Life After The Civil War

       After 4 long hard years of the North fighting the South the Civil War was finally over. Ethan Edwards could finally come home but come home to fight another war he was not expecting. In the film The Searchers Ethan comes back from fighting to see his girl he's had an eye out for named Debbie. Once he visits Debbie and all of the family they are informed that they think the neighbors horses have been stolen. Ethan and his posse set out but little did they know the Comanches had done this on purpose to lure them out of them house. Once the posse was out of sight the Comanches came in killing all the men and taking all the girls including Debbie. "What makes a man wander? What makes a man roam? What makes a man leave bed and board and turn his back on home?"

        Ethan and his posse catch wind of something not right going on so they head back to camp to find it torn up and everyone dead or missing. Everyone deeply angered and upset they plan to set off and find the girls. In an attempt to find the girls they find Lucy brutally murdered and Debbie in no sight but this doesn't stop Ethan and his posse. Ethan and Martin searched all the way up till winter for the trail but lost it so they decided to go to the Jorgensen ranch where martin is welcomed by Laurie. Ethan reads a letter from a friend saying he knows the whereabouts of where Debbie is. Ethan and Martin meet up at Futtermans trading post and find out who has Debbie and how she is an Indians chiefs wife. Ethan and Martin head to New Mexico and a man leads them to Scar (Debbie's Indian husband). They finally meet with Debbie and she admits that she now is a Comanche and to leave with out her. Ethan enraged takes a shot at Debbie but Martin steps in front of the bullet and gets hit. Martin is healed by Ethan but Ethan is still extremely upset with Martin. They head back to Jorgensen ranch where they find Laurie about to marry another man Martin quickly stops her and takes Laurie back. While at the ranch Ethan and Martin catch wind of where scar is. They raid the camp with the help of more men killing scar and scalping him as well as Debbie decides to go back with the boys. 

Life after the civil war for most every soldier was very enjoyable. Being able to come home to your families and enjoy the company of one another. After the war both sides joined organizations the south joined the United Confederate Veterans and the north joined the Grand Army Of The Republic. Many chapters would meet and enjoy sharing old stories of the war and talking about the good memories about the good ones that never made it back. The last memory both organizations had together was in 1913 when both organizations met back up in Gettysburg fifty four thousand veterans attended this event. for national unification and peace. After the war there was a lot of construction to do rebuilding of houses, buildings and farms. The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 abolished slavery through out all of the northern and southern states. Thousands of slaves fled the plantations and headed north. 

 "life after civil war ." civil war . premier internet,inc. , n.d. Web. 3 Apr 2012. <http://www.civilwar.com/overview/about-us.html>.

"the post war years ." xroads.virginia . N.p., n.d. Web. 4/3/12. <http://xroads.virginia.edu/~cap/scartoons/caremanc.html>.

The Searchers.Dir. John Ford.Perf. John Wayne, Jeffery Hunter, 

Vera Miles.Warner bros, 1956.film.