Every pioneer and musician who could carry a musket went into the ranks. Even the sick and foot-sore, who could not keep up in the march, came up as soon as they could find their regiments, and took their places in line of battle, while it was battle, indeed.

Just after writing those we were called up to defend a new position on the left, where the terrible storming of the bridge over the Antietam took place.

Let me say no danger and no hardship ever makes me wish to get back to that college life again.

Rations were scarcely issued, and the men about preparing supper, when rumors that the enemy had been encountered that day near Gettysburg absorbed every other interest, and very soon orders came to march forthwith to Gettysburg.

Oddly, the military world is one of great sameness. There is an orderly quality to life on an army base, and even the children of the military are brought up with that sense of order and sameness.

I feel proud every time I recall the valour and courage of our army men in the war against Pakistan.

The advent of AIDS circa 1980 has really forced medicine and biology to take enormous steps just for sheer survival. The same way war propels hard technology, AIDS has created wartime conditions in the field of biology that will have all sorts of spin-offs.

During the Second World War, evacuated to non-Jewish households, I encountered Christianity at home and in school.