15. Below is an excerpt from the poem, O'Captain! My Captain!, by Walt Whitman. This was written after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and is a selfreflection on the loss of the Union leader. In a paragraph, talk about what was lost, during the Civil War. What do you think the thoughts of the people were after the war? Try to look at it from all sides: North, South, and slaves. Use evidence that occurred in the Civil War to back up your response. Try to put yourself in the shoes of each side and ask yourself, "How would I feel?" This response is about personal reflection on the events and backing it up with evidence. My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still, My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will, The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done, From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won; Exult O shores, and ring O bells! But I with mournful tread, Walk the deck my Captain lies, Fallen cold and dead.
During the Civil War, a great deal was lost on all sides. In the North, many felt a sense of grief and loss for the thousands of soldiers who had died fighting for the Union cause. Families were torn apart, and communities were devastated by the impact of war. In the South, the loss was felt on a different level, as the defeat of the Confederacy meant the end of the way of life that many had known for generations. The institution of slavery was also lost during the war, bringing freedom to millions of African Americans. For the slaves, the end of the war meant a chance at a new beginning and the hope of a brighter future. The thoughts of the people after the war were likely filled with a mix of emotions - from sadness and grief to relief and hope for the future. The poem, "O Captain! My Captain!" captures the sense of loss and mourning that many felt after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, symbolizing the pain and sorrow that the nation experienced in the aftermath of the war.
