Battle Of Spotsylvania Court House Essay
Even though there were many bloody battles in the civil war, Battle of Spotsylvania Court House was the greatest. The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House was no exception when it came to blood shed!. There are many aspects to this battle, but the weather, health, music, and strategies were important factors.
Climate and terrain played a big role throughout the civil war. In spite it wasn’t heavy snow that stopped the troops; it was the mud. All around the month of January the lands were dry and mild. Mother Nature didn’t seem to want this battle. The temperatures varied from hot to windy and raining. The muddy terrain caused the soldiers shoes, cannons, and wagons to get stuck! The shelters became flooded and destroyed some of their camps. On Feb. 25, 1863 near Fredericksburg VA more than a foot of snow accumulated. The animals that lived in the region were typical for that area. Deer, squirrels, rabbits were common in the area. The soldiers used these animals as a food source. Often it seemed more important to hunt for food than to fight with the other soldiers. At times, soldiers would share their kill with the soldiers from the other …show more content…
side.
The soldier's health was very poor. Thee troopers allowed garbage to pile up in their camps. All the waste from latrines would leak into their water supplies, this caused many to become very ill. Insects such as lice, mosquitoes, fleas, maggots and flies plagued soldiers day and night. They would “clean” infested clothing in a pot with boiling water then cook in the same pot. The lack of medical training and personal hygiene was a huge cause of death. When the war began many doctors were unprepared and only received on average two years of training before they started to treat patients with very little understanding of what basic hygiene and, sanitation practice, germs and bacteria was. The soldiers caught many different diseases. These diseases include measles, malaria, typhoid fever, small pox, diarrhea, tuberculosis and pneumonia were the top seven that were responsible for most deaths but there were very many others that were responsible for death also. Music was played for soldiers to uplift and get them pumped before battle. Civil war music was very patriotic, although there wasn't a song made specially about The Battle Of Spotsylvania Court House there were many that were about other battles. Some songs inclwude “John Brown's Body,” “The Battle Cry of Freedom,” and “The Bonnie Blue Flag”. Both sides had very many strategies.
the Confederacy just wanted to survive and defend its right to secede. Grants strategies in The Battle Of Spotsylvania Court House were that he wanted to keep pressing south. Even if the confederates wanted to invade the north they did not have the proper materials. The north had more potential soldiers, greater industry capacity, more railroads for transportation, and overall greater ability to fight The battle took place in Spotsylvania County, Virginia on May 8th till May 21, 1864. The soldiers engaged were 100,000 union and 52,000 confederates and 18,400 union casualties and 13,400 confederate casualties. Some of the battle took place “hand to hand.” In the blackness of the night the men stumbled upon unfamiliar country roads, falling into ditches, tripping, and floundering in
swamps. At the end of the battle there was no winner. The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House was a draw. Despite the fact that this was a major war the biggest concerns were the health issues, diseases, strategies, and all the important songs throughout the war.
Climate and terrain played a big role throughout the civil war. In spite it wasn’t heavy snow that stopped the troops; it was the mud. All around the month of January the lands were dry and mild. Mother Nature didn’t seem to want this battle. The temperatures varied from hot to windy and raining. The muddy terrain caused the soldiers shoes, cannons, and wagons to get stuck! The shelters became flooded and destroyed some of their camps. On Feb. 25, 1863 near Fredericksburg VA more than a foot of snow accumulated. The animals that lived in the region were typical for that area. Deer, squirrels, rabbits were common in the area. The soldiers used these animals as a food source. Often it seemed more important to hunt for food than to fight with the other soldiers. At times, soldiers would share their kill with the soldiers from the other …show more content…
side.
The soldier's health was very poor. Thee troopers allowed garbage to pile up in their camps. All the waste from latrines would leak into their water supplies, this caused many to become very ill. Insects such as lice, mosquitoes, fleas, maggots and flies plagued soldiers day and night. They would “clean” infested clothing in a pot with boiling water then cook in the same pot. The lack of medical training and personal hygiene was a huge cause of death. When the war began many doctors were unprepared and only received on average two years of training before they started to treat patients with very little understanding of what basic hygiene and, sanitation practice, germs and bacteria was. The soldiers caught many different diseases. These diseases include measles, malaria, typhoid fever, small pox, diarrhea, tuberculosis and pneumonia were the top seven that were responsible for most deaths but there were very many others that were responsible for death also. Music was played for soldiers to uplift and get them pumped before battle. Civil war music was very patriotic, although there wasn't a song made specially about The Battle Of Spotsylvania Court House there were many that were about other battles. Some songs inclwude “John Brown's Body,” “The Battle Cry of Freedom,” and “The Bonnie Blue Flag”. Both sides had very many strategies.
the Confederacy just wanted to survive and defend its right to secede. Grants strategies in The Battle Of Spotsylvania Court House were that he wanted to keep pressing south. Even if the confederates wanted to invade the north they did not have the proper materials. The north had more potential soldiers, greater industry capacity, more railroads for transportation, and overall greater ability to fight The battle took place in Spotsylvania County, Virginia on May 8th till May 21, 1864. The soldiers engaged were 100,000 union and 52,000 confederates and 18,400 union casualties and 13,400 confederate casualties. Some of the battle took place “hand to hand.” In the blackness of the night the men stumbled upon unfamiliar country roads, falling into ditches, tripping, and floundering in
swamps. At the end of the battle there was no winner. The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House was a draw. Despite the fact that this was a major war the biggest concerns were the health issues, diseases, strategies, and all the important songs throughout the war.