There, every man you meet was in the war; and every lady you meet saw the war.

The war is the great chief topic of conversation.

The interest in it is vivid and constant; the interest in other topics is fleeting.

Mention of the war will wake up a dull company and set their tongues going, when nearly any other topic would fail.

In the South, the war is what A.D.is elsewhere: they date from it.