Walt Whitman's "Beat! Beat! Drums!" is more of an urgent harangue than a poem, and its portrayal of the war differs greatly from that of Horton's and Timrod's. The poem seems more like a battlecry because of its excitement denoted by the exclamation marks and because of its insistence on silencing beautiful things. For instance, Whitman writes, "Leave not the bridegroom quiet--no happiness must he have now with his bride, nor the peaceful farmer any peace, ploughing his field or gathering his grain." This attitude is angry and pertinacious; it insinuates that the war is necessary and should involve all. This is different from the way that Timrod and Horton portray the war, but it does support Neely's opinion on Whitman's perspective.
Neely states that Whitman viewed the war not as "a war for liberation", but "a war for union". Whitman does indeed express this desire for union by mentioning many different people in the poem. Specifically, these people are dropping what they are doing because of the loud beating of the drums and playing of the bugle. For example, Whitman commands the drums to beat so loud "into the solemn church, and scatter the congregation, into the school where the scholar is studying." He also speaks of talkers, singers, and lawyers being interrupted by the persistent beating of the drums. These excerpts represent Whitman's desire for unity because he is not only talking of those who are in the army; he includes occupations from all ends of the spectrum: from farmers to scholars. In addition, Whitman enforces "Mind not the timid--mind not the weeper or the prayer". By commanding the drums to dismiss the "timid" and those who cry and pray, Whitman expresses that he not only wants union, but a strong union.
This standpoint differs from that expressed by George Moses Horton in his poem "The Spectator of the Battle of Belmont". In this work, Horton speaks of the war passionately and tragically, speaking of "the blood-crimson veil which spreads over the field." This contrasts with Whitman's lack of mentioning a battle at all. Horton also talks of how "the conflict begins from the twang of the drummer, and ends with the peal of a tragical tale." This is similar to Whitman's poem in that the drummer initiates the battle.
Henry Timrod is also a Southern poet who speaks of the Civil War in his poems differently than Whitman. Timrod says of the war, "if it may be, save these sacred fields of peace from stain of patriot or of hostile blood!" Timrod's "The Cotton Boll" contrasts directly with Whitman, who says to let not "the peaceful farmer [have] any peace". On the contrary, Whitman and Timrod are somewhat similar in their fervent drive for war. For instance, Whitman's zealous feelings are expressed with his repetition of "Beat! Drums! Beat!" and the strong insistence, as denoted above. Timrod expresses his passion through his cry to God to "strike with us!"
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I think that Whitman is being very sarcastic in this poem altogether; that he takes on the voice of the drums in order to prove a point. He also seems to be acting like the drum but in an opposite direction. Both he and the drum are alerting forces, both are trying to call the listener’s attention to a point. The drums wish to call attention to the war, to drive people to support it and drop all else. Whitman is calling attention to the drums, and their seductive manner by showing how the people in his poem are suffering and being deceived.
As for unity, i feel that he is implying that the drums are bringing people together but it is for the wrong reasons and will lead to sadness. The drums drown out the mother and the old, the wisdom of age is ignored and the protection of family and love is silenced. That does not suggest healthy unity, much the opposite. It suggests a unity that war is promising the people. The drumbeat is a symbol of war and it creates highly passionate, ardent responses from the townspeople described. It excites the townspeople to frenzy; they drop everything and follow it like mice following the piper. The imagery brought to mind by this fast paced enthusiastic movement is that of a town, dancing and cheering their way to sign up for a war which has drawn them in by deceitful means, by the pressure of the drumbeats. The townspeople are unified in their efforts in the war, in following the drums, but it is NOT implied that their efforts are worthwhile or good in any way. The people are deceived by the musical tone of the drums into believing the promise of unity through destruction of everything, of happiness, religion, family, occupation, education and peace. War leaves "no happiness" and is a "wild", "shrill", "fierce", and "terrible" entity. Whitman is pointing this out and saying that the war itself and the violence of its every move, even the beating drums, is not the best way to look for unity, since it tears apart the very people wishing to create peace.
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