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ISAAC SMITH

Company E, 3rd Missouri Infantry, 1st Missouri Brigade (CS)

In 1861, Isaac Smith joined the Missouri State Guard in the first enthusiastic rush of volunteers.  In1902, Civil War veteran Isaac Smith wrote his remembrances of the Battle of Pea Ridge.

"It was a very cold night and it was pitiful to hear the wounded calling all through that night in the woods and alone for some water or something to keep them warm.  I hope I never will hear such pleadings and witness such suffering again.  Such cruelty and barbarity ought not to be tolerated by civilized nations.  Young men, the flower of the country in the bloom of youth to be shot down and left on the field of battle to suffer untold agony, and die the death of the brave, to be forgotten by their countrymen and all that can be said of him is "He was a brave man and died for the cause he thought was right."  Some were buried and some were not; left on the field of battle to be devoured by wild animals.  Oh, these things are fearful to contemplate.  Yet men will say from the stump and in the Halls of Congress that it is a war of Humanity and that it is a war for humanity.  My observations are that humanity has no part in it.  Everything that is barbarious and savage is put in full force by all who engage in war."

"In writing these lines forty years after this battle, above referred to, I have been forced to stop in the middle of it and express my feelings with regard to this matter and to let all who may read these lines know that I am utterly opposed to this thing called War, and hope I may never hear of one nation going to war with another nation.  No matter what the grievence, these things ought to be settled without blood shed."

Last updated on: August 24, 2003
Written by: Interpretation Staff
http://www.nps.gov/peri/voices_smith

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