Part 1, Chapter 1 Politics of Slavery, Section 1 Summary

Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. was an officer in the Union Army and was known to many as Captain Holmes for the remainder of his life. Later in his life, he often used military metaphors in his daily conversations, as well as in his opinions and dissents.

The Civil War started when he was only 20 years old. He was wounded a total of three times during the war. His first wound was received at his first battle at Ball's Bluff. He was shot through the chest. His second wound was received at the Battle of Antietam. He was shot in the neck while behind enemy lines. His company left him there for dead, but eventually someone found him and got him help. For the remainder of his life, on the anniversary of the battle...