This is an anti-war anthem. Phil Ochs is making the statement that after having killed so much, and after having lost so much in generations past, he, as a human, is done marching to war and hopes that others will join him.
In this song, Ochs is singing from the voice of those who have fought wars throughout history; Buffy Sainte-Marie took a similar tack in her song "Universal Soldier." Starting with the Battle Of New Orleans from 1815, Ochs' soldier goes through Little Big Horn, the American Civil War, and two World Wars. Looking back, he wonders where it got him and why he's still fighting.
When he released this song in 1965, the Vietnam War was escalating, but "I Ain't Marching Anymore" isn't specifically about that conflict. Ochs knew that topical protest songs had short shelf lives, and he wanted the song to last. He was happy with the results, citing it as one of his personal favorites.
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