The Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board

Re: The enemy
In Response To: Re: The enemy ()

Brian, several years ago my daughter gave me a set of The Collector's Library of the Civil War in 28 volumes, all of which are first-hand accounts written by generals and privates and every rank in between. Stillwell's book is part of that collection. Every once in awhile, I go back and re-read some of the books. I just finished re-reading Stillwell.

He actually has a much lengthier, detailed account of David O. Dodd's execution than the brief quotes I posted. Apparently the boy's death was so gruesome that a seasoned veteran of the 61st Illinois fainted and fell out of ranks.

Leander Stillwell was a man with a conscience. Writing many years after the war, he remembered and worried about the fate of some of the Southern civilians he encountered. He came across the body of a Confederate lieutenant-colonel and took his sword as a souvenir. After the war, he finally discovered the identity of the dead officer, and intended to restore it to the man's family, but in the meantime the sword was destroyed in a fire at his Masonic lodge. He faced both Shelby and Forrest in combat, and greatly admired them both.

Like Jim said, this was a man I would have liked.

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