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Submitted Photo The Battlefield sites feature cannons, monuments and extensive collections of reading material. They have been preserved for many years by the National Park Service.
MARSHALL – The American Civil War is more than just a chapter of history for Sam Pauley.
Along with her parents, Jerry and Marla Pauley, she enjoys vacation trips to battlefields and historic Civil War sites. She has visited almost all of the major sites over the past decade.
Her interest in the Civil War dates back to a visit to the Gettysburg battlefield in Pennsylvania when she was 9 years old. Since then, she has read numerous history books and biographies that introduce the people, places and ideas of war.
“I want to learn as much as possible about it” Sam said. “In recent years this has included travel to the battlefields. I went back to some of them more than once because I learned new things each time.
In 2015, she and her father attended the 150th anniversary reenactment of the Confederate surrender in Appomattox, Virginia. A planned visit to Fort Sumter in South Carolina in 2018 was interrupted by a hurricane but ended the following year.
This summer, they took a trip to Vicksburg, Mississippi, where they saw many unspoiled places that commemorate the historic siege of 1863.
“Vicksburg is different from most sites,” Jerry said. “It’s a city with houses and trees. It was a siege rather than a battle.
They said most battle sites have plenty of reading material that explains the details of the days when Union and Confederate armies met on the battlefield.
They all reflect how the armies of the time “Walked into battle” walking forward until the first lines meet. They also have observances from individual soldiers who were part of each battle.
Visiting a battlefield, even more than 150 years later, gives an idea of what soldiers and civilians experienced in the days they took center stage during the Civil War.
“It’s very interesting to read their points of view” Sam said. “Being at historic sites creates a bond. It gives me an idea of what it must have been like for them.
She said some of the most prolific Civil War era newspaper and letter writers are cited in several or more places. Their narratives add to first-person views of the frontlines of the war.
Along with the battle itself, there are reports of suffering that ensued as many wounded soldiers died from infections, pneumonia, internal bleeding and other complications.
“Only a small part of them died during the battle”, Jerry said. “A lot of their injuries were to the arms and legs. Many deaths are due to the lack of doctors. With the best medical treatment, many of them would have survived.
Sam plans to continue taking vacations during the Civil War every several years and hopes they continue to be family activities. At some point, she would like to introduce her nephews and niece to her interest in the Civil War period.
They are grateful for the many years of historic preservation coordinated by the National Park Service. They said this helps ensure that details of the history of the Civil War will remain accessible to future generations of Americans.
“It is important to remember it precisely” Jerry said. “It’s still part of our identity, especially for southerners. There is still a strong public interest.
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