"How do soldiers feel when in battle?"

Andy Cardinal

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Keith Rocco

George F. Williams originally served in the 5th New York, "Duryee's Zouaves." In 1884 he wrote "Lights and Shadows of Army Life," which was published in The Century. The following is an excerpt (pp 812-813):

"The question has been often asked, "How do soldiers feel when in battle?" and it is one difficult to answer. A long experience among veterans in the ranks leads the writer to believe that the emotion experienced in going under fire is much the same with a'll men. To the raw recruit the crash of small arms and the roar of the cannon are simply appalling; he felt that he was going forward to certain death. With pale cheeks and clenched teeth he held his place, determined to do his duty as best he might. If very much excited, he loaded his musket, and, forgetting to put on the necessary percussion-cap, went through the motion of firing, only to ram a fresh cartridge on top of the first one, when, for the first time using a cap, he was incontinently knocked down by the tremendous recoil of his gun, and believed he was badly wounded.... Finally the green soldier discovers that he is not hurt, and that everybody does not get killed in an engagement, so he regains confidence and passes successfully through his baptism of fire.

"To the veteran it is far different. He knows too well that every battle reduces the average chance of his escape, yet so habituated has he become to rattling fusilades and desperate charges, he scarcely heeds the danger surrounding him. The shriek of the shells over his head, the buzz of the bullets past his ear, are now familiar sounds; and trusting to the chances of war, the infantry-man fires rapidly with his musket, or the artillery-man rams home another charge of grape and canister as his battery opens at close range on an advancing body of the enemy. All men are naturally afraid of death, but the trained and experienced soldier learns to keep down that fear, and nonchalantly do whatever is required of him."

https://books.google.com/books?id=6...K0KHUVlC1sQ6AEwB3oECAQQAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false
 
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