Back to Civil War "Hell" Trivia Quiz

Answer: W T Sherman

It seems this quote originates from his address to the graduating class of the Michigan Military Academy (19 June 1879); but slightly varying accounts of this speech have been published. Here's the full text: "I've been where you are now and I know just how you feel.

It's entirely natural that there should beat in the breast of every one of you a hope and desire that some day you can use the skill you have acquired here. Suppress it! You don't know the horrible aspects of war. I've been through two wars and I know. I've seen cities and homes in ashes. I've seen thousands of men lying on the ground, their dead faces looking up at the skies. I tell you, war is Hell!

Answer: Shiloh

The Confederates had attacked and turned the position on both flanks and ultimately surrounded the Hornet's Nest. Some Union units successfully ran the gauntlet later termed "Hell's Hollow," which was so named because of the interconnecting fire from the nearing Confederate flanks; several other regiments were not able to escape and had to surrender.

Answer: Libby Prison

Libby Prison was originally a ship supply shop turned jailhouse in Richmond, Virginia. Named for its former owner, it became a place to house captured Union officers. The overcrowded building had multiple stories but the basement was unusable. In Feb. 1864 109 Union officers escaped through basement tunnels. Forty POW's were recaptured.

Answer: Sherman of Grant

Early on, Grant reported that he realized that scared as he might be, his enemy would be just as scared. Through several campaigns, Sherman had watched his friend, Grant. He was able to develop a "calmness" where he focused on what was in front of him. As commander, hundreds of reports would be coming in and Grant was usually able to sort them out and carry out his plan.

Answer: Phil Sheridan

After the war he admitted he would have been guilty of war crimes except that he was on the winning side. He would later employ the viciousness he used in the Valley against American Indians out West.

Answer: Antietam

Almost alone during a powerful Federal onslaught, the Texas Brigade sealed a threatening gap in the Confederate line. In so doing the 1st Texas Infantry Regiment suffered a casualty rate of 82.3 percent, the greatest loss suffered by any infantry regiment, North or South, during the war. Of approximately 850 men engaged the Texas Brigade counted over 550 casualties.

Answer: Gettysburg

A Confederate soldier at Gettysburg, which occurred in July, is credited with this statement as things went badly for the Confederates. While happening in early April, there were reports of snow flurries in days leading up to Shiloh. The other battles did occur in winter. Maybe hell freezing over could have helped Pickett!

Answer: Murfreesboro

Murfreesboro (Stones River). In the area known as Round Forest, Hazen's Brigade repelled attacks while, like a giant hinge, the rest of the Union army had swung back in retreat. Unable to move Hazen's troops, the Rebel forces were unable to sweep up the Nashville Tpke where other Union troops were finally able to stop their retreat.

Answer: Cemetery Ridge

Cemetery Ridge in Pickett's charge at Gettysburg. While all here are CW bucket list musts, it is hard to imagine some Rebels actually crossed the stone wall. Federal troops attacking at Fredericksburg never reached the ridge. though bravely making 14 attempts. Seminary and Missionary Ridges were both captured in attacks on them.

Answer: Hell's Half-Acre

The Hazen Brigade Monument is the oldest Civil War monument still standing in its original location in the nation. Hazen's men were so proud of their efforts in this area that they erected a monument within six months after the battle at Stones River. The only unit that did not retreat during this battle, they served as rallying point to other troops preventing a rout, acting like a hinge when other Union troops on their right had retreated much of the day.

Answer: Sherman in Atlanta Campaign

Sherman was ever aware of the railroad (RR) supplies to his army from Chattanooga. As he approached Atlanta, he set about cutting rail supplies to Atlanta. Chancellorsville did not involve RR's and Grant's campaigns were more based on destroying RR's supplying the cities he was attacking.

In some ways, Sherman had seen flanking work against Bragg during Rosecrans' Tullahoma campaign taking Chattanooga.

Answer: Union charge at Missionary ridge

Missionary Ridge dominated the city of Chattanooga.
Ordered to take the first row of trenches at the base of the ridge, Union troops under Thomas kept climbing the ridge on their own and drove Confederate forces back, breaking the siege of Chattanooga for good.

Answer: Citizen writing letter to Abe Lincoln

Okay, couldn't pass this up! A Mr. Peter Muggins in a letter to Abe Lincoln. Diagram that sentence! No doubt the other choices yielded some criticism but the sheer eloquence here is memorable. Unlikely a memory of a verbal assault would have done this well.

Answer: Union officer during reconstruction

Attributed to Captain Aldretch, US Army, clarifying his view of post-reconstruction Georgia. The others were killed during the war.

Answer: Abe Lincoln

One of the quotes of Abe Lincoln, no doubt the result of the tremendous hardships he had faced in his life dealing with a son's death and his wife's mental health issues. Funny is that another Lincoln quote was - "Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be."
An interesting side note on Sickles. He shot his wife's lover dead. The lover was the son of Francis Scott Keys (Star Spangled Banner). For the first time in American history Sickles used the temporary insanity defense.