General Lee before the Battle of Gettysburg could have something like:
"One more battle and we'll take Washington. This will end this war and guarantee our freedom."
"One more battle to humiliate the Yankee forces. This will be easy."
General Lee after the Battle of Gettysburg could have said something like:
"That did not go as planned. If only I had had Stonewall Jackson with me."
"How did it all go wrong? We were supposed to win."
"We must regroup quickly so they do not take advantage of our situation."
An intense solar storm can have huge effect on the people and their lives. On a short term, the Earth will receive increased sunlight and because of it heat, so despite that being a problem it will not be a dramatic one. The biggest problem will the damaging effect of the radiation on the satellites and the electronic systems. If the satellites are destroyed, than the world will not be able to communicate on longer distances, with the majority of information and media being totally out. Further, all the systems that use electricity can be damaged, and that can leave the people in a situation where they will not be able to use anything of the items they are so used and dependent on, and leaving us in darkness. In a way, it can return the humans back to the stone age in just few minutes.