Project Blog #3 - Calvary Crossing a Ford

In the "Calvary Crossing a Ford", Walt Whitman describes the rough journey that the soldiers in the Civil War had to endure while fighting to preserve the Union. This demonstrates the philosophy of Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau believes that individuals should stick up for what they believe in and for what is right. It is even said that paying the ultimate price, such as death, is important in one's life. In order to relate the common theme, being civil-disobedient, once must have knowledge of the American Civil War. The original intent of the war was to preserve the Union. The Union was split due to the ongoing issue of slavery (Civil War Beginning). The brave and valiant men on the North's side fought for the freedom of the three million slaves who endured countless drudgery and discrimination. In Whitman's poem, he describes the "serpentine course" the soldiers have to cross in their journey (Whitman). His interesting and unique description demonstrates Whitman's respect he has for the brave army. The Union soldiers demonstrate a philosophy known to Henry David Thoreau as civil-disobedience, or standing up for what one believes. Thoreau is widely known for his practice of this virtue. During the Civil War, many men had to give their lives for what they believed in. This war demonstrated the fact that many United States citizens felt strongly about putting an end to slavery for good. Slavery is morally wrong and inhumane, and for the nineteenth century Union armies, sticking up for this belief was worth putting one's life on the line. This poem by Walt Whitman reflects the lives lost, but not in vain, during the Civil War. The armies insight into the good-sided human instinct widely follows Thoreau's philosophy. It is important that society grasp the importance of self-intuition because it played a vital role in how the history of America, like the journey for the soldiers, played out. The "silvery river" that American's were faced with ultimately determined whether self-sacrifice was more important than economic success (Whitman).

"Civil War Beginning." History.com. A&E Television Networks. Web. 8 Feb. 2012.

Whitman, Walt. "118. Cavalry Crossing a Ford. Whitman, Walt. 1900. Leaves of Grass." Bartleby.com: Great Books Online -- Quotes, Poems, Novels, Classics and Hundreds More. Web. 08 Feb. 2012.