@Peter Renfro Not consequential! My Nephew, a Marine, was issued one, or I, too, would have been unaware. Full-auto capability is in reality more frightening and devastating to the non-involved than those familiar with it's foibles! Frank
Interesting! I love to read about the civil war. I'm not an expert, but my g-grandfathers (on mom's side) were in the Stonewall Brigade. They joined the same day and became part of the Grayson Co. Dare Devils. Each county had a name they were known by. I blocked off the last names, but their names were George Washington ******* and Andrew Jackson *******.. There is a rumor that the second G.W. on the list has the age copied wrong, and should have been 49 instead of 29. (he would be my g-g grandfather). Supposedly he hadn't heard from his sons and wanted to find them (if they were still alive). So he joined the army to look for his sons. (I haven't been able to verify this) G.W. was wounded twice and was not able to walk very well, so they let him out. (if the wound had been a couple of inches in the wrong direction, I wouldn't he here.) They were farmers and owned no slaves. This is still a sensitive issue around here, so I don't often talk about it. I have many good friends who are of different nationalities in my church, and I was on a visitation team composed of myself, my asst pastor, and a great lady, who was African American. We became close, and I consider her one of my best friends. I was in her wedding.
I had a George Washington XXXXX in my family also. One of his sons was killed at the 2nd battle of Bull Run another son died of disease at hospital Washington D.C., yet a third survived the war and became my GGG Grandfather. There were two other sons and a daughter by his second wife, but they were to young to serve. It will probably post sideways, but this is my GGG Grandfather Benjamin Richard.
I had an ancestor who lived in the western part of what was then Virginia, and he and many colleagues managed to detach that area from the Confederacy and create the new state of West Virginia, which became part of the Union. Sounds impossible, but it happened
I don't think the confederates displayed a great degree of honor. They hated the United States, attacked the United States, and all because they thought the U.S. was going to force them to give up their beloved slavery. The confederates were fools and monsters. That a lot of them got killed in the war was the only thing good that came out of the war.
I think you missed Ken's point. No the Confederacy was not an honorable group. However many,many instances demonstrating individual honor,occurred. Many were the unauthorized,seemingly bizarre pauses in battles so the wounded could be cleared and receive aid. Actually the Southern States held much more closely to the original intent than Lincoln. unfortunately they picked a dog of a cause to hang their hats on. Lincoln destroyed what the founders intended, a group of semi autonomous states bound together to promote commerce. Lincoln got the ball rolling on emasculating states rights and creating a nation of impotent cells chafing under the heavy hand of centralized command. But to say there was no honor in the Confederacy is just wrong. I had kin folk kilt by them damn rebels,but still can recognize reality.
The British instituted slavery in colonial days in order to make a profit by farming tobacco and cotton in the agricultural south. After independence, southerners were born into the institution of slavery and were not responsible for it. The problem was, that the agricultural benefit of slavery was the basis of their economy. They were between a rock and a hard place when it came to slavery.
The average size of a Civil War soldier, whether Union or Confederate, was Height: 5'8", and Weight: 143 pounds. Hal
I have to agree with Lon on post 27. What was stated is untrue of my ancestors, as you can see in my post 17, where I have listed the dates of my grandfather and his brother when they enlisted. They were farm laborers, as recorded, and no slaves at all are in my background at all. What do you do if most of your neighbors in your community as well as your cousins, uncles, etc are joining the army to fight for their way of life? What is the honorable thing to do? Don't you remember the line in "Gone with the Wind" when Rhett, who at first wanted no part in battle, later said that he was not at all proud of himself. He had a change of heart when he saw the carnage his friends were enduring, and so did what he should have at first, and joined the army? It is true that there lots of misdeeds, but it happened on both sides. While my grandfather was wounded in action twice, his brother Andrew was captured at Spotsylvania Court House and sent to Elmira, N.Y., one of the worst prisons ever. It is well-known how bad it was, they had no clothes, no heat, little food (bread and water only) and the winters of '63 and '64 were very bitter and cold. Almost 3000 died of the 12,000 total. Read the last few paragraphs of how bad it was: https://www.mycivilwar.com/pow/ny-elmira.html Their condition was so bad, some of the most ill and destitute were sent by train to Point Lookout, Maryland to help them survive, but some of them even died on the train before arriving, including my g grandfather's brother Andrew. So, I realize that the prisons where very bad on both sides, with many atrocities and Andersonville, Ga. was one of the worst in the south, filled with federals. My point is that, we must be fair. Also, I don't agree with you that the confederates hated the United States, unless you have some proof of a statement like that.
And John Brown was hung in 1859 for leading a bunch of choir boys to a church picnic and Gen. Sherman’s army were just part time soldiers having fun marching and singing whilst handing out food bags and clothing to southern seniors, women and children. In all seriousness, slavery was one of the least important items which caused the south to want to secede from the Union.
Well, I have another small query. How did Lincoln do all of that in less than a month in office? James Buchanan was the president prior to Lincoln and was noted to be after the stylings of Jackson. Ya know, Andrew Jackson, the same Jackson who sent troops down to Florida to collect runaway slaves. The same Jackson who allowed those same troops to massacre the Seminoles for allowing the runaways to take sanctuary with them...? Now yes, Lincoln was the first president to take office in the newly founded Republican Party and because of that do check out the old guard in the House of Representatives and the Senate. In particular, check out what was happening in those newly formed southern states (and territories) springing from the 1803 land purchase from France. Who was it really who pushed for the tariffs on products coming from the south? It’s a given the federal income tax started in 1861 during Lincolns administration but who in Congress was directly responsible for writing the bill for those tariffs? But I do agree with you though that the Confederacy was no less and no more barbaric than the Union Army. As I well know, war brings out the very worst in people.