Men see things late, and it may be that at times an evil fate drives them on.
History does not usually make real sense until long afterward.
Shiloh had as many casualties as Waterloo, and yet there were another 20 Waterloos to come.
The 1860 election became a referendum on the southern way of life.
Like most Rebel soldiers, Sam Watkins owned no slaves.
There is a rowdy strain in American life, living close to the surface but running very deep. Like an ape behind a mask, it can display itself suddenly with terrifying effect.