I saw the movie Cold Mountain on Saturday. I liked it. One point of interest for me was my own familial connection to the story. Cold Mountain is about a soldier from the mountains of North Carolina who deserts from the Confederate Army. Other deserters are in the story and face all sort of trouble from the local home guard.

My great-grandfather served in the 62nd North Carolina Infantry. He was from the mountains of NC. He was drafted into the Confederate Army - probably by Home Guard units as portrayed in Cold Mountain. The odds are that some men showed up at his farm and made him join or face death.

Within a year he was a prisoner of war at Camp Douglas in Chicago. (On the way there he was kept at Camp Nelson - only five miles from where I live now.) After his release - probably from a prisoner exchange (common practice in the Civil War - or War of Northern Aggression - depending upon your point of view) he switched sides. He was smart though. He did not go back to the mountains - he joined the Union Cavalry at Nashville, TN.

After seeing Cold Mountain I wondered if he faced in threats or ostracism when he returned to his home. I do know that his family were most likely northern sympathizers. I wonder if his life was threatened for switching sides? Hmm... It is not clear whether he was technically a deserter or not - he may have been mustered out when he was released from Camp Douglas. I imagine some of the people from his home area would not have gone in for nuances or subtle distinctions on the question.

All Civil War enthusiasts ought to see the movie if only for the portrayal of the Battle of the Crater at Petersburg. Wow...