| KVCWRT recommended Reading |
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Notre Dame and the Civil War: Marching Onward to Victory
by James M. Schmidt Product Details
• Hardcover: 144 pages • Publisher: The History Press (November 24, 2010) • Language: English • ISBN-10: 1596298790 • ISBN-13: 978-1596298798 Review by James Durney
James Schmidt connects us to the Civil
War by telling stories that link today to the events 150 years ago. In
doing so, he brings us closer by helping us identify with the 1860s. In
this book, he takes a respected institution and connects it to the war.This well researched book is both a history of Notre Dame in the 1800s and its' contributions to the Civil War. Organized into almost stand-alone chapters the book tells the stories of students, priests and nuns as they march toward victory. Notre Dame was growing and starting to establish a national reputation when war broke out. Students responded to the government's call enlisting in western regiments and seeing action in most of the important battles. Priests became chaplains, Brothers worked in hospitals. The sisters of Holy Cross became nurses at the request of the government. They made an invaluable contribution even at the cost of their own lives. The order added nursing as a vocation because of the war. Conditions in Army Hospitals were abominable, the Sisters no nonsense, take care and get the work done made real differences quickly. The most famous incident occurs at Gettysburg when Father Corby conducts a brief service as the Irish Brigade prepares to enter the battle. As the war progressed, students from the conquered South started to attending, this presents a series of problems for the staff. General Sherman's children attended the prep school; Sherman remained a life-long supporter of the school. After the war, Notre Dame is home to a unique GAR Post composed of ordained priests or professed religious men as members. After a brief introduction, we follow Notre Dame into the war, serve in the hospitals, administer to soldier's needs and fight battles. After the war, we look at adjusting to peace, resuming our lives and commemorating our service. This is an enjoyable informative book illustrated with photographs and woodcuts. It is an excellent book for any Civil War or Notre Dame person. |
