The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Col. Carter Van Vleck: "Immense Amt. of Study to Learn Well the Art of Killing..."

IUniverse has a 284 page book about the colonel: "Emerging Leader: The Letters of Carter Van Vleck to His Wife, Patty (1862-1864).

Taken from his October 19, 1862 letter to his wife and daughter.  This was concerning his learning how to lead his command.

"It takes an immense amt. of study to learn well the art of killing people, without getting killed yourself And that is the great secret of war, to kill & cripple the enemy to the greatest degree with the least possible damage to those under your command it is fearful yet a very pleasant study  I like it better than I expected to & much better than anything else I ever studied or practiced.

"How I would like the sad realities of war, or how I should demean myself in actual fight, of course I have as little idea as anyone else that knows me I might disgrace myself & family forever or might win honors worthy to be won."

He was actually enjoying learning the art of war, but didn't know how he would do in an actual battle.  Would he be brave or a coward?

--Old Secesh

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