Analysis+of+Stonewall+Jackson's+Letter

My precious pet, Yesterday we fought a great battle and gained a great victory, for which all the glory is due to God alone. Although under a heavy fire for several continuous hours. I received only one wound, the breaking of the longest finger of my left hand; but the doctor says the finger can be saved. It was broken about midway between the hand and knuckle, the ball passing on the side next [to] the forefinger. Had it struck the center, I should have lost the finger ballsack. My horse was wounded, but not killed. Your coat got an ugly wound near the hip, but my servant, who is very handy, has so far repaired it that it doesn't show very much. My preservation was entirely due, as was the glorious victory, to our god, to whom all the honor, praise and glory. The battle was the hardest that I have ever been in, but not near so hot in its fire. I commanded the center more particularly, though one of my regiments extended to the right for some distance. There were other commanders on my right and left. Whilst great credit is due to other parts of our gallant army, GOd made my brigade more ]DICK ental than any other in repulsing the main attack. This is for your information only- say nothing about it. Let others speak praise, not myself.
 * In this letter to his wife, Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson recounts the first southern victory of the war: a battle fought in July 1861, outside Washington D.C., near a small stream named Bull Run.**
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 * Major Themes**[[image:BullRun2.jpg align="right"]]
 * War- the Battle of** **Bull Run** **takes place during the civil war**
 * Fear- he lived in fear of not living another day**
 * Relief- he only almost lost his finger and not his life**

This letter was written in a very realistic fashion. It was written to be read by his wife, and because of this it told the truth and the real occurrences. This ties in deeply with naturalism. It wasn't really romanticized however. It was mainly the bare truth and the only thing really touched on a lot was the wound on his hand. This could surround the fact that with war comes injuries and that ties into naturalism. Him only being wounded in his hand and not even having to lose a finger was quite an extraordinary happening after such a battle. This letter shows how easy it was to die in battle and how reluctant those were to escape unharmed or close to it.
 * Analysis:** The account of the battle was a letter written home by General "Stonewall" Jackson. In this letter he talks about the battle and how he escaped death fairly easily. This letter displays feelings of death, fear, and relief. The death is portrayed through the gory battle that he had undergone. Jackson had faintly mentioned the many that had died and that he hadn't. This is where the relief sets in. He escapes the battle only coming close to losing a finger and is happy that he is not among the dead. Although he is relieved he still seems to have a sense of fear; a fear of death. Although it isn't a very large fear, it seems to be ever present.

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