What Was It Like To Be A Civil War Soldier?

The Civil War was the bloodiest in US history: more Americans perished in five years than in all other conflicts combined. What was it like to fight? Soldiers faced new technology on the field, like rifle-muskets that could cut down dozens of men in a single volley. Military tactics didn't catch up with technology, men were ordered to line up and march toward gunfire, and even those who survived the field often succumbed to infected amputations or diseases.
#civilwar #UScivilwar #weirdhistory

[@adamnewton8565]

Recruitment seemed very similar to WW1. Recruiter: “How old are you?” Recruit: “fourteen, sir.” Recruiter: “I’ll ask again; how old are you?” >points at recruiting poster< Recruit: “seventeen, sir.” Recruiter: “good lad, off you go!”

[@brookmcbrookerson7802]

Sickening, isn’t it?

[@Al-ou3so]

My step-grandads father actually enrolled for the British Navy in WW1 but was actually discharged after officers found out he was only 15.

[@tenaciouscr6186]

19 actually

[@adamnewton8565]

@@Al-ou3so I bet he tried to enrol again a soon as he could

[@mattchipps64]

That sounds about right

[@riverraymond9134]

Scary how some of the boys in the beginning barely looked over 10...

[@plorin3015]

BC Bob Not the sharpest tool in the shed huh?

[@sillygooselol2757]

BC Bob It’s scary that I have to explain this. These 10 year olds that should have been finishing primary school, playing baseball, worrying about there crushes and doing whatever else a 1800s kid would do but instead they were firing a gun on the front lines and suffering a brutal death.

[@vikzn1607]

Back then kids actually looked their age now they are stuck mg their faces with McDonald’s and all the air pollution causing them to mature faster

[@ramizinam7665]

Civilian: So why did you join the war? Teenage Soldier: Bored.

[@rc59191]

Can't blame them they didn't have KZbin back then.

[@annereilley4892]

A lot more reasons why they fought than boredom as the video tries to put it.

[@averagewikipediaenthusiast3088]

@@rc59191 They didn't have RAID: SHADOW LEGENDS!!

[@astronomical3342]

@@averagewikipediaenthusiast3088 god no

[@jantruitt9241]

Idiots!

[@noahhess4955]

Its crazy to think less than 50 years later WW1 started

[@johnbockelie3899]

It's even crazier to think just 5 years after WW2 ended, the Korean war started. 1950-53.

[@bkboy8259]

Its crazy to think that ww2 affected Europe until only about 30 years ago

[@dacstudios1168]

@@johnbockelie3899 What’s weird crazy is how the Cold War started 4 years earlier, and how it ended happened 30 years ago to where we are now.

[@littlebosaMusic]

WW1 started in 1914 dude...

[@mrmonk1257]

It’s crazy to think the Irish been fighting the British for 800 years

[@dwightschrute5979]

Battle of schrute farms will always be the bloodiest.

[@breannasanchez8688]

Dwight Schrute correct

[@rsmzm2000]

@@breannasanchez8688, that wasn't blood. That was beet juice.

[@elliot3197]

Can’t go anywhere without an Office reference 😂

[@breannasanchez8688]

Rockabout oop I forgot

[@tgames9042]

And the largest

[@panda_phat]

"Would you like to be a soldier in th-" "No"

[@diamonddog257]

.... it is better now , to be a soldier; than a civilian [ in most theatres ]

[@valnoir9640]

@@diamonddog257 To be a soldier is one of the things NO ONE should be aspiring to be. To put on a costume, fill yourself with a false sense of superiority, then load a gun and start killing other people because somebody else with "authority" told you to do it. Tells more of a huge lack of willpower of the common people, like cattle being led by a mad cow to kill other cows. Wars and soldiers still existing today, are the reminder of that we have a very long road ahead of us to upgrade ourselves.

[@diamonddog257]

@@valnoir9640 if you think you evolved beyond where you have come from; give it a few years, things are going to change in the USA. I doubt that your ancestors could have the luxury, be it from Euro, Native Americans..... where-ever. But do Not worry. They are all idiots, and will leave you alone.

[@valnoir9640]

@@diamonddog257 let's hope it changes for good!

[@diamonddog257]

@@valnoir9640 .. The First World is ... in for a learning curve, again; i've retired to a more civilized country., waay south. Canada is in for major shit. unbelievable

[@priatalat]

The kids put a piece of paper with the number 18 in their shoes so they could say "I'm over 18." A sliver of humor in one of the deadliest conflicts in history.

[@chronostasis1250]

In US history

[@randomchips7008]

No, in history.

[@randomchips7008]

Literally 680,000 deaths, man.

[@musoehcr]

@@randomchips7008 that’s nothing on the very land they fought in entire civilizations were wiped out due to diseases and plagues the Europeans brought and what was left was picked off and moved 680,000 is laughable in comparison

[@musoehcr]

@@randomchips7008 en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_by_death_toll there’s a lot of brutal wars in history

[@janetbeneda910]

My grandfather (yes grandfather, my Dad’s Dad) was a Civil War soldier. He lived in Illinois, one county over from the Lincoln’s and knew them as neighbors, Lincoln, as neighbors did, cane over to my great grandfather’s farm (John Close) to help split rails with him. My 6 year old grandfather (Willian Davis Close) was sent out with lunch for them by his mother. My grandfather sat on a log and had lunch with Lincoln. When Lincoln was elected Pres., my grandfather lied about his age (17) and enlisted in the Union Army (85th Illinois Volunteers. We have the record book and the ti types of grandpa in his uniform). He was wounded at the Battle of Jonesboro in Atlanta. Man years later he married my 25 year old grandmother (Lillie Gorton) when he was 50. My Dad was born when Grandpa was 60 in 1908. Grandpa died in 1914, when Dad was only 6. He told my grandmother if his experiences as a Civil War soldier and she related some to us. Grandma lived to be 96 and passed away in 1966. I was 21 and remember her stories well, These should be preserved.

[@janetbeneda910]

It was easy out west to lie about your age because babies were born sometimes only with the help of midwives and there were no birth records.

[@boondocker7964]

You are two years older than I am, I believe your story.

[@kj-hv1uj]

I’d love to read the recorded stories if you ever do them

[@ColemanCanna]

my 3rd great grandfather was in the 56th va

[@ryana3298]

How old are you

[@bluntoker420]

I mean I wouldn’t WANT to be a soldier in any war, but the civil war was definitely one of the worst. That and WWI

[@kennyg5242]

Alot of people would probably say that anything before guns was invented was worse. Swords, spears, knives, axes, mace, bow n arrow. Cause unless ur strictly an archer only, that's constant hand to hand combat. Ur probably finished once u get tired.

[@kennyg5242]

But I do agree. One of the worst for sure.

[@skeltergaming1643]

bluntoker420 30 years war in Europe was way worse

[@pigbenis5295]

I feel ww1 was the worst for the soldiers.. Because during that time period u had all kinds of warfare like chemical warfare and using melee weapons along with aerial warfare and even using explosives.. And diseases also made the soldiers life a living hell

[@kinglouiev9530]

Kenny L Garrett Jr There weren’t any soldiers who were strictly archers back then. Archers were swordsmen because it was inevitable that an advancing shield formation would close the distance. Slingers and archers were the first to engage, then the spearmen, then the cavalry would attempt to flank each other. An archer without a backup weapon would get rekt if unsupported by spearmen unless if the archer is behind a wall. A smooth rock larger than a baseball being hurled at 100mph is much deadlier to the human body than an arrow so are archers really safe from slingers? Then there were shields & helmets that gave the archer a much smaller moving target. Archers weren’t really safe at a distance.

[@maxbonin1133]

Can you do a video about testing of LSD on soldiers in the 50s and 60s?

[@dylanfranklin9601]

@@stockstreamtwitch uh how

[@kenny6449]

I'm sorry THEY DID WHAT

[@tjtalarico2242]

🔥

[@Anomaly-uz9pr]

Kenny Williams cia mind control experiments on American citizens and soldiers MKultra

[@charles_the_conqueror]

The Germans, and even the taliban and isis today use drugs for their fighters today like liquid adrenaline and opiates to name some

[@bostontowny4life744]

Wonder how fast those kids changed their tune when they saw a cannonball blow a man to pieces for the first time?

[@sjb610]

being kids....they wouldnt think it'd happen to them. Kids are invincible after all.

[@NightRider0101]

@@sjb610 Partly true.

[@dylanrivera2244]

They probably would have deeply regretted not staying home.

[@DragonsOfSnow]

I bet these poor kids were wishing for that "boring farm life" the moment they hit the battlefield. Such a senseless war...

[@flbphotography2239]

Senseless? 🤔

[@abelmexikano]

I guess he meant it was senseless for those kids, not senseless in a historical interpretation way.

[@ryanjones9498]

To think that the beaches of Miami were just as beautiful as today. To bad they didn’t think to leave the farm for south Florida.

[@ryanjones9498]

Sweet Insanity your 18 you join the army finish boot camp and you walk straight up to the enemy line where they shoot you in the stomach. Now you get to lay on the ground staring at the beautiful blue sky feeling how good the sun feels on your face as you cry and think about how your life will be over in 20 mins, and how you never got to feel what pussy felt or tasted like, never got to teach your son the things your father taught you, never got to see the world. Your whole 18 years of life was from farm to battle field, only to have your commander walk you right up to the enemy to shoot you. Doesn’t get any dumber or sad or pathetic as that he thinks as the sun light fades to black.

[@jessej8198]

For the kids it was senseless but do you call freeing millions of innocent people from slavery senseless?

[@LeesReviews69]

No, I would NOT like to be a soldier in the Civil War. I’m comfy on my couch on my iPad thank you. But I thank these soldiers for giving their life for what I have today.

[@somedesertdude1308]

>iPad bruh

[@vengefulfork7169]

Tyrone Manu BOOMER

[@geoffgammenthaler242]

Lee PUSSY!!!

[@justmeeagainn]

You have no honor.

[@jimjambananaslam3596]

@amanda miller That's some weird misplaced aggression you got there. Pretty sure people just find it fun.

[@margaretflood-elahwal5861]

My great grandfather enlisted in the union army during the civil war ( Fighting Irish 69 th New York Regiment) right off the boat from Ireland in late February 1865. He marched to Virginia and got wounded on April 2 , 1865 at Hatches Run near the railroad . He was transported to Washington DC and treated at a hospital and was mustered out at War’s end in June 1865. He went back to his civilian life had 8 kids, got sick of TB and died in April 1896. He is our personal family hero. As far as I know he never wrote of his experiences nor spoke of them but it’s important to know of his sacrifice. RIP PVT FIRST CLASS JEREMIAH O’SULLIVAN

[@waltercarroll651]

😊💪🇮🇪☘️☘️☘️

[@boondocker7964]

They were some tough old birds back in the day, 2nd Great Grand father, 8th Vermont Vol. Regt. and his 15 year old son, in the 3rd Vt. light Artillery.

[@3ducksinamansuit]

If you have ever seen primitive civil war photographs of dead laying on the field, you notice how many had their undershirts open. This wasn't due to battle damage or decomposition, but from the badly wounded men tearing open their shirts to find the wound. The most deaded was a minie ball in the "guts", for this would guarantee death with the addition of slow agony as the contents of your organs would leak into the bloodstream. It was a fate that blue and grey would have seen first-hand and greatly feared.

[@secretamericayoutubechanne2961]

I recently studied Fort Donnelson and it would have been terrible!!! So cold. Such pain. I doubt they would have felt heros, they may have died feeling duped or betrayed by their own government on both sides.

[@TheGuitarReb]

Back then it was known as the "Rich Man's War" Not The Civil War.

[@SStupendous]

Civil War camera PROCESSES were primitive, dunno how its possible for a picture to be "primitive". Technically all cameras prior to about 1970 are primitive in comparison to today. Civil War cameras actually have better resolution than a typical cmaera today, hence why you can see such tiny details when zoomed in on a lot of civil war pictures.

[@iturymangual1002]

Damn war is the worst...history war or today war is just the worst and to say it doesn't mentally wound you is crazy...mental death problem happens on the battlefield to so many who make it home

[@Slaykko]

Not only is there almost completely wrong and false information, it's impressive how determined you are to actually believe this. Shirts were open due to the bloating. Not because of your weird belief gruesome erotic novel

[@adamazzalino5247]

Ancestor of mine died of disease in the union army. His wife kept all his letters in a trunk after he died. The last one were he mentions he's not feeling well is heartbreaking.

[@Waltyworld]

Please upload them to the 8n t Ernest that’s very interesting that one of your family members fought in THE UNioN. ARMY?

[@danielb7117]

Got coffee Billy Yank? Only if you got tobacco, Johnny Reb.

[@carlhicksjr8401]

You boys lookin' a might peaked ov'r thur. Got sommat bacon too. Have some.

[@boskocoltrain8400]

Gods and Generals

[@crazyzombiebos7778]

Morior Invictus I remember reading that what book was it from?

[@danielb7117]

@@crazyzombiebos7778 my apologies friend, I suffer from illiteracy. So I'm afraid that I am unable to help you with the title of said book.

[@adventureguy4119]

Drank the coffee smoked the tobacco then blew each other’s heads off

[@amandanavarro2465]

Rich mans war poor mans fight

[@zinho9169]

Yea that's pretty much every war ever

[@veldawells2839]

So true... Hit the nail on the head!

[@anamariaramirez9341]

Exactly

[@14534]

amanda navarro if all of the 1% fought, it’s still just 1%. So yeah it’s always a poor mans fight.

[@Spongebrain97]

@@zinho9169 but it was highlighted in this war. Remember only a minority of southerners owned slaves so it was basically the plantation owners who had the money and power that ran state governments and feared their fortunes would disappear so they left the US before Lincoln was even elected. Then used romanticism to get poor whites to fight for them

[@henryh9352]

When you are getting surgery in the 1860’s and hear “oops..”

[@DonaldGerbino]

Not only would you hear it ,you felt it

[@astralclub5964]

My ancestor enlisted in the Union Army with his best friend for 9 months at age 40! His first day of battle was the first day of Antietam. He returned home while his friend was listed as missing, and did not.

[@sandydegener6436]

One of the medical advances from the USCW was sterilization (a mistake discovery). Many times issued surgical thread (unsterilized) would run out so they use horsetail strands which needed to be boiled to become pliable enough to use. The doctors noticed that the thread stitches would many times get infected but the horsehair wouldn't.

[@indy_go_blue6048]

Interesting. One would think the human immune system would reject the proteins in horse hair.

[@carolynbrightfield8911]

@@indy_go_blue6048 sterilised (horsehair) vs unsterilised (thread). Sterilised wins. Possible rejection due to foreign proteins minor problem compared to infection.

[@gunslingingbird74]

"I spit on your sterilization methods!" - Gangrene

[@jantruitt9241]

OK... but was it worth all of the lives lost? Probably not....😢😭😢😭😢😭

[@charlesfoutch1132]

When the Trans Continent Railroad was built they noticed the Chinese didn't get sick because they drank boiled tea where the Irish drank water and got sick.

[@DouglasUrantia]

My great grandfather traded his Union Army food rations for blackberry pies.....that's all he ate. He wrote about it in his Diary.

[@veldawells2839]

Be very proud! Survival of the fittest. Took ingenuity, quick thinking and maintaining friendships to ensure you and your fellow comrades survived the Civil War when rations were short in supply. Wonderful piece of history you have in your family, whether Union or Confederate.

[@dez1814]

Stop lying

[@dez1814]

burnhuman_2 the war was 100 years ago

[@dez1814]

burnhuman_2 Listen I might be wrong but this war was over 100 years it’s like 200 years it’s no way in a great grandfather I would’ve probably believed him if he would’ve said a great great grandfather

[@DouglasUrantia]

@@dez1814 ...I have his Diary from the Civil War....maybe he was my Great Great GF.....I don't remember, I'm 76.

[@martin2560]

Brutal. That's how it was. Poor man fights and dies and might go home after still poor. Rich man gets richer from a desk in comfort.

[@secretamericayoutubechanne2961]

The Southern rich men lost an easy future thats why they fought so hard to try and keep it alive. After that they were more like middle class.

[@Sassy-pants68]

Nothing has changed

[@TheGuitarReb]

@@secretamericayoutubechanne2961 Yep, that's why I have to work for a living and don't get to sit on the veranda with my whiskey drink listening to Stephen Foster songs as the "servants" march in from the cotton fields.

[@serene5345]

Yet either of them could be legless or armless, all lives changed forever.

[@alexsears5082]

Speaking of the soldiers writing all the time, we found one of my great great great grandfathers journals he wrote in almost every day while a soldier. He wrote poems or just talked about what he did

[@mssha1980]

What have you done with the poems

[@secretamericayoutubechanne2961]

That would be a historic American antique you should dedicate it to a museum, or find a way to share it with all of us.

[@bleachingiants1]

what it was like in Hiroshima before, during and after the nukes

[@niknak8299]

FroBeast Definitely

[@James-bn6lg]

The asian delegation approves of this idea

[@zinho9169]

Before: It was there During: It got really hot and bright and there was a giant shockwave After: it was not there. There you go.

[@CHloE748]

Watch grave of the fireflies if you want to cry

[@BaBy_ShoWeR]

@@CHloE748 holy moly I don't watch anime or whatever it's considered saw this, started watching and it's extremely good I'm half way through it waiting for my ear speakers to charge but thank you for posting this.

[@ColinDaviesGTR]

“I am over 18” Little did he know...

[@siervodedios5952]

Man those kids and young men if they lived, they surely lost their innocence.

[@j.a.weishaupt1748]

Lying about being 18 is now mostly seen in a certain genre of film.

[@whytfbuddy4118]

Oh hi there The FBI hates it though

[@bystanderbutch3509]

@@siervodedios5952 But they definitely became men.

[@GivemesubscribersIwantacheckma]

Hippoty Hoppity, *_your legs are my property_* -Civil War Field Surgeon

[@mackenziekarsonovich1073]

Imagine being a doctor or a nurse for those battles 🤢 So much blood, guts, and suffering

[@willdwyer6782]

Prior to the Springfield model 1861, muskets were smooth bore. The model 1861 had a rifled barrel, which made it much more accurate than its predecessors. Since it was the first war in American history in which the Springfield model 1861 was used, battlefield tactics used during the Civil War were intended for less accurate smooth bore muskets, which is why there was so much more carnage.

[@marshja56]

My Grandfather's Grandfather joined the Union army on his 18th birthday in 1862 for a three year enlistment. He fought in lots of big battles and campaigns, like Vicksburg, Missionary Ridge, Kennesaw Mountain, Atlanta, the March to the Sea, Bentonville and many smaller ones as well. During the three years of fighting half his unit became casualties, many from disease. At one point his family was told he had been killed. But he survived or I wouldn't be here. Apparently he never spoke much about the war, he must have seen too much.

[@treyb387]

"As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free" -Battle Hymn of the Republic

[@dylanthomas4694]

Never heard that it is awesome thanks for sharing.

[@professornumbnutz5474]

Whoa that’s sweet

[@john1701q]

Funny to watch Southerners cringe when they hear it.

[@tdasblinda9222]

Lincoln laughing while denies southerners constitutional right to secede.

[@dnzswithwombats]

Jesus died to makes us free.

[@GodofWarChuka]

That would have been Hell back then!

[@stonefish7337]

It’ll be even worse if it happens again

[@GodofWarChuka]

@@successfulexcellent1646 Ok. I’ll download Spotify and check it out. Thanks 👍

[@successfulexcellent1646]

@@GodofWarChuka You're welcome 😀

[@stevenm3823]

I took part in an amateur level Civil War roundtable discussion and a question was raised "If you could talk to anyone from the Civil War who would it be?"...well all around all I heard was "Lee!"..."Grant!!"..."Pickett!!"...."Jackson!!"....'Meade!!".....and when it came to me I said "a common soldier, who else can you learn the most from except by hearing it from the men who actually fought in it?".....that brought a few stares of silence from those around me but then they admitted that I gave the best answer.

[@galoon]

There are some good books out there which were written by common soldiers in the Civil War which will allow you to do just that. Sam Watkins' Company Aytch and John Billings' Hard Tack and Coffee are two good ones.

[@corghhh]

I was a ARMY Engineer in the ARMY in 1990 ,that was bad enough cant even imagine what those poor souls went threw.

[@josephjakubec3171]

Army Engineer in 1990, bad? What am I missing?

[@timg3584]

Fellow combat engineer here thank you for your patriotism. For everyone else if you don't know what engineers do we lead the way. My mos as combat engineer was basically infantry with explosives. we check for landmines and boobytraps, open doors anyway needed sometimes going thru walls if necessary, and also deal with ordinance disposal when need be

[@tylerw1774]

God bless my ancestors and let them Rest In Peace. No more brother wars!

[@stonedpaladin8632]

At the rate we're going it's looking that way

[@DjVader112]

Bloods and crips says otherwise

[@klairdelun456]

With the shit that goes on nowadays, I'm pretty sure that there will be another civil war

[@thuss5162]

Truth us we could close our.borders and never go to war again. Our defenses are enough to keep our shores safe fuck the rest of the world

[@TheGuitarReb]

@Liberty is not free Tell that to the Taliban

[@DustyB]

My great great great great grand uncle was 14 when he joined the Confederate Army in 186. By the time he was 18, he surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse to Union General Ulysses S Grant on April 9, 1865

[@softdrink-0]

If there’s any man to I’d surrender to, it’d be grant.

[@rayframe3812]

That's quite a few greats there.

[@FutureLaugh]

the fact that people were willing to trade coffee for tobacco with the enemy is proof that war is absolutely pointless.

[@rogerout7498]

WTF?? How is that proof? The point was to end slavery and restore the Union.

[@adamamaru4535]

Roger Out because it just proves the men who fought just didn’t care

[@FutureLaugh]

@@adamamaru4535 proves all soldiers fight for a paycheck first before anything else.

[@owen-nd7om]

@@rogerout7498 the point wasn't to end slavery, it was just to hold the nation together forcefully.

[@lucaslehn2242]

Andy Dufrense not at first, but in 1863 the fight was very much to end slavery

[@Raven-ti6tf]

I’m black so I know the Civil War was primarily for my older generation, but damn. Brother against brother is really, really sad.

[@adamst.martin1932]

that's just like West Pakistan and East Pakistan. Brother against Brother..

[@TheGuitarReb]

Don't let em fool you, there were plenty of BLACK Confederates. Troops were not segregated. as the Union. Black Union troops were pushed to the front to be cannon fodder. N.B. Forrest body guard company were Black Confederates. THE WINNER WRITES THE HISTORY.

[@golfknut777]

@@TheGuitarReb total horseshit revisionism. You guys lost, get over it

[@tinydancer867]

@@TheGuitarReb Absolutely NOT!!! NO White Southerners trusted coloreds with their guns!!! That’s STUPID! It was ONLY Whites that fought, bleed, and died to free blacks! And that’s what y’all’s “reparations” are! Get over it!!!

[@brandonye2569]

@@tinydancer867As a Black person tho there where black confederates😂😂😂

[@tugginalong]

Read Ulysses S Grant’s autobiography. The interactions between forces during non-combat times was interesting. The speed at which these forces built bridges and laid railroad tracks was amazing. They even had telegraph lines so the generals could communicate in close to real time.

[@wecandobetter9821]

My great grandfather and his brother both joined in FarmVille Va, served under General Pickett and both survived. The last major battle at Sailors Creek Va was a short walk home for them

[@Moon_Dog_]

Cover the Airship sighting phenomenon of the late 1800s! Really interesting and should be more well known!

[@Moon_Dog_]

Hey dude - just wanted to say I love your channel! Very interesting and well researched!

[@actuallyNo...]

Great Topic. Love the recommendation, and I agree.

[@maishibuya270]

Thank you for this video! I found all of this really interesting and intriguing. It was such a sad and horrible time for soldiers on both sides on the front-lines, especially for those who were so young and just wanted a chance to have an adventure, not knowing exactly what kind of hell they’d have to go through

[@Zoofactory]

My great grandfather fought for the 16th NY Volunteers. Had my grandpa when he was 70 years old.

[@mssha1980]

Wow! He was still fertile at their age?! That’s amazing!

[@the_juicyjayd]

Literally my favorite KZbin channel of all time. Thank you guys for your content!

[@fantochedollmaker7030]

Imagine you've been shot and know you're going to bleed out for several hours..

[@triciabolster8235]

Better than being gut shot...

[@alanhyt79]

Shock is a friend in that case.

[@phyllisdicks9830]

Cornbread? Must have been some rich officer who got that. What the soldiers usually had was hardtack. That was wafers made of flour and water and cooked on whatever flat metal surface they could get. It was too hard to eat until it was soaked; in coffee if they had it, water if not. Today's version of it is pilot wafers, generally sold as survival food. These are actually pretty good, unlike the civil war version. And did I mention that, during the Civil War, the flour usually had bugs in it?

[@phyllisdicks9830]

@Josh Jones They probably did. "Weevils wobble, and they taste good, too."

[@phyllisdicks9830]

@Agent Orange No, you.

[@galoon]

Hardtack was issued primarily in the Union army. Confederate soldiers were often issued loose cornmeal, so yes, they ate cornbread. It was probably stale and weevil-infested most of the time, but it was still cornbread. They would fry their salt pork first, then fry the cornmeal in the grease. Then they'd shape it into a "snake", drape it over their ramrods and hold it over the fire for a bit. Kind of like a corndog without the frankfurter inside--they called it "sloosh." Like hardtack, it was definitely not a five-star meal!

[@beethesparkle3573]

Thanks, this was really helpful. I've been trying to find good sources for my history report and, so far, this is the best one. :)

[@gisellerios8037]

I went to a medical civil war museum and it was brutal. Let me tell you after going through all the exhibits I realize just how damn spoiled we are now a days. They used chloroform as anesthesia. If your leg had to be amputated at the hip you had an 80% chance of death. That’s only the tip of the iceberg. If you get the chance I’d highly recommend you go to a museum like this it’s truly eye opening.

[@luckyluciano6552]

May I ask which one?

[@vicenzaarce]

Another great video!!! Love this channel!! Keep it up!! History is weird... but who doesn't love a little weird history 🤷‍♂️

[@totallyfrozen]

Concerning southern food. The civil war is where you first really see boiled peanuts become popular. Because food was scarce for rebels, they needed a food that would preserve for awhile and could be carried by soldiers. Peanuts boiled in salt water is what they came up with. A pouch of boiled peanuts could last for many days due to the salt and peanuts were fairly commonplace in the south.

[@jamescoombs2569]

Goober peas,I think they called it

[@reginageorge5409]

I live in Charleston, S.C. and people set up boiled peanut stands everywhere on the side of the road. I love them so much, especially cajun flavored. So interesting this is where they came from.

[@brantleyhester6641]

My great great great grandfather was 15yrs old when he enlisted in the 16th regiment of volunteers under General Wade Hampton, CSA. Took a Minnie ball in his left shoulder after 90 days furlough back in the field. Lost three brothers from dysentery. After the war lost his first family and had another late in life so I'm closer to him than most people of my generation

[@TheGuitarReb]

Deo Vindice Brother. My ancestor was with N.B. Forrest

[@elviscobb5922]

Please do the Trail of Tears.

[@marcihaught1840]

I’d like to see that too. My ancestors were apart of that.

[@g.davidlawrence8471]

@@marcihaught1840 Which part?

[@marcihaught1840]

G.David Lawrence Southern Cherokee red fire people.

[@g.davidlawrence8471]

@@marcihaught1840 Not a good time for the people. That would be a good topic to cover. Any stories passed down?

[@RichardWolfe79]

No mention of Native soldiers in this video. Thomas legion out of Western NC was Cherokee soldiers.

[@jellymop]

When you said “I had to exchange my arm for that of another soldier” I was thinking an actual arm haha

[@lamolambda8349]

The right to bear arms

[@suzclayton783]

Lmao☺️☺️☺️😑

[@jellymop]

lamo lambda I didn’t know it was meant so literally by the founding fathers haha

[@suzclayton783]

When I lived in Connecticut Rip Torn was in the bar pretty much all day everyday that winner

[@boondocker7964]

Sam Watkins, Company "Haich". He died age 61.

[@ytho8285]

Thats golden thanks for telling me how to be over 18😂

[@jeffreyelliott622]

Yeah I'm 18 sir !!! How do know kid ? Because it's rit down in my shoe sir !!!!

[@alanhyt79]

You could also be over 21.

[@chancereynolds5528]

I’m 16 and I can’t even start to imagine fighting in a war.

[@seanpendleton6354]

Well in two years bud... one if you get your parents to sign off

[@EddieLeal]

I was 17 when I enlisted in the Army. That was 1990. I retired from the service in 2012.

[@garybolenable]

When I was 12 my father bought me a single shot 20 gauge shotgun for my birthday. No recoil pad. If I shot it more than five or six times I was going to have a nasty bruise on my shoulder. I can only imagine what it must have been like for the soldiers in the civil war.

[@galoon]

Actually the Civil War rifled muskets didn't kick much at all; the weapon was heavy and the Minie ball had a low muzzle velocity.

[@garybolenable]

@@galoon - Thanks galoon! But now I wish my father had bought me a civil war musket instead. At least my shoulder does. :)

[@galoon]

@@garybolenable I have a Euroarms reproduction of the Model 1861 Springfield that was used in the Civil War--you can probably find a used one for a good price, and they're easy to take care of! You just have to remove the barrel and clean it after each use--black powder is pretty corrosive. I used to have a .303 Enfield rifle--World War II vintage. Now that one was punishing to my shoulder!

[@jenningsjoe6304]

No wonder the United states of America people r so fucked in the head young kids getting shotguns for there birthdays it is so wrong on so many levels

[@hotrodharley2053]

@@jenningsjoe6304 You are a moronic foreigner that doesn't understand American culture. You have shown this by first commenting before having any knowledge of what you're talking about, a fool's way.

[@JaneDoe-iy4by]

Hi! i really love your documentaries. Could you make one about life in Victorian England? Thanks! ♥

[@tennesseelegend4303]

My great granddaddy and his brothers fought for the 2nd Tennessee Calvary for the confederacy.

[@thursday4267]

Wow that’s pretty cool! I had family that fought at Wilson’s Creek.

[@themoocow7718]

My 4th great-grandfather fought for the 3rd Minnesota Infantry for the Union.

[@ssww3]

My great grand uncle fought in the union army

[@andrewswan5723]

I'm Scottish born and bred but have a fascination with this sad war. Not just the armed conflict but the political views of both sides. Both were equally determined that they were fighting for their country and a just cause. My interest was sparked by reading about the 79th NY Reg.

[@tomober2889]

Love the channel! Could you do the Donner party?

[@rosaleusbenevear8932]

I too would love to see this

[@actuallyNo...]

That's a great piece of historical goodness, right there. Good recommendation. Quite the expedition they had.

[@actuallyNo...]

@@chickendoughnuts22 , probably is. Lol. Most places ARE haunted...some, very more-so, however. That would probably be a place in the more-so category. 😧🤨😎 ** Just like these Civil-War battle Fields. Try to find just one that isn't steaving with energies(or whatever u see the haunting as). I haven't yet. Very gruesome places have hardcore, unexplainable residuals.👻

[@actuallyNo...]

@@chickendoughnuts22 , no, I definitely dont think it's your "head"...or just IN YOUR HEAD. I'm no "skeptic" , as u say u were at one time(or maybe still are) just because of my own experiences that I know have happened (won't get into that)...however, I totally understand that u didn't really believe "that type a stuff" until u experienced something yourself. A lot a people are like that, and I get it. I, myself, keep a very open mind to people just being overly dramatic, or seeing things (that actually ARE in their heads-cause let's be honest, it happens all the time), but u know when u see or hear something for real, REALS, or if it's just "a noise" that can be explained. I'm not gonna jump at a bump in the night; lots a shit makes noises and it's nothing paranormal at all. Then again, there's lots a stuff that makes noises, that is or CAN be paranormal,lol. I'm not a scaredy cat, by any sense a the word, not by a long shot, but there are definitely things out there that CAN be dark...some can be quite scary, and most are unexplainable (on the paranormal end, anyway). I do dislike it when People are dead ass- DEAD SET(no pun intended ,lol) on non - belief. Like, dude, you dont have to believe it is something spiritual, but at least say that it could be a possibility. If I can say there's a chance I am wrong, others can say that there's a chance THEYRE wrong, and that something could indeed be haunted. I'm very fascinated by 'hauntings' or spirits(paranormalities in any sense a the word),but not everything is ghostly. Gotta keep an open mind like u just said...maybe what u feel or see is explainable, maybe it's a spirit. Sometimes ya just don't know. I've just been interested & kinda connected ever since I was younger and had some really strange things happen, that have followed me thru my life...but I am def.not one a those people that thinks any and everything I hear is some sort of crazy demon(u know the dramatic peeps,lmao)...so, I totally get what you're sayin'. You're not crazy or just imagining those things thow,I'm pretty dang sure! Lol. All around us are energies that can't be explained-even scientists agree. So if you live by,or spend time by a place like your speakin of where really sad or crazy shit happened,then you def.are probably gonna feel a lot of those energies...some people can even more than Others . Sorry that was so long; Sorry if it was confusing reading it,also-not so sure how well my point came out overall...nice talkin thow. I always enjoy hearing others' comments about the subject.

[@nicholsjoshua15]

"I hate my mother's guts!" Son "You'll eat what's put on your plate, boy!" Father

[@rick2112rkrk]

Here's one you missed...as a requirement for enlisting, soldiers needed to posses a good set of front teeth in order to tear open the paper cartridges used to load their muzzle loading rifles.

[@runninonmt8259]

Did either side have a rental plan ?

[@KristinkaAranova]

No matter how much of a “tough guy” you are, something you can’t even see (diseases) will destroy you

[@seanc5226]

Fantastic documentary, very sad however seeing brother fight brother.

[@anderrose487]

I had ancestors on both sides that fought in the civil war. One of my ancestors was 17 when he enlisted in the Confederate Army. He enlisted because his brother was murdered by Union Guerrilla fighters when he was traveling home in Georgia. His brother was also a Soldier in the Confederate Army as well.

[@andrewcogger7586]

your ancestor was a traitor who betrayed the american flag

[@laur-unstagenameactuallyca1587]

@Tragedy 01 that made no sense.

[@banjo304]

@@andrewcogger7586 treason against the US is cool and good though

[@pissonthe0fighteverybody276]

Lauren Made perfect sense to me.

[@pissonthe0fighteverybody276]

Andrew Cogger What about the ancestors that betrayed the British flag and fought for independence? Are they traitors also

[@valeriex1609]

could you make more videos about victorian england? that‘s my favourite era. love your videos by the way!!

[@ethanperry1892]

Look up the channel Absolute History. It's the majority of what they do with video times ranging from 10 minutes to an hour. Professionally done too.

[@tommyglasgowphd9242]

Two of my great uncles died from measles as they served with the Army of Tennessee.

[@Merk-ze9qg]

I LOVE your videos. I show them to my secondary high school students.

[@huntrrams]

Can you do a video of life in Cahokia, the biggest pre-Columbian Native American city?

[@skylaann6536]

yes!!

[@Goldrunner1169]

@Agent Orange yes

[@sofiamielcitas4224]

@Agent Orange shut up it sounds very interesting

[@huntrrams]

Sofía R. It is interesting and you can still walk up the mounds called the Monk mounds. They are located out side of St.Louis and in the tip of the Illinois and Missouri.

[@sofiamielcitas4224]

@@huntrrams that sounds amazing!!!!

[@raphythemighty2613]

Can u make a video about the age of the flower? The hippie movement and stuff, would be awesome

[@madyollis9261]

I have been binge watching these videos for three days now

[@FleetAdmiralDouglas]

One thing that should have been included was the fact that just like the pals battalions from World War 1, companies and regiments were recruited from the same area. So you would end up fighting with people you probably knew well, and even with family members in many cases. For example in the 9th New York Heavy Artillery (they were used as infantry for the most part when they fought) there were 2 brothers and their father in the same company. Then in the Battle of Cedar Creek one brother is killed in front of the other 2 but they only have a second to say goodbye because the battle still rages all around them. Not long after the other brother dies of disease and then the father also dies of disease at near the end of the war.

[@maxivisionvermont1333]

Awsome channel keep it up

[@toddandangelbrowning2920]

My ggg grandad was a confederate soldier who fought under Jubal Early, Lee’s “ old bad man “. He enlisted in 1861 was captured and sent to Illinois. He was released with the promise to go home and fight no more, he went straight back to his unit lol. He was discharged in what is now Beckley WV. He never owned a slave but ran a saw mill and owned a lot of land. He got sick and couldn’t run his mill. The land was sold for nearly nothing to coal companies .

[@Houndini]

Some my kin had to been with your grandad. Or very close with him, We was out Wyoming County lot in 22nd Va. Yes we with Old Bad Man in 64 who scared old Abe 1/2 to death, They could see the Washington DC dome. There in Lewisburg march back from droop mt. We took hard hit @ Droop & White Sulphur Springs was good local battle's, lot of other battles. them just local battles. We lost huge chunk of land could not pay taxes on right after war all our money was confederate worthless after war carpetbaggers grab it up or more fancy name Land Companies. But we had brother & cousins on both sides. Still hard feelings in family. 1 shot the other if not mistaken in bolt area of Raleigh County on his way home. Other 1 in Boone county same thing.

[@askauntb]

My Granddad was Gen. "Ol Jube" Early, on my Dad, Angus Early's side. Funny, growing up in N.Virginia, I was never taught to be ashamed of my lineage. It's hard to see how hateful people are today when you're actually proud to drive down a Road such as Jubal Early Hwy., right there in Winchester or one in Manassas. *I will **_NOT_** be ashamed as I, nor my Father owned anybody!*

[@askauntb]

@Sleepy Jones Oddly enough you'd mention this but the Early and Wootten families, came over and landed on Plymouth but that it is a hilarious comment!

[@camerona.2110]

What history books don’t like to teach people is that most confederates fought to protect their homeland from invaders who were looting, burning, raiding, and murdering just because they could. Most confederates didn’t fight over slaves. Many confederates joined when they saw their brothers and sisters being murdered and their homes being touched, I would fight for my home too if invaders were killing my family and burning down property.

[@TheImpures]

@@camerona.2110 huh why do you people keep claiming they werent fighting for slaves, you clearly dont know your history and your just trying to justify it

[@ericrobertson843]

What amazed me about the Civil War there were guys my age 24 to young as 20 who were promoted to Generals on both sides. Such as George Armstrong Custer who graduated from West Point in June 1861 and by 1863 he went from the rank of Captain and then promoted all the way to Brigadier General at the age of 23 skipping pass the ranks of Major, Lt. Col. and Colonel to Brigadier General and in command of his own Cavalry Brigade that he led into Battle against Confederate cavalry General J.E.B Stuart on the third and last day of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 3, 1863

[@intergalacticpioneer3249]

It blows my mind to think that single-day battles had just as many or more soldiers on either side killed and wounded than entire campaigns in WW2

[@vernondouglas3821]

My great great great grandfather wrote a journal during the war (he was a confederate) and said in that journal that he would regularly during truces make promises with people during the war not to kill each other. Most didn’t, but one shot him and he almost died. He survived the war and became a cowboy. To this day the journal gos through the family and I will receive it soon.

[@l2516]

Amazing that you still have a piece of history. God bless !

[@fivestarman9474]

I am grateful to be living such a carefree and easy life and I’m grateful for every drop of blood man from wars like this spelt to preserve freedom. Thank you to everyone that died so people like me to live such a happy life!

[@bswihart1]

Very grateful myself, and people today bitch about so many things. People should realize that things can be soooooooo much worse.

[@sujithpkaranth547]

I LOVE THIS CHANNEL!! LOVE IT WHEN I FEEL LIKE I'M GOING BACK IN TIME!!

[@FrankDaBank25]

"Would you like to be a soldier in the civil war?" Yeah bud.... Sign me up......

[@AtotheZ7]

Talking about doing random charges and getting shot at, can you do a video about a WWI solider?

[@pyhimys83]

Am I tripping or did you repeat a line at 6:00 ?

[@TheDevilockedzombie]

I heard it to.

[@anamariaramirez9341]

@@TheDevilockedzombie Me too

[@dg_96_7]

I think he was just giving an idea and comparing it to 7 Gettysburg battles.

[@calebcaleb4983]

JMS u tripping

[@danacampbell8331]

Yeah, and one of the amputees has four legs.

[@BIGT-gs6te]

Great production. Love the score. I just subscribed

[@sylfestrustenstee5360]

I am from Norway and one man from one of the neighbour farms he survived the war luckily. He wrote something on a piece of paper he said "they fell like trees beside me"

[@untouchable1577]

Just to mention, there were people of Irish origin that volunteered in the civil war. They mainly fought for the Union.

[@boskocoltrain8400]

They equally fought for both sides. At Fredricksburg and Gettysburg Irish units on each side from the same county in Ireland would be killing each other.

[@athenabattaglia9255]

Honestly I just make mental notes in preparation for the next civil war.

[@v.u8983]

@Star Lord lol

[@DylanJo123]

The next one isnt going to have clear lines drawn between sides, i believe

[@mikewazowskisas1489]

Most likely will happen in the next 30 years. There are literally communists running for office and they are trying to replace our population with the 3rd world to get votes and cheap labor. We won't be able to take it at some point.

[@nibbnibb1899]

You know that you dont have to make comments in every post there is in this vid. Dont you have enough attention at home????

[@secretamericayoutubechanne2961]

@@DylanJo123 Very stupid thing to say

[@georgetoomey1191]

Very informative thank you !

[@cedarpoplar7443]

That makes me hold a new respect for my co-worker James. I know he is young. But, he is my supervisor. I respect the little kid, but I won't let him get away with nonese. Although, I am the one doing nonenese. It hurts me to have me yelling at me for my stupid actions. I still love the boy. I hope I can get my self straight to have the credibility to show him the right path. Sometimes, drunks like me know things that younger folks don't know. "we just have to get ourselves together" - like he says. It takes courage, and a lot of guts to let go of the boos I sincerely do not want to leave a bad example to those behind me

[@repetemyname842]

Id love to see a story done on Frank Boardman, a real life cowboy later known as Pistol Pete. He lived in the Oklahoma territory, or maybe Nebraska. Anyway, he saw his father gunned down in their front yard by a group of men. He grew up to be highly efficient with his 6 shooters and eventually found all 6 men responsible for his fathers death. I believe this was in the 1880s or thereabouts, Im pretty sure he lived to be an old man into the 1920s, maybe 30s before he died.

[@MrWumpa-tn1ib]

My great great grandfather served in the CSA. I know it’s a complicated history but he was a good man and may God always remember that poor boy having to leave and go fight this horrible conflict 😕

[@JohnRebCSA]

Mr. Wumpa join the sons of confederate veterans

[@werewolflover8636]

It was the same with many of my ancestors, many of them were Cherokee also. Never allow anyone to make you feel ashamed of your history, nothing is black and white, it’s always shades of grey.

[@UnitedWars]

I don’t feel bad for him at all if he chose to go in

[@UnitedWars]

@@werewolflover8636 sorry to break it to you but sometimes there is a black and white in history sometimes you have to tell someone that their ancestor did something wrong

[@onyx7273]

@@UnitedWars except you don’t know that he did do anything wrong. This is a modern view based on our current politics that has nothing to do with then, and also is exacerbated by the US involvement in WWII where we were the ones “spreading freedom” and “won the war.” It’s a myth that anyone in opposition to the US is inherently evil.

[@bradprather6749]

Thank you, very informative.

[@ckbeep1313]

Took over 1000 years to move from swords and whatnot to muskets. In matter of decades we had machine guns, planes, bombs. Absolutely astonishing.

[@zerosorcerer6507]

I'd like to cover the life of miyamoto mushashi I think that is worth it thanks and keep up the good work 👍👍

[@zerosorcerer6507]

@@claudiaweidman1004 what you suggest is boring miyamoto mushashi's story is better

[@crimony3054]

Pretty good. Failed to mention that the uniforms were wool and most of the marching and fighting was done in hot weather.

[@gunslingingbird74]

In hot HUMID weather.

[@DCJNewsMedia]

Thank you so much for your sharing.

[@triadmad]

My mother's great grandfather, born in western Virginia, fought with the West Virginia 7th Army. He was wounded three times and was thought to be dead on one of those occasions. A shell blast on the second day at Gettysburg destroyed the hearing in one ear. He spent the third day on stretcher duty, carrying wounded off the field, and he claimed he was the first to help carry Gen. Hancock off the line, but he and his partner put him back on the ground, when Hancock called for someone to help them. Their orders that morning, was two men only per stretcher. So they told Hancock if they weren't good enough for him, he could find someone else. Hancock tracked him down later, and instead of being mad at him, he was proud of him for following his orders as a good soldier should. Later Hancock arranged for him to meet Lincoln. My father's grandfather, also born in western Virginia, was just a teenager at the time. Word arrived that a confederate army was passing through the county, so he and a buddy decided that they'd catch up to them and join up. Fortunately for him, and by extension for me, they were unable to find the confederates, but then were nearly starved to death by the time they managed to find their way back home.

[@strangebones2000]

Can we also talk about how BIG the bullets used in muskets and early rifles were?? Absolute elephant guns

[@sirknight6283]

1861 Springfield rifle was .58 caliber as well as similar rifles

[@1337fraggzb00N]

Reading everything they could get their hands on. Like when I take a dump and read the label of a shampoo bottle, but less deadly.

[@MrsSasukeUchiha]

😂😂😂

[@henrymartinez9292]

before cell phones

[@dalejr183]

My dad served in Vietnam and became a hardcore Civil War reinactor and I joined him on occasion especially at the 150th Great 3 Grandfather fought there with the 22nd MS at the Hornet nest Albert Monroe Johnston who was only 300 yards from where General Albert Sydney Johnston fell and he came to Texas after the war and that slavery thing is a slap in the face as my Grandfather was a poor farmer fighting to expell a hostile force taking his land and there was no slaves just a poor farmer fighting to defend his home. Even if it was for a couple days I found out how rough it was back then and we shouldn't take what we have now for grandit

[@rickkinki4624]

Excellent video! Have you done one on Civil War POW camps on both sides? Places like Andersonville?