Hello to the Forum

clara_barton · #1 10-09-2007, 11:06 PM

Hello to all at Civil War Talk. I am very impressed with this forum and the scholarly posts that I have read. It seems that a good number of posters could be college history professors.

I am relatively new to the Civil War history ... my only preconceptions being ones of 'Lost Cause', which were based mainly on ignorance and hearsay. However, after reading many primary documents, I have changed my views. However, still being a neophyte, I was wondering if the forum could help with a few questions that might assist my studies?

1. Would 'Compensated Emancipation' ever have worked, if tried?

2. How is it that you can read 2 versions of someone's biography (Grant and Lincoln, in particular), and it seems like you're reading the life of 2 entirely different people?

3. Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan ... should there war tactics be considered 'War Crimes'?

4. Finally, what 1 book will assist me most in my Civil War studies?

Perhaps, these questions should be another thread, but I'm not sure where they would go.

Again, greetings to all.

ole · #2 10-10-2007, 02:42 AM

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1. Would 'Compensated Emancipation' ever have worked, if tried?

2. How is it that you can read 2 versions of someone's biography (Grant and Lincoln, in particular), and it seems like you're reading the life of 2 entirely different people?

3. Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan ... should there war tactics be considered 'War Crimes'?

4. Finally, what 1 book will assist me most in my Civil War studies?

Perhaps, these questions should be another thread, but I'm not sure where they would go.

clara: I suppose it should be on another thread, but we might trust that the powers will move it to where it belongs.

All these questions are subjective, and entirely dependent on how you interpret what you read. And what you read. But as a way to draw you into the parlor, I'll give you my shot.

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1. Would 'Compensated Emancipation' ever have worked, if tried?

It was discussed frequently at different levels of government. It was just never discussed seriously and nowhere close to conclusively. You can imagine the scenario: You live in upstate NY and someone's going to ask you to pitch in to buy and free someone else's slaves? Or you're a VA slaveowner and are offered nowhere near what you could sell your slave's for downriver. Offered. Rejected.

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2. How is it that you can read 2 versions of someone's biography (Grant and Lincoln, in particular), and it seems like you're reading the life of 2 entirely different people?

Bias. Few biographies are inspired by ambivalence. Autobiographies even less so. A delightful discovery is that there are, for some of the notables, collections and diaries in their own words. Such offer the opportunity to make your own judgements. Can't get away from bias. Best thing you can do is learn to recognize it.

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3. Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan ... should there war tactics be considered 'War Crimes'?

Some do. Some don't. Again, it's very difficult to be entirely objective. What, exactly, was a "war crime"? The Geneva Convention hadn't codified anything. There was the perception of the "gentleman's war" based on tradition and whatever morality the soldier and officer held. As you might expect, the "soldier" had a widely varied sense of honor. I would pose to you a question: Can you think of a war, any war, that ended without destroying a whole bunch of stuff--most especially the civilian support?

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4. Finally, what 1 book will assist me most in my Civil War studies?

Can't do that. There is no one book. I'd suggest Woman of Valor, as (by your handle, that would seem to be of interest. Problem is, there is no single book that will satisfy anyone's desire to study the USCW. If you'd come back with an indication of your specific, initial interest, you'll get a number of suggestions.

In keeping with the spirit of the thread. You will find much information and thought-provoking contention on this board. The only dumb question is the one you don't ask.

ole

Ozark Iron John · #3 10-10-2007, 08:29 AM

tips is hat to the lady.

5fish · #4 10-10-2007, 02:31 PM

NO! The tactics use by Gen. Grant, Gen Sherman, and Gen, Sheridan should not be considered "War Crimes"

They were the first provocateurs of modern warfare a concept referred to as "Total War".

If you call their tactics war crimes then our bombing of German cities in WW2 would be consider "War Crimes".

WAR CRIMES are in the eye of the beholder.

clara_barton · #5 10-10-2007, 03:55 PM

Thank you, ole, for the thoughtful reply. I should have realized these questions should have been threads, each of them, alone. I will especially look for letters and diaries of some of the significant characters in their own words to help me get a better judgment of the period. I'm checking on Woman of Valor now.

5fish, I guess you're right in some ways that "War Crimes" are in the eye of the beholder. But the beholder is sometimes at the brute end of the war tactic which makes their vision less than objective, right?

Ozark Iron John, thanks.

cash · #6 10-10-2007, 04:33 PM

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