Beyond the Battlefield The Lost Cause Reflected in Characters’ Passion and Subsequent Defeat Martha Lovell & Greg Marcus

Defining The Lost Cause The Lost Cause is the name given to the idea that the Confederacy was to fail from the beginning due to the superior military and ample resources of the Union, but that they fought against all odds for the cause of states' rights and preserving of the Old South.

Defining The Lost Cause The Lost Cause applies not only to defeat on the battlefield and the defeat of southern preservation, but the defeat both internally and externally of central characters in historical fiction and film who are intricately involved and affected.

Characters Reflecting The Lost Cause The idea of The Lost Cause, of prideful and seemingly arrogant men succumbing to defeat in its many forms is reflected in characters of Gone with the Wind, The Unvanquished, and Killer Angels.

Gerald O’Hara Like the Confederacy, prior to the war Gerald O’Hara of Gone with the Wind is prosperous and prideful. He is proud of the soil on which he stands, and is willing to defend it at all cost.

Gerald O’Hara “Land is the only thing in the world worth working for, worth fighting for, worth dying for- because it’s the only thing that lasts.”

Gerald O’Hara Just as the South is defeated by the North, Gerald O’Hara is defeated by the devastation that surrounds him. The Confederacy surrenders to the Yankees, and O’Hara surrenders to insanity amidst the end of Southern order.

Colonel John Sartoris John Sartoris commands his own regiment. His bravery, hot- bloodedness, and seemingly arrogant nature evidence his passion for and confidence in the Confederacy. William C. Wickham a C.S.A. field commander in Civil War. Used to symbolize “Sartorial splendor.”

Colonel John Sartoris “Then they realized that this wouldn’t stop Father, since he didn’t care whom the men fought under just so they fought” (Faulkner 49). William C. Wickham a C.S.A. field commander in Civil War. Used to symbolize “Sartorial splendor.”

Colonel John Sartoris John Sartoris surrenders to defeat not only on the battlefield but internal defeat and guilt which ultimately destroys him. (George Wyatt) “But he ought to let Redmond alone. I know what's wrong: he’s had to kill too many folks, and that’s bad for a man” (Faulkner 226). William C. Wickham a C.S.A. field commander in Civil War. Used to symbolize “Sartorial splendor.”

Colonel John Sartoris “I had forgot that they would be there; I remember how I thought, since I was tired and spent with strain, Now it will have to begin tonight. I won’t even have until tomorrow in which to begin to resist” (Faulkner 232). William C. Wickham a C.S.A. field commander in Civil War. Used to symbolize “Sartorial splendor.”

Robert E. Lee Lee is prideful and confident in his wisdom and experience. He is regarded as the most esteemed and respected leader, capable of defeating the North.

Robert E. Lee Lee’s confidence in experience and strategy is evident prior to defeat. (Referencing Meade) “He’s new to command. It will take him some days to pick up the reins. His information will be poor, he will have staff problems” (Shaara 89).

Robert E. Lee As the South surrenders, Lee surrenders to the reality that he is responsible for the battle and the lives lost. Although Lee does not die in battle, his spirit and pride are lost with The Cause.

Robert E. Lee “No blame can be attached to the army for its failure to accomplish what was projected by me… I alone am to blame, in perhaps expecting too much of its prowess and valor.. Could I have forseen that the attack on the last day would fail, I should certainly have tried some other course..but I do not know what better course I could have pursued” (Shaara 369).

The Lost Cause Culturally The idea of The Lost Cause, of a people group or region losing a battle defending their beliefs or ways of life can be magnified on a larger scale for all wars, not just the Civil War.

The Lost Cause Culturally Civil War Casualties UnionConfederacy Death from Wounds110,07094,000 Death from Disease249,458164,000 Total Death Rate23 Percent24 Percent Wounded275,175100,000

The Lost Cause Culturally Deaths in American Wars Civil War 618,000 World War 2 405,000 World War 1 112,000 Vietnam War 58,000 Korean War 54,000 Mexican War 13,000 Revolution 4,000 Spanish-American War 2,000 War of ,000

Conclusion The Lost Cause does not apply only to the South battles or the loss of southern morale. The Lost Cause becomes personal in the defeat, both internally and externally, of historical fiction characters like O’Hara, Sartoris, and Lee. The Lost Cause is therefore a humanistic idea and defeat that is magnified beyond the battlefields of

Works Cited Faulkner, William. The Unvanquished. NewYork: Vintage International, Print. Gone With the Wind. Dir. Victor Fleming. Warner Home Video, DVD. Mintz, S. (2012). Digital History. Retrieved June 19, 2012 from Shaara, Michael. The Killer Angels. New York: Ballantine Books, 1974.