It was early afternoon when the soldiers were marching down a dirt road through a shadowy Virginia wood. Suddenly, you hear someone approaching. A curve in the road up ahead kept them from seeing who or what was making a sound, but they knew that the enemy lines were somewhere near. They needed to make a decision. Some units hid off to the side of the road and wait to see who it is, and still others sent one of their soldiers up ahead to try to find out was coming. Lucky for Farmer Bob and his old cow, Bessy, nobody chose to load their weapons and start firing at the sound!
The rest day was a difficult one for our troops. As they approached an open field ahead of them, they noticed a group of men moving through the field, stooping and picking occasionally at something in the tall grass. As the wind shifted, they detect the smell of death and decay. The soldiers realized that a battle was fought there, probably in the last day or so. They could see that the men moving through the field are picking at the dead bodies, trying to find something they could use. Soldiers frequently pillaged the dead for useful items. Foraging for food among dead bodies was one of the primary ways soldiers from both North and South kept enough food in their packs. Each unit had to decide whether to just more on or try to find better provisions or weapons by going through the dead bodies. The units that stopped to search through the dead bodies for weapons or provisions have to cope with seeing death up close for the first time. It is a grisly sight-one that they will never forget.
Soldier Journal Prompt:
What did you experience today? What was it like to witness the after-effects of a battle? Have your feeling about the war changed? If so, how?
Homework 5/2/13
L. A: 1. Soldier Journal
2. Homer Figg- Finish Ch. 12 & 13. Complete ch. 9-12 questions
Math: 1. Volume Unit Post Test tomorrow
2. Volume packet
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