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I must confess, I grow mighty weary at the cries that 'Southern' history is being suppressed and that only the 'Northern' version of the Civil War is being published or e
It's my belief that the majority of persons who espouse this point of view are the same persons who continually deny that the southern cause was indeed a "lost cause" from it's very inception.
They cannot study the history as history and have no idea how to understand the CW from a historical perspective.
I want to go back to Will's advocacy of Joshua Chamberlain. I'm obviously pro-yankee, but Chamberlain? I guess it takes all kinds!
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
I imagine some will be surprised to learn that one of my Civil War heroes is Joshua Chamberlain. There was a man!
Will Posey
Yes, indeed! He was wounded six times and still made it Appomatox Court House. Cannot find anything negative about the professor from Maine, who had no prior military training.
__________________
"Those who forget to remember the past are condemned to repeat it", George Santayana.
Don't agree much with proposed solutions but I think I can understand the underlying current of anger.
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
Sometimes, certain search engines just attach such to any web site that does not prevent such from happening. In extreme cases, those who do not agree with an article or subject line of a site deliberately post or attach such.
The idea was to let folks know what some blacks think about the issue. I think it accomplishes that.
Sincerely,
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
I am bring this forward for Hanny and Beowulf to see that the north allow the south to be the writers of civil war and reconstruction history...
So Hanny and Beowulfie start with the first post work your back to hear and maybe you will have a better understanding..... of how magnanimous the north was.
__________________
"States Rights are about States Wrongs" - Jesse Jackson
As far as Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain goes -- I think he was a liked by a good many individuals as 'the man' and taking it on his own to give a honorable salute to the surrendering Confederate Army, by having all of his Division shoulder arms--a salute. General Gordon who headed this formal surrendering of arms; was moved by this and in turn gave an officer's sword salute to Chamberlain. From what I gather, after the Civil War both Chamberlain and Gordon became extremely close friends. When General Gordon passed away, he reportedly broke down and cried deeply.
General Griffins, Chamberlain's former Commander in the Union Army, upon his death gave his sword, to which Chamberlain gave to Gibbons as he had lost his in a fight; and several very personal possessions. General Griffins has noticed Chamberlain since Fredericksburg and all of the mentions of Chamberlain's name by the ranks and file soldiers.
When Chamberlain was so severely wounded, that doctors felt it was mortal; General Grant made a field promotion immediately, raising then Colonel Chamberlain into a Brig. General. It was Grant's first field promotion during the Civil War. The recommendation was rushed through by General Griffins to Grant's location on the battlefield.
So, I am sure from the first wound to the foot and to the last, he wore his wounds honorably and served as a soldier without the 'mean streak' that some possessed. "With Malice towards none" mindset--Lincoln, Grant, Chamberlain and others--perhaps saw the surrendering at Appomattox as the end of the discussion/debate and time to move on.
Grant could have been a real negative spirit in the surrendering of the Confederate Armies. But, he wasn't. Lincoln wasn't eager to strip the Confederates of their dignity either. I feel that Grant and Chamberlain equally wanted the Confederates for all they had done, the bloodshed, losses and havoc of those four years to understand--it wouldn't be forgotten however, for the most part, forgiven. Each fought for what seemed justified and now the process of returning to one united assembly of states and commonwealths was important to begin and put out the fires of those who wish to fan flames of war once again.
This is how I see things and, feel there may be many more men like J. Lawrence Chamberlain in both Armies, who never forgot how to be decent, respectful and show compassion and had resolve.
You know, the Civil War in particular, reminds me of the Bible.
Man's interpretation (or rather, the differences in interpretation) of the Bible has spawned many different religions and denominations. It is the only written (and largely physical) evidence that Jesus ever walked this earth. Yet, millions of us, including myself, believe he existed because the Bible tells us so. Because our hearts and our faith tell us so. More importantly, because Jesus himself says so.
So, we take the words of the Bible as literally as possible, yet there are always differences in opinion over something like places, dates or how things are worded.
Take Jeruselem and the Dome of the Rock for example. How many wars have been fought and men die over something that bears little physical evidence of it's Biblical importance?
My way of thinking is this: most books, movies and etc. can be accused of leaning North or South in their teachings of the Civil War. So, who's telling the truth?
Believe it or not, learning and understanding the Civil War is also more entertaining and enjoyable when you can ask yourself, " I wonder why Grant did that?" and then instead of reaching for your nearest history book, study the words of the most interesting and passionate people since the American Revolution. You will find more statisfaction out of reading what Grant wrote or said on the issue and making your own interpretation than to read someone else's and assume it to be true. Luckily for us, the people of the Civil War bring the supper to the table with countless speeches, letters, diaries and observations that we can read and study for ourselves. Now, we can accuse those same people of lies, conspiracy and I'll even throw in prostitution for fun. However, what we cannot do, is prove it.
Like the Bible, we can do one of two things. We either believe what they say, or we do not. We have the choice, the right, to make that decision.
But remember, like the Bible, those writngs are the only evidence of how those people thought and felt during the Civil War.
Whew...I'm off to watch the Ten Commandments now..lol
__________________
"Persons can talk about the horrors of war but to witness them is a different matter altogether."
--Lt. Col. John Gibson, 14th VA Calvary, battle at Philippi, June 3, 1861
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