Beyond the Facts

During the course of my research into the life and military service of Maj. Edward Burgin Knox of the Forty-fourth New York Infantry (later a colonel in the Illinois National Guard), I discovered a quote that resonates with me for the simple reason that it suggests that one needs to go beyond the facts to capture the essence of a soldier:

“No mere record of military service will give the history of Colonel Knox. His life cannot be measured by dates of commissions, or periods of duty. For into these commissions he poured out all the strength of his life, striving as few men have striven to make these periods fruitful. In his career as a soldier he exemplified the three graces of the warrior — courage, obedience, loyalty — never faltering in times of danger, never hesitating in a swift compliance with all orders given him; and at all times rendering a true and cordial support to his commanders.”

Fortunately, a number of statements that attest to Knox’s character have survived, including the quote above, taken from a MOLLUS memorial sketch.

For many soldiers, these details were not recorded, have not survived, or remain undiscovered, leaving us with just the facts. It is the hunt for these character references that keeps me engaged in researching their lives.