Determination and Courage in the Times of War Heroism means having the courage to stand up for a certain belief no matter how dangerous the situation. Devotion to a cause refers to a person’s determination in accomplishing a goal. Civil War literature writers’ Louisa May Alcott, Major Sullivan Ballou, Robert E. Lee, Abraham Lincoln, and Mary Chesnut wrote or orally presented their experiences during the war. Some of the genres comprised letters, poems, journals, diaries, and speeches. Each writer expressed a different point of view on the war because of the part they played. Alcott assisted as a nurse, Ballou fought as a major, Lee lead the Confederate army, Lincoln served as president, and Chesnut watched the war begin. These writers used…show more content… Louisa May Alcott assisted the war efforts as a nurse and wrote letters about her life and experiences called, Hospital Sketches. Her letter’s contents included details of the odors, wounded soldier’s, and her job at the hospital. A nurses job did not just include cleaning wounds and stitching up cuts, but also improving the moral of the soldiers. Alcott wrote about how she had to wipe down dozens of men even though she really did not want too. Heroism involves doing undesirable actions. Nurses braved through smells, festering wounds, and horrors that others did not have to deal with first hand. Since women could not serve as soldiers they had to find other ways to help out. Alcott wrote, “The sight of several stretchers, each with its legless, armless, or desperately wounded occupant . . . admonished me that I was there to work, not to wonder or weep” (Alcott 380). Even with the horrors of war Alcott stayed and helped the wounded. Alcott dedicated her time to comfort the wounded men and braved through the horrors of…show more content… Lee also shows a citizens’ courage and dedication with the letter to his son. Once the war started he commanded the Confederacy but before the war even started he wrote to his son. The letter talks about how he hopes America will not have a civil war, but he knows that the North and South have disputes with each other. In his letter he wrote, “As an American citizen, I take great pride in my country, her prosperity and institutions, and would defend any state if her rights were invaded” (Lee 512). In this one sentence Lee shows his dedication to protecting his country. His willingness to do whatever it takes to bring America together shows his