Some Observations About The Civil War [sic]

From Rebel With A Clue:

Wednesday


The Civil War

The History of the Civil War and our Southern Heritage have been clouded for years in our public schools, slavery was an issue but not the reason for the Civil War it was actually fought for economic reasons, most Southerners did not own slaves so why would they fight to preserve it. The Confederate Battle Flag stands for Pride and Heritage in the South not hate and racism.







Cause of The War for Southern Independence

The Civil War was a war of aggression against the South. The Northern states had the majority of the industrial capabilities and depended on raw products from the South to survive. The Southern states grew tired of high tariffs and over taxation without sharing in the revenue received by the Northern states from Southern products.



The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 was the beginning of the secession of seven states in the South. South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas seceded from the union and formed The Confederate States of America. The Confederate states were able to trade directly with other nations with a much lower Confederate tariff. Rather than fairly compete with the low Confederate tariff by lowering the federal tariff, The Lincoln Republicans and their Northern financial backers chose instead to destroy the Confederacy by force.



One of the first things Jefferson Davis did after assuming office as president of the Confederate States of America was to send a peace delegation to Washington, D.C., in an effort to establish friendly ties with the federal government. The Confederacy offered to pay the South’s share of the national debt and to pay for all federal installations in the Southern states. Lincoln rejected all Confederate peace offers and insisted that federal armies would invade the Southern states if they didn’t renounce their independence and recognize federal authority.



The Confederate government attempted to negotiate the withdrawal of a small federal garrison that occupied Fort Sumter, South Carolina, on December 26, 1860. Lincoln decided not to withdraw the garrison. Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. Lincoln issued a call-up of 75,000 troops to put down what he claimed was a "Rebellion" in the South. Four more Southern states joined the Confederacy Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Lincoln sent federal armies into the South. Kentucky and Missouri joined the Confederacy even though their efforts to secede had failed.



Slavery was not the issue for The War of Northern Aggression (aka Civil War); Lincoln himself stated, "The war is being fought for the Union, not slavery". In 1862 in Tennessee a squad of Union soldiers captured a lone, ragged and underfed Confederate soldier. It was obvious that this Confederate soldier owned no slaves and was a worker of the land himself.



The Union soldiers asked the Confederate "What are you fighting for?"



The Confederate soldier simply replied, "I'm fighting because you are down here".



The Confederacy did not want to go to war. Simply put The War for Southern Independence was fought by The South to preserve their God given right to govern and defend themselves as provided under the Constitution. The North losing the Southern States and allowing them their independence would mean economic disaster for the North. This would never be tolerated and would be stopped by whatever means necessary! The war was not fought to end slavery; the war was fought because Lincoln refused to allow the South to go in peace.

Civil War Generals



Robert E Lee

Robert E. Lee was born January 19, 1807 in Westmoreland County, VA.



At the beginning of the secession movement Lee did not agree with the political and economic arguments for Southern independence. Though, unfortunate as the choice was, if pressed to choose between fighting for Virginia or for the Union, Lee realized the decision would be simple. Lee's loyalties proved to be on the side of the South.



On April 18, 1861 Lee was offered field command of the United States Army. On the following day, he received word that Virginia had seceded from the Union; he submitted his letter of resignation from the United States Army on April 20. Three days later, Lee accepted the position of commander of Virginia forces. From this point onward, Lee's identity became linked to the Confederate cause. At the age of 55, on May 31, 1862, Robert E. Lee was assigned to command the troops, which he named "The Army of Northern Virginia". During the Civil War he worked closely with Jefferson Davis, J.E.B. Stuart. He is best known for his victories in the Battle of second Manassas (second Bull Run), and the Battle of Chancellorsville. Named General-In-Chief of all Confederate Armies on February 6, 1865, his tenure in this position was cut short by his surrender to General Grant at the Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, thus ending the Civil War.



After the war, Lee returned to Richmond, he was indicted for treason though never brought to trial. Lee died on October 12, 1870. Robert E. Lee was buried in Lexington and remembered as an educator, a soldier, and a Christian gentleman who lived his life with dignity. Lee has been compared to General George Washington in terms of the respect he earned from his soldiers, his region, and the nation.

Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson

(1824-1863)



Thomas J. Jackson is one of the most revered of all Confederate commanders. A graduate of West Point in 1846, he had served in the Mexican War, earning two brevets, before resigning to accept a professorship at the Virginia Military Institute.



At the beginning of the Civil War he resigned from VMI and was commissioned a colonel in the Virginia forces and dispatched to Harpers Ferry where he was active in organizing the raw recruits until relieved by Joe Johnston. Leaving Harpers Ferry, his brigade moved with Johnston to join Beauregard at Manassas. In the fight at 1st Bull Run they were so distinguished that General Barnard Bee dubbed both the brigade and its commander “Stonewall”. The 1st Brigade was the only Confederate brigade to have its nickname become its official designation. That fall Jackson was given command of the Valley with a promotion to major general.



In the invasion of Maryland, Jackson was detached to capture Harpers Ferry and was afterwards distinguished at Antietam with Robert E.Lee. He was promoted after this and given command of the now official 2nd Corps. It had been known as a wing or command before this. He was disappointed with the victory at Fredericksburg because it could not be followed up. In his greatest day he led his corps around the Union right flank at Chancellorsville and routed the 11th Corps.



Reconnoitering that night, he was returning to his own lines when he was mortally wounded by some of his own men. Following the amputation of his arm, he died eight days later on May 10, 1863, from pneumonia. Stonewall Jackson is buried in Lexington, Virginia.



Robert E. Lee wrote of him with deep feeling "He has lost his left arm, but I have lost my right arm."



Nathan Bedford Forrest



Born July 13, 1821 in Chapel Hill, Tennessee. Nathan Bedford Forrest was a farmer, real estate dealer, and slave trader. He had earned a fortune of app. 1,500,000 before the war started and spent most of this money during the war on such things as clothing his troops.



Nathan Bedford Forrest was a natural tactician who earned the praise of his enemies. Both Grant and Sherman feared this man who entered the Confederate forces a private and left a general. His formula for success was "get there first with the most men." His prowess as a cavalry leader and battlefield general earned him the envy of even his adversaries and the title, "Wizard of the Saddle," early on in the war. This title is the source of many arguments now.



On Dec. 24, 1865, six young Confederate veterans met in the law office of Judge Thomas M. Jones. The meeting resulted in the idea of forming a social club, a 1860s version of the VFW or American Legion. Their number quickly grew, and in meetings that followed, the men selected a name based on the Greek word "kuklos" meaning circle, from which they derived the name Ku Klux. Perhaps bowing to their Scotch-Irish ancestry, and to add alliteration to the name, they included "clan," spelled with a K. And so, quite innocently, a new social club called the Ku Klux Klan was created to provide recreation for Confederate veterans.



When Forrest was elected Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan in 1867 at the Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville, he wasn't even in town. He was elected in absentia. The best research shows that Forrest never "led the Klan," never "rode with" the Klan, nor did he ever own any Klan paraphernalia. The only known order that Forrest issued using his famous name and perceived authority was for the KKK to disband in 1869, which it finally did in 1871. History shows that Nathan Bedford Forrest never was a part of the KKK but his unproven "brief association" with the Klan will forever raise questions about one of America's greatest tactical minds.



When the war ended, Forrest was virtually broke, having spent most of his estimated pre-war fortune of $1.5 million outfitting his troops. He spent his time between business ventures in Memphis and his farm in Mississippi. He died in Memphis, Tennessee on October 29, 1877.









Flags of The Confederacy

The Bonnie Blue was the first unofficial flag of the Confederacy. It can be traced back to 1810 and was used as a symbol of Southern Independence. Sometimes used as a flag of secession. The Bonnie Blue served as the unofficial flag of the Confederacy until the Stars and Bars replaced it.

The First Official Flag of The Confederacy (The First National or Stars and Bars) was used from March 1861 to May 1863; the seven stars represent the original seven states, South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. This flag was replaced because it closely resembled the Stars and Stripes used by the union making it hard to distinguish on the battlefield.

The Second Official Flag of The Confederacy (The Second National or Stainless Banner) was used from May 1863 to March 1865, The ANV Battle Flag or Southern Cross was placed on a white background to set it apart from the Stars and Stripes. The thirteen stars represent the original seven states plus four more that joined us, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. The two remaining stars represent Kentucky and Missouri who joined us although their efforts to secede had failed.



The Third Official Flag of The Confederacy (The Third National) was adapted in 1865, a broad band of red was added to the end of the flag because when hanging limp the solid white background resembled a flag of surrender. This is the Adopted Flag of The Confederate States of America.



The Confederate Battle Flag "The St. Andrews Cross" flew from 1863 throughout the Confederacy, The Battle Flag was designed as an official banner to distinguish it from the Stars and Bars on the field of battle, and it flew proudly over every battlefield.



The Confederate Navy Jack or Southern Cross was used as a navy jack beginning in 1863, Although it was not actually a National Flag of the Confederacy, This is the most recognized Flag of the South which many people misquote the name as The Stars and Bars. The Confederate Battle Flag or Southern Cross brings a sense of Pride and Heritage to the South. Let's keep her flying.

Posted by Jimmy at 6:02 PM