What does Catton mean about Antietam's consequences?

[Booklady]

Two of my favorite images when I visited there in April.

 

[milhistbuff1]

Beautiful and sobering shots.

 

[repman66]

Funny, none of them offered to take anyone home with them after emancipation. So yes, as a war means to deny the enemy support they may have cheered the EP. But I still stand by the riots and other sources where the EP was not welcomed. Gangs of New York.

I agree with you in the hypocrisy of most men of the Union, but then hasn't that always been the nature of man?

I'd argue though, that the rich fought, proportionally more, in the Civil War than any of our wars before or since (including the revolution).

The non-fighting population of the North, Copperheads and the like, as well as the poor, were not overwhelmingly supportive of the Emancipation Proclamation. In the case of New York City - violently so

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

Funny, none of them offered to take anyone home with them after emancipation.

Are you referring to Union soldiers taking home black slaves they had emancipated? If so, I have come across quite a few instances where this was done. Offers were made, but not always accepted. If there was not a huge black exodus North immediately after the war, perhaps it was due in no small part to a goal of many slaves, to search for their families from whom they were separated when they were sold.

Here are a couple of examples-

Oh what a feeling of manhood came to me with those words. I felt myself a man, every inch of me. It was my second taste for freedom, the hiring for wages being the first. I took the revolver and cartriges and made up my mind to follow directions if I should be molested and that I would deserve my freedom. I remained with Captain Smith till his term had expired. He and many of his regiment re-enlisted, they were given a furlough and I accompanied him home to Detroit.
Source:

Isaac Johnson, 1844-1905. Slavery Days in Old Kentucky. A True Story of a Father Who Sold His Wife and Four Children. By One of the Children.

William Jackson came home with me as he desired. First I found employment for him as a waiter in a hotel and next in the service of a railroad company. He needed no more help. His sterling qualities won success. For twelve years he served as a station baggage master in our city. He then started in business for himself,
Source:
Service With the Sixth Wisconsin Volunteers by Rufus R. Dawes

 

[Jantzen64]

Are you referring to Union soldiers taking home black slaves they had emancipated? If so, I have come across quite a few instances where this was done. Offers were made, but not always accepted. If there was not a huge black exodus North immediately after the war, perhaps it was due in no small part to a goal of many slaves, to search for their families from whom they were separated when they were sold.

Here are a couple of examples-

Oh what a feeling of manhood came to me with those words. I felt myself a man, every inch of me. It was my second taste for freedom, the hiring for wages being the first. I took the revolver and cartriges and made up my mind to follow directions if I should be molested and that I would deserve my freedom. I remained with Captain Smith till his term had expired. He and many of his regiment re-enlisted, they were given a furlough and I accompanied him home to Detroit.
Source:

Isaac Johnson, 1844-1905. Slavery Days in Old Kentucky. A True Story of a Father Who Sold His Wife and Four Children. By One of the Children.

William Jackson came home with me as he desired. First I found employment for him as a waiter in a hotel and next in the service of a railroad company. He needed no more help. His sterling qualities won success. For twelve years he served as a station baggage master in our city. He then started in business for himself,
Source:
Service With the Sixth Wisconsin Volunteers by Rufus R. Dawes

Wow, sounds like you could write an article, if not a book, on this pretty unique subject.

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

Wow, sounds like you could write an article, if not a book, on this pretty unique subject.

I'm sorry to say that is mostly a result of my investigations into my own family's treatment of their slaves. It wasn't good.

Not every single slave owner was cruel, of course, but slavery was a system that encouraged abuses. A lot depended on what state you lived in and whether you were a field hand or a house servant. And of course, there were those masters who did see their slaves as fellow humans instead of "others" who did not have the same feelings as they did. There just wasn't many of them as far as I can tell.

 

[repman66]

I'm sorry to say that is mostly a result of my investigations into my own family's treatment of their slaves. It wasn't good.

Not every single slave owner was cruel, of course, but slavery was a system that encouraged abuses. A lot depended on what state you lived in and whether you were a field hand or a house servant. And of course, there were those masters who did see their slaves as fellow humans instead of "others" who did not have the same feelings as they did. There just wasn't many of them as far as I can tell.

I remember reading the diary of Charles Bowen and right after the emancipation he is like yes its just a war measure we dont want anything to do with these people

Fast forward to like 1864 and I distinctly remember him writing to his sister "you say I have N****** on the brain" maybe, but I'm convinced these people will make good citizens and be a credit to the country. (non quote paraphrased).

IF you're outside that system, the longer you remain in that system, the more you feel contempt towards it/

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

I remember reading the diary of Charles Bowen and right after the emancipation he is like yes its just a war measure we dont want anything to do with these people

Fast forward to like 1864 and I distinctly remember him writing to his sister "you say I have N****** on the brain" maybe, but I'm convinced these people will make good citizens and be a credit to the country. (non quote paraphrased).

IF you're outside that system, the longer you remain in that system, the more you feel contempt towards it/

One of the revelations my readings of Union diaries has given me is the transformation that took place with so many Union soldiers once they were in the South and observed first hand the effects of slavery.

So many of these young Northern men were not particularly concerned with slavery per se and did not have a particularly warm feeling toward black people or consider them equals. They felt the abolitionists were greatly exaggerating the abuses.

Then they marched into the Southern states and saw for themselves men and women who had horrific scars from whippings or were confronted with blue eyed, light skinned slaves whose fathers were their masters. That was a real shock to many of them, and created a lot of support for the EP where it had not existed before I think.