An Army Corps on the March

With it’s cloud of skirmishes in advance,

With now the sound of a single shot snapping like a whip, and

now an irregular volley,

The swarming ranks press on and on, the dense bridges press

on,

Glittering dimly, toiling under the sun-the dust-cover’d men,

In columns rise and fall to the undulations of the ground,

With artillery interspers’d-the wheels rumble, the horses sweat,

As the army corps advance.

By: Walt Whitman

This poem takes place during a battle. One line of soldiers is waiting to charge the enemy. There is smoke ahead from other people just like them that are already fighting. They can hear shots being fired in the distance. The line of men keep going and going. The battle now changes to an overhead view of the battle. You can see the dusty and sweaty soldiers marching under the sun. The soldiers take cover in the holes in the ground. Artillery shells explode, wagon wheels turn, and horses sweat. The people continue to walk.

In a since what the author is seeing is a battlefield with men dying and men running. The scene is disorderly and chaotic with the stench of death everywhere.

I think this poem symbolizes a person dyeing. When the men are walking toward the fighting it is like a person slowly going unconscious. In both you can’t stop from what you are doing. When the scene changes to an overhead view of the battle it is like you are dead and watching yourself lie there. Also at the end of the battle if the person makes it out alive it is like going to heaven but if the person dies it is like going to hell.

This poem has a metaphor. "A single shot snapping like a whip."

In conclusion I think the author (Walt Whitman) doesn’t try to bring any glory into war.

 

Bibliography

Walt Whitman

http://www.barrysclipart.com/clipart/boogiejs/images/l0035.gif

 

 Fred Knox

(Diary of my Life)

July 1, 1863- The fighting started today between one of our Calvary division commanded by General Buford and some infantry commanded by General Hill. It was a draw until the Confederates got reinforcements. Our boys retreated to Cemetery Ridge and Culps Hill. This is where I joined the fight coming in with my infantry unit. As more and more troops arrived the skirmish turned into the Battle of Gettysburg.

July 2, 1863- Our General (General Mead) formed our lines into a horseshoe. The Confederate dogs however formed into a long thin line. Fighting continued throughout the day. General Meade was not going to retreat and it looked like the Confederates were not going to retreat. Our forces were posed for battle.

July 3, 1863- about noon the Rebels mounted an attack. It was like target practice. We decimated the rebels until there were none left. We are celebrating now except the rain is pouring down.

 Bibliography

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By: Jon Birkey From Fisher

Jr./Sr. High School