Surviving the Civil War as long as Samuel Chase Hodgman did is a feat in itself. Hodgman is a fine soldier and in his November 22, November 24, and December 12 letter he has much to complain about but never mutters a disgruntled word in anger. Several of his key strengths are his patriotism, understanding, knowledge, and strong sense of morality. However one must admit that luck is definitely on his side as well.
Much of his strong character can be demonstrated by his skills on the battlefield. At places like Gettysburg and Antietam, he leads the soldiers under him valiantly and avoids death or injury with considerable skill. While these skills are very important you must also consider that he was more than just a soldier. In his letters, which contain a strong vocabulary and excellent grammar, he speaks of soldiers mistreating the dead, a true statement of his respect for the dead and religious tradition. He relates to experiences of his fellow comrades by speaking of his regiment, division, brigade, etc. etc. as a whole group by not just saying "I was freezing cold" but rather "We were freezing cold".
Among all the horrors of war, it sticks out how homesick Hodgman is beginning to sound, but not without valid reasoning. He speaks of how he misses receiving letters from home telling of local news or hearing about what is going on with his acquaintances within his community. In general, however, Samuel is a skilled soldier not just on the battle field, but in the real world as well. .
