Analysis Of The Boys War By Jim Murphy

“An exciting adventure.” That was the mentality of boys and men all over the North and South, leading up to the Civil war. Seeing an alternative to the monotonous farm life, many men were eager and filled with anticipation at the thought of being in a war. In The Boys War by Jim Murphy, these men and boys learn the truth about war. Many preconceptions are shattered, and fantasies are broken wide open by reality. One common misconception was that the fighting would be constant, but this was not the case. When soldiers were not marching, being drilled, or in the midst of a skirmish, there was often leisure time. During these periods, men and boys were free to pursue activities and games. Gambling, pulling pranks, and occasional fraternization were three pastimes of men and boys alike during the war.
Cards or dice were easy to fit in heavy packs of the men, and provided hours of entertainment. Rewards for winning a bet ranged from food to money, both extremely coveted by soldiers. In the early months of 1863, many soldiers went through a “religious phase”, and gambling and card-playing dropped to a bare minimum. However, many men lost their respect for the long-winded ministers, and went back to their cards. An additional advantage and motivation for young men to gamble was for the potential “easy money”. Most boys came from poor families, and even a small sum of money would go a long way. Money earned from gambling was also used by soldiers to purchase extra food, adding to their meager rations, and to buy extra supplies. Gambling was a major part in the Civil War, and provided an easy source of enjoyment for soldiers of all