Which side?

[mobile_96]

Steve, It becomes harder to figure out how many in Tenn. fought for either side as many left the state and joined other regiments.
Just finished reading The Orpan Brigade for a online book group, and its amazing what they went thru, especially knowing they couldn't return home during the war, and in some cases, even afterwards because of the division in the state.
Chuck in Il.

[georgian]

Yall, after thinking about it for a while, I have come to the conclusion that I am part Reb and part Yank. My beliefs are more toward the Yank side than the Reb, but I am proud of my Confederate ancestory. Most of all, I guess instead of being a Rebel, I am an American, and a country-boy, and that is the part that stands out. In my eyes, the Yanks were fighting to bring the country back together again. I thank God that the Lee did surrender, because what would our country be like if he hadnt? When my Yank side gets patriotic, it makes me think of all those who lived in the South, but fought for the North, man, I dont care what anyone says, those guys really had courage, and you know that they were criticised by their own ppl for fighting for the North, but they fought for what they believed was right, and I believe in my heart what they fought for, they sacrafised so much, everyone in that war did. I guess I'm a galvanized Yank. Like the saying goes, All Gave Some, But Some Gave All. God Bless

[hoosier]

Georgian, my great-grandfather fought in the 16th Vermont. His regiment performed a flanking maneuver against Pickett's division at the battle of Gettysburg and acquitted itself very well, killing, wounding, and capturing many Confederates.

But from what my family has told me, he never talked very much about the war after it was all over.

I have a feeling that, as you said, he found it very difficult to shoot at his fellow brothers. He did it, because it was his duty, but my guess is that afterwards, when he thought about what he had done, he never felt good about it.

[unionblue]

Dustin,

You have every right to be proud of your Confederate ancestry. Those men were some of the bravest and most courageous men on the battlefield. But George makes a good point too when he says his great-grandfather may have done what he felt was right, but he didn't have to talk about it. But I agree that he never felt good about it.

From those brave men on both sides, we Americans have a proud history to look back on and draw inspiration from. God bless the men on both sides, who felt they were doing their duty.

Unionblue

(Message edited by Unionblue on July 25, 2004)

I have given this idea considerable consideration. There are a lot of variables that are impossible to anticipate. Where am I born for instance. Do I get to know what I know now? Will my participation alter any history etc? Will I get to be an officer or not? Or is it just a question of who I am on the most bone deep level?
Naturally my first inclination is to say I’d have preferred riding with Forrest or being one of Coleman’s scouts, serving under Lee or in the Light Division.

But when I think of who I am, what choices I have made in my life until now under various extreme situations I think the side I would have chosen is, my side. Simply that. Neither slavery nor preserving the union would have mattered too much to me. Even if I had been a Southern abolitionist I would not have opposed State’s Rights or secession. I am very much a proponent of State’s rights. Yet I am pretty much a loner and most certainly not a “joiner.” So the urge to join up because my peers were doing so would not have been much of an influence. I think the side I joined would have been my side. So knowing history as I do and being in Tennessee I guess I would have been shooting whoever was messing with me or mine. If they got me particularly riled I guess I’d go on the hunt. Never did figure why no one whacked more generals in between campaigns. I might have tried to raise a guerilla band to perform some deviously cunning covert operations. Or just kill a few soldiers and head west.
Or just danced at the end of some hemp. Hanging is my favorite way of dying.....

YMOS
tommy

[scone]

Well Said Tommy. Just dont end up like, Dewitt Smith Jobe. One of if not the most horrible story I have ever read. I can't think of a better group of yankees i would like to see dangle from the end of a rope


I think I have asked you this before but have forgotten where abouts are u in Tennessee.

Steven,
I live just west of Nashville in Dickson County. The tiny community is Burns, named after the Union officer that was in control of the occupied territory here. Fair amount of ugly things done by the man and he gets a town named after him. Ain't that something?

Regarding Jobe. One of the first things I wrote when they added the South & Western thread was on Jobe. I posted it Monday, June 02, 2003 - 06:29 am. It was a very ugly deed by the 115th Ohio. Very ugly indeed.

YMOS
tommy

[scone]

I live in just on the other side of Nashville in Mount juliet (Wilson County)

[max]

Hello Pathfinder

Welcome to the group!!!

Max

[georgian]

Guys, truth be known, I'm really fickle about all this. I was wrong in calling myself a Yank, because I am a Southerner. I know some of yall will prob. think I change my mind so much I dont know who I am, lol. But I cannot deny my Southern feelings, and my Southern blood. I just wanted to say, that some of my earlier statements were wrong, and I was influenced a bit by other posts, so I had to state my true feelings. First and foremost, I am a Christian, then an American, then a Southerner, and I am a proud Georgian. I hope yall dont think bad of me cause of all this changing around. Part of me dont really like getting into all this, although I started this thread. May God Bless Yall!