Angel of Fredericksburg
The Confederates had won the Battle of Fredericksburg, and had left ~12,653 dead, injured, or missing Union soldiers. But the South had taken its toll, too, with 5,377. On the night of December 13, while all his Confederate comrades celebrated their victory at Fredericksburg, the young 19-year-old Sergeant Richard Kirkland of the 2nd South Carolina was helping the dying. The area where the Rebels had shot line after line of Union soldiers was bloody grass, filled in areas feet-high with the dead or injured.
Kirkland had received permission from his commander, General Kershaw, to help the dying. The conversation that was written down by a witness supposedly went something like this: "General, I can't stand this," was the cry of the young man. "What is the matter, Sergeant?" asked the general. He replied, "All day I have heard those poor people crying for water and I can stand it no longer. I come to ask permission to go and give them water." The general had then paused for a while with feelings of admiration for this kindhearted man, and said in answer, "Kirkland, don't you know that you would get a bullet through your head the moment you stepped over the wall?" ".... Yes," Kirkland said, "I know that I may, but if you will let me, I am willing to try it." After a pause the general replied with, "Kirkland, I ought not to allow you to run such a risk, but the sentiment which actuates you is so noble that I will not refuse your request, trusting that God may protect you. You may go."
He carried canteens of water over the stone wall, slipping over blood and tipping the water over. When he at first crossed over the wall, he went unharmed through the shower of bullets that welcomed him. But the shots subsided after seeing that he wasn't posing a threat after he arrived to the nearest sufferer and helped calm and relieve the man. He spent 2 hours, risking his life, by giving water to the dying Union soldiers who cried out for water on that warm night. He helped reposition them to more comfortable positions, and gave them a drink and left full canteens by their sides. Kirkland's friends helped him fill the canteens to the brim, and they were only held back from helping by the idea of crossing the line, as well as warnings from higher-ranked officials. He continued doing this until all those in the part of the field where he was were quieted of their moans and groans.
He was a great example of the famous phrase of "the bravest are the tenderest and the loving are the daring." Later on, at the Battle of Gettysburg, he would be promoted for "conspicuous gallantry." It was rather ironic how he was fighting for the South, who was supporting slavery, but we could suppose that he was just fighting to fight, or was pulled in by a draft, or just supported the separate country of the Confederacy better than he did the Union. He later on died in late 1863 at the Battle of Chickamauga. The man, the "Angel of Marye's Heights," was forever remembered by both sides of the split nation as a humane man, "The Humane Hero of Fredericksburg."
Though he wasn't a great general, officer, or president, he should be remembered as arguably one of the "bravest," "tenderest," "loving," and "daring" men of the Civil War. He may not have been as intelligent, or as famous as other people during the biggest war of our country, but he was, and still is, a man to be recognized by his good and caring heart.
Kirkland had received permission from his commander, General Kershaw, to help the dying. The conversation that was written down by a witness supposedly went something like this: "General, I can't stand this," was the cry of the young man. "What is the matter, Sergeant?" asked the general. He replied, "All day I have heard those poor people crying for water and I can stand it no longer. I come to ask permission to go and give them water." The general had then paused for a while with feelings of admiration for this kindhearted man, and said in answer, "Kirkland, don't you know that you would get a bullet through your head the moment you stepped over the wall?" ".... Yes," Kirkland said, "I know that I may, but if you will let me, I am willing to try it." After a pause the general replied with, "Kirkland, I ought not to allow you to run such a risk, but the sentiment which actuates you is so noble that I will not refuse your request, trusting that God may protect you. You may go."
He carried canteens of water over the stone wall, slipping over blood and tipping the water over. When he at first crossed over the wall, he went unharmed through the shower of bullets that welcomed him. But the shots subsided after seeing that he wasn't posing a threat after he arrived to the nearest sufferer and helped calm and relieve the man. He spent 2 hours, risking his life, by giving water to the dying Union soldiers who cried out for water on that warm night. He helped reposition them to more comfortable positions, and gave them a drink and left full canteens by their sides. Kirkland's friends helped him fill the canteens to the brim, and they were only held back from helping by the idea of crossing the line, as well as warnings from higher-ranked officials. He continued doing this until all those in the part of the field where he was were quieted of their moans and groans.
He was a great example of the famous phrase of "the bravest are the tenderest and the loving are the daring." Later on, at the Battle of Gettysburg, he would be promoted for "conspicuous gallantry." It was rather ironic how he was fighting for the South, who was supporting slavery, but we could suppose that he was just fighting to fight, or was pulled in by a draft, or just supported the separate country of the Confederacy better than he did the Union. He later on died in late 1863 at the Battle of Chickamauga. The man, the "Angel of Marye's Heights," was forever remembered by both sides of the split nation as a humane man, "The Humane Hero of Fredericksburg."
Though he wasn't a great general, officer, or president, he should be remembered as arguably one of the "bravest," "tenderest," "loving," and "daring" men of the Civil War. He may not have been as intelligent, or as famous as other people during the biggest war of our country, but he was, and still is, a man to be recognized by his good and caring heart.