Children of U.S. Civil War Vets Reminisce About Fathers | National Geographic | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

A Civil War veteran shares his experiences of fighting in the war, being captured, and his life after the war.

Key Insights

• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Louis F. Gay's father's war experience shaped him, but he never held animosity towards the Confederates or Southern people.
• 🫱 The prisoner exchange system during the war saved Louis F. Gay's father's life.
• 💆 Louis F. Gay's father got married late in life and had a child at the age of 82.
• 👨 President Lincoln showed concern for the treatment of prisoners and personally examined Louis F. Gay's father's wounds.
• 🥶 Louis F. Gay's father passed away when he was nine years old, leaving behind a legacy of forgiveness and understanding.
• 👨 The war experience affected Louis F. Gay's father, but he saw both sides as men fighting away from home.
• 👨 Louis F. Gay's father's time as a prisoner in Libby Prison shaped his perspective on fair treatment.

Transcript

my father louis f gay fought in the war between the states and company air force florida regiment my father historically met president lincoln two separate times my father lived somewhere near lake butler florida where he enlisted in the army and he was sent to cedar key he was guarding the people there and was captured and sent to the north to pri... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Louis F. Gay's father end up joining the army during the Civil War?

Louis F. Gay enlisted in the army near Lake Butler, Florida, and was sent to Cedar Key to guard the people there.

Q: What battles did Louis F. Gay participate in during the Civil War?

Louis F. Gay fought in the Battle of Atlanta and the Battle of Chickamauga. Most of his original company had been killed by this time.

Q: How did Louis F. Gay survive a severe gunshot wound during the war?

After being shot through the neck and shoulder with a mini ball, Louis F. Gay's fellow soldiers applied mouth-to-mouth suction to help him breathe, a technique unheard of in that period.

Q: How did Louis F. Gay's father meet President Lincoln?

Louis F. Gay's father met President Lincoln on the invitation of Senator Doolittle from Racine, Wisconsin. Lincoln had known about his father's imprisonment and examined his wounds personally.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The narrator's father, Louis F. Gay, fought in the Civil War and met President Lincoln twice.

• Louis was captured and sent to a prison in the North where he was exchanged and went back into service.

• He survived several battles and was wounded before being captured again and held in Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia.