James McPherson, For Cause and Comrades
... Union men and Confederates both viewed themselves as the true heirs of the American Revolution. This sense of national honor was encompassed on both sides of the battlefield and was one of the true motivators for the soldiers in battle. Personal honor was also a major factor. Many soldiers saw being labeled a coward worse then death. Being labeled a coward meant the harshest form of humiliation especially in the confederate army. McPherson also speaks about how religion impacted the battlefield. Most of the soldiers, on both sides, being products of the second great awakening were very religious. Many of the young writers did not outlive the war and even though they might not have known they would not survive many were not truly confident in there own army. One example in the book is when a Confederate officer urges his wife to buy another slave, remarking that, if the South loses, the money spent would be worthless anyway, while if the South wi...