For example, as the Union army is preparing for camp, Kilrain informs Chamberlain that a slave has been found, which prompts them to have a conversation about that matter. On the topic of race, Kilrain believes that man “cannot judge a race. Every man who judges from the group is a peacock. Take men one at a time and I've seen some black men who have earned my respect. Some. Not many. But some." Kilrain also suggests that "freed blacks will prove no better than many of the whites who are fighting to free them." Kilrain, a foreigner, feels compelled to fight this war to prove to others that "he is a better man than many others, whether it clearly refers to blacks is very possible, since Northerners are now concerned about freed blacks taking up job opportunities