Is it time to revive the Confederacy?

[DaShi]

Where do I sign up?

Front-line infantry. Try to save some bullets for the next guy.

[kentonio]

There was also a Confederate Colonel named John Mosby who as far as I know pretty much invented modern guerrilla tactics. After the war he served in prominent positions in the Grant administration.

Just been reading up on him on Wiki, another one who sounds like he would have been on the other side had things turned out slightly differently. Interesting guy.

The author seems to think that the North often had higher quality men, but that the South had way way better officers.

First half of the war probably, but later the north had Sheridan.

[regexcellent]

I agree. Mosby to me seems like one of the more honorable commanders of the war, when judged on his actions at the end.

One of the important points the book makes is about why Virginia seceded. Membership in the Virginia Militia was mandatory for males at that time. It drilled quarterly; however, most units were actually unarmed, officers were primarily just prominent local people as opposed to those with military education, and drills were more community social events than practice at arms. Kind of like a county fair held four times annually. But President Lincoln called on all non-seceding states to call up their militias against the deep south. Even Virginians who were opposed to slavery for the most part could not bring themselves to take up arms against South Carolina.

With that in mind it's not hard to understand the attitudes of people like Lee and Mosby.

[SlowwHand]

(sigh) To the South, it wasn't about slavery. You'll never believe me, experience here has taught me, but the fact remains...
Lincoln's rhetoric put slavery as the reason into the history books. Look at the election Tuesday. Was slavery involved? Was the split not still evident?

[snoopy369]

Some people would argue it (slavery) was...

[Hauldren Collider]

It was about slavery, Slowwhand. Your frontline infantry grunt might have been fighting for his home, but the secession was over slavery.

[SlowwHand]

Argue all you want to, my point is solid. I know why the South seceded and it wasn't slavery. As for me, I'll not indulge you further on the subject.
I've had my fill of it here.

[Uncle Sparky]

By choosing to remain here after the state left that would make me a citizen.

They would round you up and deport you to Mexico.

[regexcellent]

Some people would argue it (slavery) was...

Of course it was about slavery.

[giblets]

It was about slavery, Slowwhand. Your frontline infantry grunt might have been fighting for his home, but the secession was over slavery.

Or your frontline infantry grunt was drafted.

[snoopy369]

Of course it was about slavery.

I was talking about the election.

[Hauldren Collider]

Or your frontline infantry grunt was drafted.

Yes, or that.

[Ben Kenobi]

They would round you up and deport you to Mexico.

No, sorry. I'm here to stay.

Front-line infantry. Try to save some bullets for the next guy.

Nah, I'd be better as support staff. I don't think I meet the weight limit requirements even if they ignore my disability.

[Imran Siddiqui]

The author seems to think that the North often had higher quality men, but that the South had way way better officers.

Sounds right. Up until the end of the war - Grant (who was a far, far better general than his rep as throwing men as a meat grinder - look at Vicksburg), Sherman, and Sheridan were as good as the Confederate counterparts.

[Alexander's Horse]

The civil war was about states rights. Sound familiar?