Diary of a Napoleonic Foot Soldier Questions

 Niko Cantu

Mr.Roddy

IHSS

1 November 2021


Diary of a Napoleonic Foot Soldier Questions


1)It seems to follow a fairly typical style of writing for a diary as he talks in first person to explain the events that are happening to him. He uses the word they to describe the group of soldiers that he is traveling with and with the context we had when we started reading where we did it seemed to make sense. If I was writing a diary in this time and in the condition he was in I would say I would follow a similar path of writing when talking about the events of travels in the army.  


2)A worry that Jacob mentioned many times in the reading was starvation. Considering they were the enemies on that land at the time it was harder for them to have food. While they were able to make it to towns and have the chance of finding bread and oats, starvation was still possible on the long cold routes they went, from town to town. Considering they were marking throw snow and very cold weather starvation was an even more dangerous thing not only for the soldiers but for the horses. You can understand the pain that any person would feel if they were deprived of food in an unknown and dangerous environment for them, especially if they also have to rely on feeding their only form of transportation.


3) A hardship that stood out to me was “Again and Again...snow”(Page 72). Considering their current location in Russia there was no natural warmth aside from fire so this seemed to be the only option. Although the fact they resulted in using their own dead soldiers to avoid the cold snow is a terrifying example of how they thought they would best survive.  It is hard to say if I would do the same condensing I have no experience that would match the one they are in. While I think it is somewhat inhumane I do understand that this decision came out of wanting to survive rather than die a painfully cold death.


4)Jacob talks about how camaraderie in such an environment which they were in is such a necessary thing. Not only having to survive the terrain and the war is difficult but if your fellow soldiers are also against you, it can make things much harder. When Jacob was forced to kill his friend after he simply accused Jacob of stealing his bread, it is sad and terrifying how quickly someone can change and turn on you. The war and the constant movement that the soldiers have to endure simply pushes them to their edge, making everyone more violent and frustrated, making the comeradeir in their group much harder as they all try and survive the same difficulties.

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