"War was rapidly doing what war did—making ugly everything it touched."

""It is an evil, sir, an unmitigated evil," Lincoln said. "I shall never forget the group of chained Negroes I saw goi…"

"A gun cracked, quite close to the tent. Soldier's instinct pulled Lee's head up. Then he smiled and laughed to himsel…"

"Lang kept at it until everyone had had a turn shooting an AK-47. Then he said, "This weapon can do one other thing I …"

"“What’s the war news?” “They’re killing people,” Sam said, and let it go at that."

"“You wouldn’t bring me fifty dollars. You’re too damn old and too damn uppity.” “I can’t help being old, and I am pro…"

"You kill everybody who doesn’t want to see reason, people will get mighty thin on the ground mighty fast."

"Keeping the Army of Northern Virginia fed and clothed was a never-ending struggle. His men were making their own shoe…"

"Walter Taylor asked, "Mr. Rhoodie, what do you call this rifle of yours? Is it a Rhoodie, too? Most inventors name th…"

"The crowd of ragged Confederates on the White House lawn had doubled and more since he went in to confer with Lincoln…"