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Now, not all of those who participated in the rebellion called it a rebellion right away. In May of 1865, Lieutenant General Nathan Bedford Forrest was calling it a civil war when he encouraged his troops to return home and become "good citizens" of the United States of America:

"Civil war, such as you have just passed through, naturally engenders feelings of animosity, hatred, and revenge. It is our duty to divest ourselves of all such feelings, and, so far as we have it in our power to do so, to cultivate feelings towards those with whom we have so long contested and heretofore so widely but honestly differed. Neighborhood feuds, personal animosities, and private differences should be blotted out, and when you return home a manly, straightforward course of conduct will secure the respect even of your enemies…. The attempt to establish a separate and independent confederation has failed… You have been good soldiers, you can be good citizens. Obey the laws, preserve your honor, and the government to which you have surrendered can afford to be and will be magnanimous."

If someone like Nathan B. Forrest can pronounce such words of wisdom, why do we come here on FR and fight viciously with each other about who did what to each other going on 200 years ago? It is beyond my understanding. Perhaps people like Mark Levin and Michael Medved and this author, are descendants of people who arrived here much later than the Civil War and so want to make sure everyone knows they are proper Americans on the right side of the issues involved; I can't think of any other reason to continually bring up the subject and bash the south over and over again until I've stopped listening to Medved and switch off when Mark starts up.

I think we all enjoy discussing history and the Civil War is one of the most fascinating - and romantic - wars to many people (particularly the British). But that is not the same as viciously attacking the opinions of people here who had great grandfathers die in this war and wish to honor their memory by flying flags and laying wreaths at Confederate War memorials. I only wish I had ancestors who fought in the war rather than be part of the New York draft riots. Now there's something to be ashamed of!

Tau Food: "Now, not all of those who participated in the rebellion called it a rebellion right away.
In May of 1865, Lieutenant General Nathan Bedford Forrest was calling it a civil war..."

Thanks again for great work.
I have related on these threads before that when Forrest captured my great-grandfather's unit in December 1862, he released them on "parole" and they were eventually returned unharmed in exchange for Confederate POWs.
So my opinion of Forrest is quite high, not only for his military prowess, but also for basic decency at a time of huge stress.