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Civil War Drama Field of Lost Shoes Argues No Confederates Were Racist
The Village Voice ^ | Wednesday, Sep 24 2014 | By Nick Schager

Posted on 09/30/2014 12:29:23 PM PDT by 11th_VA

Rewriting history to egregious ends, Field of Lost Shoes recounts the true-life saga of seven Virginia Military Institute cadets who in 1864 died in service to the Confederate Army during the Battle of New Market.

Awash in phony-looking facial hair and clichéd period drama, Sean McNamara’s drama defines those brave boys via their love of black people, their embrace of Jews, and their desire to fight so that they might protect their homeland from “foreign invaders,” uphold their “traditions,” and preserve their “future.” Save for a brief prologue, there isn’t a pro-slavery Southern man to be found in this fantasyland vision of the Civil War, only kind-hearted, open-minded progressives who want to be with their love-at-first-sight gals, or pursue sculpting careers, or liberate their oppressed African American brethren.

That counterfeit romantic portrait is contrasted with the contemptuous depiction of Ulysses S. Grant (Tom Skerritt) as a “butcher” and the Union as a bunch of child-murderers led by a goofily mustached David Arquette.

(Excerpt) Read more at villagevoice.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: civilwar; dixie; vmi
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To: DoodleDawg

I’m not talking about the bombing of their cities. I’m talking mostly about how troops behaving on the ground when they encountered civilians. Love how you keep dodging the point though. Go read some history books please.


81 posted on 09/30/2014 5:07:32 PM PDT by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
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To: DoodleDawg

Well pretty much, because most of them were not listed on the official rosters, as it was against regulation. Didn’t keep them from serving though.


82 posted on 09/30/2014 5:09:46 PM PDT by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
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To: x

If you research the tariff wars, and in particular the Tariff of Abominations, you will appreciate that the sentiment against tariffs was a lot stronger than you are suggesting. With the tariff at 48%, of course it wasn’t a burden if you don’t buy the taxed items but are forced to buy substitutes manufactured in the north.

Northern newspapers were sympathetic about allowing the southern states to secede, even applauding the idea with a “good riddance” thrown in to boot. That was before South Carolina reduced its tariff to 10% and the newspapers realized that would apply not only to foreign goods but to northern goods as well now that they were “foreign”. The newspapers screamed for war when the tariffs were reduced.

The big ticket item was capital goods that southern manufacturers wanted in order to industrialize.

I could go on but the role of tariffs is so well documented that you must choose to ignore them to dismiss that as a major issue that led to war.


83 posted on 09/30/2014 5:10:02 PM PDT by trubolotta
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To: DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
You do know who wrote the history books right?

In the case of the books you cite, southern partisans whose agenda is to redeem the moral stain that adheres to the confederate cause by digging up random bits and holding them up to say, "See, it really wasn't about slavery! Look, here's a black guy who got a confederate pension!"

84 posted on 09/30/2014 5:18:18 PM PDT by Bubba Ho-Tep ("The rat always knows when he's in with weasels"-- Tom Waits)
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To: trubolotta
That was before South Carolina reduced its tariff to 10% and the newspapers realized that would apply not only to foreign goods but to northern goods as well now that they were “foreign”.

Which would mean that any goods the South had bought from the North before the war would now be 10% higher. And it would have no impact on Northern imports from abroad.

85 posted on 09/30/2014 5:21:27 PM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: trubolotta
The big ticket item was capital goods that southern manufacturers wanted in order to industrialize.

Like what?

86 posted on 09/30/2014 5:22:29 PM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: DoodleDawg

Crystal chandeliers, wine caddies, and Chifforobes.


87 posted on 09/30/2014 5:26:03 PM PDT by rockrr (Everything is different now...)
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To: rockrr

Crinolines, fans, dueling pistols...


88 posted on 09/30/2014 5:28:46 PM PDT by Bubba Ho-Tep ("The rat always knows when he's in with weasels"-- Tom Waits)
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To: Bubba Ho-Tep

I was talking about the mainstream history books, many of which were written by flaming liberals, which you have obviously been reading. Sad you don’t want to read other books with historical accounts that challenge your belief system.


89 posted on 09/30/2014 5:29:48 PM PDT by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
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To: DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
Sad you don’t want to read other books with historical accounts that challenge your belief system.

Back at 'cha.

90 posted on 09/30/2014 5:33:48 PM PDT by Bubba Ho-Tep ("The rat always knows when he's in with weasels"-- Tom Waits)
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To: trubolotta
Before the war the South was paying the majority of the nation's taxes, despite the North having more people. Also, the majority of the tax money was being spent up North, so it is understandable that many Southerners were miffed about it.

And you are right, many South hating Northern newspapers did say good riddance when the South left, until they realized that without Southern cotton and agricultural goods, their textile economy dried up. Economics, economics, economics.

91 posted on 09/30/2014 5:39:48 PM PDT by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
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To: Bubba Ho-Tep

Lol. I’ve read more books on the Civil War than you have (unless you have read more than thirty-five or forty). I suggest you read more than a couple. And try ones from varying perspectives for fun. :-)


92 posted on 09/30/2014 5:44:14 PM PDT by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
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To: DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
Lol. I’ve read more books on the Civil War than you have (unless you have read more than thirty-five or forty).

35 or 40? That's all?

That's why I'm not impressed by most of the historiography regarding black confederates. Were there servants who went with their masters, slaves hired out by their masters to dig ditches, tend horses, and cook? Of course there were. But it's a far cry from that to making some sort of argument that the war wasn't about slavery, which seems to be the agenda of these works.

Oh, and I've read plenty of the pro-southern stuff, from Jefferson Davis to Tommy DiLorenzo. Pretending that these works are unbiased while other works are hopelessly biased is simply absurd.

93 posted on 09/30/2014 5:57:44 PM PDT by Bubba Ho-Tep ("The rat always knows when he's in with weasels"-- Tom Waits)
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To: DoodleDawg
"If you want to judge them by today's standards then everyone back then was racist.

My great-great grandfather immigrated from Norway in the 1850s. He was so impressed with the US that he invited his brother, my great-great uncle to join him here. I have no relatives from my great-great uncle's family because he had none. He joined the Union army, and was killed freeing the slaves.

I think I could make a compelling argument that he was not a racist.

94 posted on 09/30/2014 6:05:38 PM PDT by norwaypinesavage (The Stone Age didnÂ’t end because we ran out of stones)
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To: DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
Before the war the South was paying the majority of the nation's taxes, despite the North having more people.

How? What imported good were the south buying in such quantity?

Also, the majority of the tax money was being spent up North, so it is understandable that many Southerners were miffed about it.

Again, how? What was the money being spent on?

Here's the federal government's expenditures for 1856, which I think we can take as a typical immediately-antebellum year. Show me which expenditures are disproportionately benefiting the north?

Compensation and mileage of Senators. ....$108,872.00
Compensation and mileage of Representatives and Delegates ...$365,048.00
Additional, allowed under increased compensation .....$773,500.00
Contingent expenses of the Senate.. ....$168,460.00
Compensation of officers and employees of House of Representatives ....$76,646.00
Contingent expenses of House of Representatives, viz: Binding Documents. ....$125,000.00
Furniture, repairs, and stationery. ....$15,000.00
Horses, carriages, fuel, and lights. ....$6,900.00
Newspapers for members.. ....$12,500.00
Engraving and lithographing ....$125,000.00
Police and miscellaneous items. ....$40,700.00
Pages, laborers, folders, &c ...$26,632.00
For Congressional Globe and appendix ....$34,704.00
Binding same… ....$16,657.00
Reporting debates, first session.. ....$21,000.00
....$424,093.00
For Library Congress and Superintendent of Printing.. ....$30,750.00
Paper required for Printing during second session. ....$156,408.00
Printing for the second session, Thirty-Fourth Congress.. ....$115,000.00
Compensation of the President of the United States. ....$25,000.00
Compensation of the Vice President-balance. ....$2,622.00
Compensation of Secretary to sign patents. ...$1,500.00
Compensation of Secretary of State and employees.. ....$51,000.00
Publishing the laws of Congress… ....$47,301.00
Contingent expenses of State Department. ....$34,500.00
Compensation of the Secretary of the Treasury, assistants and em ployees. ....$615,340.00
Contingent expenses of Treasury Department ....$78,409.00
Compensation of the Secretary of the Interior, commissioners and em ployees. ....$314,390.00
Contingent expenses of Interior Department ....$133,230.00
Surveyors of Public Lands and their clerks. ....$130,151.00
Compensation of the Secretary of War, clerks and employees ....$106,300.00
Contingent expense of the War Department.. ...$26,160.00
Compensation of the Secretary of the Navy, clerks and employees. ....$97,540.00
Contingent expenses of the lNavy Department.. ...$12,565.00
Compensation of the Postmaster-General, clerks and employees ....$158,840.00
Contingent expenses of Post Office Department.. ....$159,000.00
Expenses of Mint at Philadelphia… ....$177,200.00
Expenses of Mint at New Orleans. .....$63,200.00
Expenses of Mint at Charlotte, North Carolina.. ....$11,600.00
Expenses of Mint at Dahlonega, Georgia ....$10,880.00
Expenses of Mint at San Francisco.. ....$277,300.00
Expenses of Mint at New York Assay Office ....$62,200.00
For Territorial Government-Oregon ....$34,000.00
For Territorial Government-Minnessota .....$30,300.00
APPROPRIATIONS BY CONGRESS.
For Territorial Government-New Mexico. ....$3,400.00
For Territorial Government-Utah. ....$8,300.00
For Territorial Government-Washington. ....$34,000.00
For Territorial Government-Nebraska.. .....$31,500.00
For Territorial Government-Kansas. ....$32,000.00
Compensation of Supreme Court and District Judges. ....$167,000.00
Compensation of Attorney General and D)istrict Attorneys. ....$54,000.00
Support of the Court of Claims.. ....$30,000.00
Support of the Independent Treasury… ....$151,000.00
Support of the present land system… ...$253,000.00
Support of the District Peuitentiary...… ....$23,316.00
For defraying the expenses of the United States Courts. ....$800,000.00
Contingent expenses of Surveyors General.… ...$7,000.00
Contingent expenses of Public Grounds ill Washington. ...$41,226.00
For the support of the Army Army proper. ....$10,568,249.00
Armories, Arsenals, and Munitions of War. ...$985,049.00
Military Academy ....$173,891.00
Fortifications and other works of defence.. ...$1,746,400.00
Surveys, &c. ...$135,000.00
Miscellaneous objects. ....$1,400,000.00
Arrearages. ...$2,000.00
For the support of the Navy Navy proper ...$9,142,418.00
Marine corps. ...$851,113.00
Special objects. ...$4,530,974.00
Surveys of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. ...$250,000.00
Survey of the Western Coasts of the United States ....$130,000.00
Support of the Light House establishment... ..$1,300,959.00
To supply a deficiency in Post Office Department. ....$2,250,000.00
Intercourse with foreign nations. ...$936,862.00
For the payment of pensions. ..$1,458,947.00
For lighting the President's house and public grounds. ....$27,000.00
Continuation of public buildings in Washington. ....$450,000.00
For Indian annuities ...$1,385,276.00
To collect agricultural seeds and statistics ...$75,000.00
For the payment of certain per centage to States. ...$256,000.00
Repayment for land erroneously sold… ....$63,000.00
Marine Hospital fund.. ....$150,000.00
For the payment of debentures, drawbacks, and bounties ....$500,000.00
Repayment to importers the excess of duties collecte ....$1,050,000.00
Expenses of collecting revenue from customs. ....$2,450,000.00
Expenses of Smithsonian Institute. .....$30,910.00
Expenses of mail transportation for the several departments.. ...$200,000.00
Expenses of mail transportation for the two Houses of Congress. ....$500,000.00
For arming and equipping the militia. ....$200,000.00
For civilising Indians under the act of March 3, 1849. ....$10,000.00
For interest on the public debt. ...$2,230,000.00
For ocean mail steamer service. ....$2,113,500.00
For general mail transportations. ....$6,140,000.00
Compensation of postmasters. ....$2,150,000.00
For ship, steamboat, and way letters.. ....$20,000.00
Compensation of clerks in post offices, and contingencies. ....$1,329,300.00
For Capitol extensions until 4th March next. 750,000.00
For new dome on Capitol.. ....$100,000.00
Total. ......$$63,640,023.00

95 posted on 09/30/2014 6:13:43 PM PDT by Bubba Ho-Tep ("The rat always knows when he's in with weasels"-- Tom Waits)
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To: Bubba Ho-Tep

To let you know, in case you didn’t, the south had few factories, and were mostly agricultural, thus they had to import most of their stuff. That’s why when Lincoln blockaded the south during the war it was so effective. I don’t have time to analyze every subcategory of every item on your list, but I do know that when it came to building and repairing infrastructure, the North got a disproportionate amount of the benefits.


96 posted on 09/30/2014 6:21:52 PM PDT by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
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To: Bubba Ho-Tep
I suggest you take some time to read the books I linked to you up thread. Although you claim to have read a lot I'm sure you haven't read those, so please refrain from acting like you have authoritative knowledge on the topic until you have read more on it.

Oh by the way, there are also some great books out there concerning Indians, Hispanics, Jews and women who served in the Confederate army. You can read those too if you have the time. :-)

97 posted on 09/30/2014 6:29:03 PM PDT by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
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To: BenLurkin
Every side that wants to win needs a Grant and a Sherman.

Sherman was a Curtis Le May before there was an air force. He would have fit right in as a Mongol Khan.

98 posted on 09/30/2014 6:44:50 PM PDT by Theoria (I should never have surrendered. I should have fought until I was the last man alive)
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To: x

Everybody except you yank lovin` liberals knows that Kansas - Missouri border war was all about the tariff.
/sarc


99 posted on 09/30/2014 6:55:42 PM PDT by hirn_man
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To: DoodleDawg

You really don’t get it. It also meant British goods would be 38% less. Just do the math.


100 posted on 09/30/2014 7:50:32 PM PDT by trubolotta
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