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Civil War In James M. Mcpherson's What They Fought For

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In James M. McPherson’s book, “What They Fought For,” the argument over the causation of the Civil War is addressed. Beginning in Chapter 1, McPherson thoroughly examines the ongoing question of why the North and South fought, and their reasons behind the mindset of blue and grey men – whether their motives be different or not. With this in mind, McPherson then moves on to address the severed feeling of patriotism then finally in chapter three, accords the conclusion of the brutal contest over slavery. Finally, a comparison between an interviewed veteran of the modern day will be used in contrast to the mindset of soldiers during the Civil War.
“It is better to spend our all in defending our country than to be subjugated and have it taken away from us.,” (12) says a historical document according to McPherson. This belief that the Southerners, “prefer …show more content…
A Virginia cavalry officer declares the Yankees as, “a nation of thieves and robbers,” and that he is, “more willing to kill as many of them as God in his providence will permit me.” (22) In the beginning, as stated by a young Virginian officer, “the Confederacy would win this ‘second War for American Independence’,” (9) giving mixed feelings about how he was so confident in the Confederacy’s ensured victory in the dispute of slavery, yet how the natural order of a nation is that, “Tyranny cannot prosper in the nineteenth century [against] a people fighting for their liberties.” (9) Seeing this duality of opinion, Northern comradery and sense of natural rights and freedom from oppression gives aid to the battles to come. As stated by a Georgia captain in the Army of Northern Virginia, “We must put forth even greater energy… our forefathers were whipped in nearly every battle & yet after seven years of trials and hardships achieved their independence.”

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