The book What They Fought For written by the author James M. Pherson on 1995 explains the life of the Civil War soldiers and asking what exactly they are fighting for? In the first chapter “The Holy Cause of Liberty and Independence” McPherson explores the life of the soldiers and explains the letters and journals the soldiers wrote during the Civil War. The letters of the soldiers contain passages like “Is it better to spend our all in defending our country than to be subjugated and have it taken away from us”? (Pherson, 12). “I am sick of war…No gratification could exceed that if my being safe at home with you” (14). That shows how difficult the war period was, debating whether to keep fighting for the country or stay home safe, but as soldiers …show more content…
Slavery was the main reason of the Civil war. It shares opinion of the soldiers on the sensitive topic. Part of them wanted to save the slaves, and part of them did not want to “I am the Boy that can fight for my country… but not for the Negros” (63). The Southern did not want to free the slaves, whereas the Northern soldiers wanted to free the slaves. This last chapter gives an overview of the theme slavery and reasons of the war. Many soldiers argued that they were fighting for the white supremacy, which is why there was so much controversy with the black slaves, they did not want to fight for them, and they did not want to set them free. Chapter three contains many quotes of the slaves specifically talking how much they dislike the black people and it was not right for fight for them. “We did not enlist to fight for the Negro and I can tell you that we never shall…sacrifice our lives for the liberty of a miserable black race of beings…”(65) Soldiers were cruel towards the Negros, McPherson quoted the cruel opinions they had about them, and how they felt about the Civil War, they only wanted to fight for their own race, the