a blue, fabric covered canteen. The three talk among themselves and occasionally
one acknowledges a greeting from a curious onlooker.
