On their march to the sea, Sherman's Army burned many towns in Georgia, towns already suffering horribly from the loss of war. So I guess Sherman's opinion on the subject carries weight even from the mists of time, for war doesn't change, just our misconceptions and the lies that take us into it:
"I am tired and sick of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, more vengeance, more desolation. Some of these young men think that war is all glory but let me say war is all hell."
--William Tecumseh Sherman
Some old men in the White House who never served pretend to think highly of war, too. Profits, you know.
Well, here's a website about the town of Madison, Ga where some of my ancestors lived out their lives. Named in honor of President James Madison, the town was spared destruction because a pro-Union Senator lived there, Joshua Hill (and some say an old girlfriend of Sherman lived nearby.)
From experience I can tell you that visiting Madison, Georgia is like taking a stroll back into a charming and gentler time. That's what a lack of war can do.
No comments:
Post a Comment