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From:
Subject: Re: [IA-CIVIL-WAR] Marengo Republican articles
Date: Sun, 18 Apr 2004 13:48:14 EDT


Jeanne,

It must have been terribly grueling to endure that campaign, with the
constant harrassment of the enemy, day after day, the forced marches, little or no
sleep, scanty or no rations. Anyone who has seen the shoes or brogans that the
soldiers wore would have to appreciate their stamina (and foot problems). No
arch supports to be found among them. I'm not sure what year it was that
shoes began to be differentiated left and right, but for most of the war (I think)
each shoe was constructed the same and there was no difference between a
right shoe or a left shoe. Constant wear patterned them after the wearer's foot
into right foot and left foot. Often they were poor fits as well, being too
big or too small. In Aug. 2002 I posted a speech on Wilson's Creek delivered in
Washington, DC, by Andrew Geddes, 1st Iowa Infantry and later Capt. of Co. D,
8th Iowa Infantry, in which he mentions wearing a size 7 shoe on a size 9
foot. He was young at the time, only 16, and grew to be 6 ft. 2 in., so I'm sure
it was a tight fit. One should also keep in mind the condition of the
surfaces over which these soldiers marched. If it was dry, they were choked by the
dust of those marching ahead, which coated them head to toe. If it was rainy,
the mud deepened with each passing company, regiment, brigade, etc. The more
you learn of their daily struggles, the more you have to appreciate what they
endured over a period of 4 long years.

Propaganda was often a large part of the reports (and letters, and opponent
strengths, casualty statistics, etc.) sent home on both sides. Newspapers were
notorious for such reporting. And I agree: I can't imagine 6,000 children
in one place to begin with, let alone having them sit in chairs for such a
ceremony. I wouldn't have liked that duty myself. Would be interesting to see an
actual New Orleans newspaper account of the event, although it, too, might
reflect the writer's bias.

Sue
Thanks Sue, for transcribing all this fascinating history as seen through
the eyes of a man who was there. It's hard just to imagine the physical and
mental stamina required of those men to make these very difficult and
lengthy marches and battles with little or no sleep or rest, few rations, in
constant danger. At the point where they were said to have marched 100
miles in five days, I thought of today's marathon runners. My son sometimes
runs 26-mile races, and then he's ready for a shower, change of shoes, a
good rest, and lots of food. Although these men were not actually running in
that way, they must have been moving pretty fast to cover that distance, day
after day, and presumably in the same shoes, inadequate rations and little
rest. And certainly no showers.

I did wonder about the description of the celebration in New Orleans. Could
part of that have been propaganda for the benefit of the folks up north?
>From what I've read of the "invasion" of New Orleans from the Southern
viewpoint, it's pretty hard to believe that six-thousand New Orleans
children were actually in the alleged 6 thousand chairs, singing for the
Yankee troops.

Thanks again, Sue. It was a good Sunday read!

Jeanne Surber

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