Do you want to learn about the Civil War? Would you like to know the thoughts and feelings of the Civil War soldiers and citizens? Do you wonder what it was like to be living during the Civil War? Would you like to know what happened in the Civil War? Find the answers to these questions and learn much more by reading the words of those who experienced the Civil War first-hand. The foundation of the United States was tested by fury and bloodshed during the Civil War, a war which ended slavery and kept the United States as a union. The people of the Civil War said and wrote much about their experiences. Learn from their words. Their words tell the story of the Civil War. 501 Civil War Quotes and Notes features quotes made before, during, and after the Civil War. Each quote has an informative note to explain the circumstances and background of the quote. Learn Civil War history from the spoken words and writings of the military commanders, political leaders, the Billy Yanks and Johnny Rebs who fought in the battles, the abolitionists who strove for the freedom of the slaves, the descriptions of battles, and the citizens who suffered at home. Their voices tell us the who, what, where, when, and why of the Civil War. Some quotes or notes might make you stop and think. You may gain some insight into the character and personality of Civil War leaders and commanders through their quotes. Perhaps some quotes or notes will give you an idea as to what it was like to be a soldier in the Civil War, or what it was like being a citizen living in those turbulent times. Some quotes will make you laugh. The people of the Civil War could sometimes use humor to find brief relief from the loss and horror of the war. A few examples of the quotes and notes found in 501 Civil War Quotes and Notes: #107. “Hello, Massa; bottom rail on top dis time.” * An African-American Union soldier to his former master, who was now a prisoner of the Yankees. #110. “Send for a clergyman, I wish to be baptized. I have been basely murdered.” * The last words of General William Nelson, the commander of the Union Army of Kentucky. Nelson was fatally shot by a fellow officer, General Jefferson C. Davis, during an argument in Louisville in 1862. #130. “Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to always be ready, no matter when it may overtake me.” * General Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson’s reply to an officer who inquired as to how he remained so calm in battle. Stonewall would die on May 10, 1863, after being mistakenly shot by his own men on May 2 at the Battle of Chancellorsville. #230. “I am one of the dull creatures that cannot see the good of secession.” * Robert E. Lee, 1861. #303. Jeff Davis rode a dapple gray, Lincoln rode a mule, Jeff Davis is a gentleman, And Lincoln is a fool. * A verse from a Confederate song making fun of President Abraham Lincoln. #456. “This place would be quite pleasant if it had been all burned up.” * A Union soldier from Connecticut named John Crosby voicing his opinion of swampy Donaldsonville, Louisiana. July 1863. 501 Civil War Quotes and Notes can be read from start to finish or by thumbing-through and skipping from quote to quote as you please. You’ll learn Civil War history from the words of those who lived the Civil War and made its history.
