FIVE CIVIL WAR FACTS THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND


By bblouin
Sharing Civil War facts with Soldiers standing at camp.

During the American Civil War, our nation was tested unlike anything else it had ever seen. The result would ultimately end with slaves being free, although this still took a bit longer in Galveston, and the United States would also reunite. Sadly, the conflict cost 618,000 to 620,000 people their lives, but there are several Civil War facts that still intrigue us about our nation’s bloodiest conflict.

Table of Contents:

  1. The Reasons for the Civil War Are Muddier Than You Think
  2. A Prequel to Modern Aerial Combat
  3. There Is a Home Made of Civil War Tombstones in Virginia
  4. Civil War Benefits Didn’t End Until 2020
  5. Civil War Facts, Featuring Glow-In-The-Dark Warfighters

1. The Reasons for the Civil War Are Muddier Than You Think

When it comes to Civil War facts, you’d think that pinpointing the reason for the conflict would be set in stone, and yet, you’d be wrong. Depending on who you ask, the Civil War took place because of state rights or slavery and the truth is a bit more complex than that–on both sides.

The Confederacy’s Reasons for Succession

Most teachers and classrooms throughout the United States teach that state rights were the reason for succession by the Confederacy. This might be partially true but to deliver it as unparalleled facts about the Civil War isn’t telling the entire truth. The states cared about slavery. A lot. South Carolina even went against the idea of state rights when they conflicted with keeping slaves when it declared it was leaving the United States. Texas, the same state that shaved off part of its land to keep slaves, declared that “the African race had no agency in their establishment” and stated other racial comments to uphold exclusive power among whites. It’s also worth noting that the Southern states were also in need of money. This also ties into the strong reluctance to get rid of free labor.

Why the Union Wanted to Reunite

Confederate Civil War facts aren’t the only ones often overly simplified, the Union has its own misconceptions. Often seen as heroes who went to war to free Blacks from the bondage of slavery, this isn’t really the entire truth either. Sure, the North was much more on board with the idea, but President Lincoln, while against slavery, was more focused on keeping the nation together: "I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so," President Abraham Lincoln. Yikes. Also, it’s worth noting that the Union also didn’t have a lot of money either. Reuniting was important for the government’s pocketbooks.

2. A Prequel to Modern Aerial Combat

One of the more interesting American Civil War facts often gets attributed to World War I. While the Great War indeed brought aerial combat to the world like never before, the U.S. and Confederacy had already taken to the skies for a tactical advantage. Despite airplanes not being invented for another 42 years, both sides of the Civil War used hot air balloons to spot enemy troops and artillery. This early entry of aerial warfare involved balloons like the Intrepid and Union for the Union Army, and the Gazelle for the Confederacy flying as high as 1,000 feet to provide a clear view for miles. The Union Army even had a Balloon Corps, created by Thaddeus S. C. Lowe, which used gas-filled balloons for reconnaissance. These balloons were used in key battles, including the First Battle of Bull Run, the Siege of Yorktown in 1862, the Battle of Fair Oaks, and the Siege of Vicksburg.

3. There Is a Home Made of Civil War Tombstones in Virginia

In Virginia, the Siege of Petersburg raged on for more than nine months during the Civil War. It was the longest event of the entire conflict. This unsurprisingly resulted in tens of thousands of casualties; however, where some of these fighters were laid to rest would end up going through many changes throughout the years. There were many fighters buried at Poplar Lawn Cemetery in the aftermath. As a result, their graves were marked with wooden markers that eventually would rot away. The government decided to replace them with marble headstones; however, maintaining the area became a problem during the Great Depression. Times were hard in Old Dominion. In an attempt to save money, the city cut the tombstones in half and laid the engraved tops flat on the ground. The bottom halves of 2,200 tombstones were sold for $45 to Oswald Young, who used them to build his house, chimney, and walkway. Want to add one of the Civil War facts to your to-do list? These unique artifacts still adorn the Tombstone House today. You can respectfully visit by setting your GPS to the address below. Address: 1736 Youngs Rd, Petersburg, VA 23803

4. Civil War Benefits Didn’t End Until 2020

$73.13. That’s how much the United States was paying someone since the conclusion of the Civil War because of a pension benefit. Her name was Irene Triplett, and her father was a Confederate fighter who deserted before joining the Union to fight for the United States. Section 1532 of Title 38 of the U.S. Code would entitle Irene to Veteran benefits due to her father Mose Triplett serving. Sadly, Irene’s life was not ideal and she faced many hardships and challenges socially, economically, and from a health standpoint. Nevertheless, she was eligible for these benefits until her death in 2020, earning the title of the last person to be known as a Civil War beneficiary.

5. Civil War Facts, Featuring Glow-In-The-Dark Warfighters

The Battle of Shiloh took place on April 6, 1862. However, it wasn’t until 2001, that we would begin to understand one of the strangest Civil War phenomena. Death was a common occurrence for both sides, as were wounds. As a result, some of those who were suffering from wounds began experiencing what would be called an Angel's Glow. Wounded fighters were lying in muddy fields and noticed a greenish-blue glow in the dark appearing by their wounds. This brings us to the most interesting of the Civil War facts, glow-in-the-dark Soldiers. Today, we believe that these glows were bioluminescent bacteria, known as Photorhabdus luminescens, which live inside of the worms that may have been present at the time. This discovery came to be after a high school student, Bill Martin, took a battleground tour and worked with a friend and his mom, a microbiologist, to discover why. The Civil War fact they would uncover may seem a bit uncomfortable and gross at first; however, the bacteria would have actually increased the chances of survival for anyone lucky enough to glow. We hope that you enjoyed reading more about these surprising Civil War facts. Be sure to share your newfound Civil War knowledge with friends and family. Suggested reads:


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