What Civil War myth would you like to correct most?

kepi

First Sergeant
Joined
Feb 20, 2015
Location
United States of America
In my short time as a member here, I have looked over quite a few past posts and found several conversations and exchanges relating to myths about the Civil War or facts people just have wrong. This got me to thinking about which myth or incorrect bit of information people here may find the most troublesome, so here is my question for the group:

What Civil War myth, legend, or generally incorrect information would you like to dispel most in American popular culture? (YOU MAY ONLY PICK ONE)

Let us PLEASE be nice to each other, as I have seen this topic can get out of hand.
Thank You.
 
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Perhaps not a myth, but I wish the local library carried at least one book on the WBTS (or any other subject) that was above 3rd grade level. I have to wonder how many myths and misunderstanding is perpetuated by folks not having access to decent books in their local library.
My local library is about the same, and B&N is even worse. I don't recall any class I took on the ACW (but disrecollecting is not unusual for me). All my study has been here and in books that have been recommended right here.

It has been both an adventure and an education. It would seem that many folks here have been edjumacated in the same way. First the interest; then the books; and then the learned discussions.

It would seem that some here got their interest piqued very early and that some glommed onto the subject later. Count me in the latter. I've only been interested in the subject for about 30 years and have nowhere near the acumen of many here. (But that don't keep me from posting.)
 
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That the supposed racially enlightened Lincoln government stopped the exchanged of thousands of white POWs perchance the CS government held a handful of Colored Troop prisoners and might sent them back into slavery rather than exchange them.
 
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My local library is about the same, and B&N is even worse.

I've mentioned this before, but I had to go to other libraries to properly appreciate how good my local library's ACW collection was. (Still is, for that matter, although my research/interest needs are now usually too specific for it...)
 
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I'm finding it nearly impossible to pick one because each myth I pick has an equal and opposite myth. Curing one without curing its opposite would be almost worse than nothing. So, for example, I would like to cure the myth that the North fought to free the slaves, and also the myth that the Confederacy wasn't about slavery. The truth is that the Confederacy seceded over slavery, but then the North fought to preserve the Union. If I can count those two opposed errors as one myth, that would be it.
 
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I'm finding it nearly impossible to pick one because each myth I pick has an equal and opposite myth. Curing one without curing its opposite would be almost worse than nothing. So, for example, I would like to cure the myth that the North fought to free the slaves, and also the myth that the Confederacy wasn't about slavery. The truth is that the Confederacy seceded over slavery, but then the North fought to preserve the Union. If I can count those two opposed errors as one myth, that would be it.

The two sides couldn't really agree on what the war was about at the time; it's not very surprising that there's still no consensus on the question now. :O o:
 
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The myth that the Southern states under the domination of a small group of slaveholders , attempted to destroy the United States without any justification, by an unprovoked attack on Fort Sumter.

That the Union rose up in righteous indignation to put down the 'evil' rebellion and in the process secured emancipation for the slaves.

That the Union in their victory generously refrained from the severe punishments the 'traitors' deserved.

That myths are somehow based on a group of lies that influence people's beliefs and understandings. When in fact, myths are a fundamental human way of understanding human experience. Myths are neither true or false. They are art.

The implicit belief that Northerner's deal in true 'facts' with 'good' motives regarding Southern history, and that the words of Southerners about their own motives and actions are always untrue.

That only Southerners suffer from self-flattering myths.

That the purpose of the Southern 'myth' was to hide a tragic and self-destructive mistake.

That Yankees are somehow gifted with an amazing ability to read the minds of Southerners, especially regarding the above.

That there were Confederates who actually thought they had been mistaken, instead of being regretful at having lost.
 
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The myth I'd most like to revise is that McClellan was out of command during the Battle of Glendale. I've translated la Comte de Paris's diary entry for the events, and have just received the raw logs of USS Galena. I will probably write an article on it in the next few months but have several manuscripts to submit to journals first. Basically pretty much everything you read in the current literature is very, very wrong.
 
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The myth I'd most like to revise is that McClellan was out of command during the Battle of Glendale. I've translated la Comte de Paris's diary entry for the events, and have just received the raw logs of USS Galena. I will probably write an article on it in the next few months but have several manuscripts to submit to journals first. Basically pretty much everything you read in the current literature is very, very wrong.
Awesome....looking forward to it!!!

...... and I didn't even know that it was a myth !
 
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When asking Joseph (or Josephine) J Jamoke "Who won or who did we beat in the Civil War?" and getting the response "Zee Germans/Brits/Japanese/Taliban/The North/Yankees (Even got a Red Sox once)/Russia etc.

For the record, there is no truth to the Myth that Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Russia or Canada fought in the American Civil War. I have never been able to identify one credible source for Taliban cells operating in the Eastern or Western Theater of Operations.

And even if they had been around in the 1860's, I believe the teams were called the Highlanders and the Red Stockings in their early days. Merely speculation on my part though, probably should check that out, just to confirm it.
 
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