You ask me if I will not be glad when the last battle is fought, so far as the country is concerned I, of course, must wish for peace, and will be glad when the war is ended, but if I answer for myself alone, I must say that I shall regret to see the war end.

George Armstrong Custer United States cavalry commander (1839-1876)

Meaning of the quote

This quote expresses the complex feelings of a soldier during wartime. Though the soldier wishes for peace and an end to the war for the good of the country, the soldier also admits that they will be personally sad when the war finally ends. The soldier has grown accustomed to the purpose and camaraderie of military life, and the end of the war means the soldier will have to return to normal civilian life, which they may find less fulfilling. The soldier's mixed emotions reflect the bittersweet nature of war's conclusion.

About George Armstrong Custer

George Armstrong Custer was a renowned U.S. Army officer who fought in the Civil War and the Indian Wars. Despite finishing last in his West Point class, he rose to the rank of brigadier general and became a celebrated cavalry commander. His dramatic death at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, known as ‘Custer’s Last Stand,’ cemented his place in American history.

More about the author

More quotes from George Armstrong Custer

I appeal to you as a soldier to spare me the humiliation of seeing my regiment march to meet the enemy and I not share its dangers.

George Armstrong Custer