It's Appomattox Day
- Thread starter MyTeamIsOnTheFloor
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An engrossing word picture of Appomattox was written by
Jeff Shaara in Here is Chamberlain's account of that event and his salute to Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.
Another good read is April 1865; my favorite US history book ever.
This post was edited on 4/10 10:51 AM by CO. Hoosier
Jeff Shaara in Here is Chamberlain's account of that event and his salute to Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.
Another good read is April 1865; my favorite US history book ever.
This post was edited on 4/10 10:51 AM by CO. Hoosier
Chamberlain was remarkable
And proof liberal arts professors are not as useless as you think. Rhetoric sounds like a degree I hear people complain about.
Our understanding of Gettysburg is due to him. When the park was formed and the "official" history written, his voice was first among equals. Oates, whom he battled on Little Round Top, was very bitter about Chamberlain's influence. But that was common after the war, what is taught as a key part of Shiloh never happened. But it made some Iowa units look good and their commander was in charge of writing the history.
Chamberlain took to soldiering. Part of it was his commitment, he was an abolitionist who felt his death was a fair price for the cause, at the same point he cared for his men and had a quick mind. And he had some luck.
And proof liberal arts professors are not as useless as you think. Rhetoric sounds like a degree I hear people complain about.
Our understanding of Gettysburg is due to him. When the park was formed and the "official" history written, his voice was first among equals. Oates, whom he battled on Little Round Top, was very bitter about Chamberlain's influence. But that was common after the war, what is taught as a key part of Shiloh never happened. But it made some Iowa units look good and their commander was in charge of writing the history.
Chamberlain took to soldiering. Part of it was his commitment, he was an abolitionist who felt his death was a fair price for the cause, at the same point he cared for his men and had a quick mind. And he had some luck.
Sam Grant pitched great in relief
A little quibble, I don't think that day was the problem. Lee agreed to surrender as opposed to going guerrilla. That saved the nation a lot of pain right there. Chamberlain ordering the salute was mentioned by many Confederates as being meaningful to them. Confederates were allowed to just go home, and if they had brought their horse in with them, they were allowed to keep it. Things that day seemed to go amazingly well.
The effects of reconstruction are still visible. I don't know if things would have been better without Booth, but it couldn't have been worse. One truth is that after a titanic struggle the victor is not likely to be benevolent. It happened in 1918 and 1945. It happened in 1865. While Lincoln wanted "malice toward none", congress desperately wanted to make the south pay.
But as to the surrender, that one day I think everything went the best it could have.
A little quibble, I don't think that day was the problem. Lee agreed to surrender as opposed to going guerrilla. That saved the nation a lot of pain right there. Chamberlain ordering the salute was mentioned by many Confederates as being meaningful to them. Confederates were allowed to just go home, and if they had brought their horse in with them, they were allowed to keep it. Things that day seemed to go amazingly well.
The effects of reconstruction are still visible. I don't know if things would have been better without Booth, but it couldn't have been worse. One truth is that after a titanic struggle the victor is not likely to be benevolent. It happened in 1918 and 1945. It happened in 1865. While Lincoln wanted "malice toward none", congress desperately wanted to make the south pay.
But as to the surrender, that one day I think everything went the best it could have.
Here's a good idea
Let's celebrate the Confederacy's ignominious defeat in a national holiday.
The Confederacy's rebellion was treason. Its odious cause was slavery. The Union's victory was glorious. The outcome, delayed by Massive Resistance -- and still a work in progress -- is equality. There is much to celebrate here, but also much to despise.
But that condemnation doesn't extend to places where it's still acceptable to display the Confederate flag. And it doesn't include any American who retains warm and fuzzy delusions about the Confederacy's purposes. Which is to say that the war is not yet won.
"The past is never dead. It's not even past." -- William Faulkner
This post was edited on 4/11 8:29 AM by Rockfish1
Let's celebrate the Confederacy's ignominious defeat in a national holiday.
The Confederacy's rebellion was treason. Its odious cause was slavery. The Union's victory was glorious. The outcome, delayed by Massive Resistance -- and still a work in progress -- is equality. There is much to celebrate here, but also much to despise.
But that condemnation doesn't extend to places where it's still acceptable to display the Confederate flag. And it doesn't include any American who retains warm and fuzzy delusions about the Confederacy's purposes. Which is to say that the war is not yet won.
"The past is never dead. It's not even past." -- William Faulkner
This post was edited on 4/11 8:29 AM by Rockfish1
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