Posted on 02/25/2004 11:52:26 AM PST by 4CJ
THOMASVILLE -- Nelson Winbush knows his voice isn't likely to be heard above the crowd that writes American history books. That doesn't keep him from speaking his mind, however.
A 75-year-old black man whose grandfather proudly fought in the gray uniform of the South during the Civil War, Winbush addressed a group of about 40 at the Thomas County Museum of History Sunday afternoon. To say the least, his perspective of the war differs greatly from what is taught in America's classrooms today.
"People have manufactured a lot of mistruths about why the war took place," he said. "It wasn't about slavery. It was about state's rights and tariffs."
Many of Winbush's words were reserved for the Confederate battle flag, which still swirls amid controversy more than 150 years after it originally flew.
"This flag has been lied about more than any flag in the world," Winbush said. "People see it and they don't really know what the hell they are looking at."
About midway through his 90-minute presentation, Winbush's comments were issued with extra force.
"This flag is the one that draped my grandfathers' coffin," he said while clutching it strongly in his left hand. "I would shudder to think what would happen if somebody tried to do something to this particular flag."
Winbush, a retired in educator and Korean War veteran who resides in Kissimmee, Fla., said the Confederate battle flag has been hijacked by racist groups, prompting unwarranted criticism from its detractors.
"This flag had nothing to with the (Ku Klux) klan or skinheads," he said while wearing a necktie that featured the Confederate emblem. "They weren't even heard of then. It was just a guide to follow in battle.
"That's all it ever was."
Winbush said Confederate soldiers started using the flag with the St. Andrews cross because its original flag closely resembled the U.S. flag. The first Confederate flag's blue patch in an upper corner and its alternating red and white stripes caused confusion on the battlefield, he said.
"Neither side (of the debate) knows what the flag represents," Winbush said. "It's dumb and dumber. You can turn it around, but it's still two dumb bunches.
"If you learn anything else today, don't be dumb."
Winbush learned about the Civil War at the knee of Louis Napoleon Nelson, who joined his master and one of his master's sons in battle voluntarily when he was 14. Nelson saw combat at Lookout Mountain, Bryson's Crossroads, Shiloh and Vicksburg.
"At Shiloh, my grandfather served as a chaplain even though he couldn't read or write," said Winbush, who bolstered his points with photos, letters and newspapers that used to belong to his grandfather. "I've never heard of a black Yankee holding such an office, so that makes him a little different."
Winbush said his grandfather, who also served as a "scavenger," never had any qualms about fighting for the South. He had plenty of chances to make a break for freedom, but never did. He attended 39 Confederate reunions, the final one in 1934. A Sons of Confederate Veterans Chapter in Tennessee is named after him.
"People ask why a black person would fight for the Confederacy. (It was) for the same damned reason a white Southerner did," Winbush explained.
Winbush said Southern blacks and whites often lived together as extended families., adding slaves and slave owners were outraged when Union forces raided their homes. He said history books rarely make mention of this.
"When the master and his older sons went to war, who did he leave his families with?" asked Winbush, who grandfather remained with his former owners 12 years after the hostilities ended. "It was with the slaves. Were his (family members) mistreated? Hell, no!
"They were protected."
Winbush said more than 90,000 blacks, some of them free, fought for the Confederacy. He has said in the past that he would have fought by his grandfather's side in the 7th Tennessee Cavalry led by Gen. Nathan Bedford Forest.
After his presentation, Winbush opened the floor for questions. Two black women, including Jule Anderson of the Thomas County Historical Society Board of Directors, told him the Confederate battle flag made them uncomfortable.
Winbush, who said he started speaking out about the Civil War in 1992 after growing weary of what he dubbed "political correctness," was also challenged about his opinions.
"I have difficulty in trying to apply today's standards with what happened 150 years ago," he said to Anderson's tearful comments. "...That's what a lot of people are attempting to do. I'm just presenting facts, not as I read from some book where somebody thought that they understood. This came straight from the horse's mouth, and I refute anybody to deny that."
Thomas County Historical Society Board member and SVC member Chip Bragg moved in to close the session after it took a political turn when a white audience member voiced disapproval of the use of Confederate symbols on the state flag. Georgia voters are set to go to the polls a week from today to pick a flag to replace the 1956 version, which featured the St. Andrew's cross prominently.
"Those of us who are serious about our Confederate heritage are very unhappy with the trivialization of Confederate symbols and their misuse," he said. "Part of what we are trying to do is correct this misunderstanding."
It's more accurate to read documentation instead of one man's opinion for a week.
cretins of the racist, lunatic fringe always HATE KNOWLEDGE, especially when it conflicts with their IGNORANT notions of what is correct (or Politically Correct for that matter).
Propaganda isn't knowledge.
i notice that you also failed to comment on the TRUE WORDS of a serving General Officer of the US Army (who, btw, is from VT-not a dixie partisan area!). (didn't like that, did you Mr Clymer???) do you think HE LIED???? PLEASE comment on that! (if you dare)
You showed me no link, and since you're obviously insane, I want anything you claim to have links.
and YES there was death, privation, starvation (including MANY who died of hunger in the GUARD FORCE!) & MASSIVE loss of life among the unfortunate inmates at Camp Sumpter,but NONE of it was INTENTIONAL.
Yes it was since they could've been released. It's murder to keep those you can't feed.
otoh, the RAPES,ROBBERIES,TORTURE, DENIAL of clothing/shelter/blankets/food/clean water and coldblooded murder of at least 15,000 defenseless POWs WAS INTENTIONAL on the part of the lincoln regime! that too is FACT!
Prove it with a link.
I've seen your picture, your as white as I am. And Lincoln freed the slaves much to the chagrin of the Confederacy.
i'm what used to be called a half-breed, in less PC times. my father was a fullblood (and a Green Corn Dancer, of which he was PROUD till his dying day.);my mother is white.
Who gives a rat's behind? A lot of my friends here are part Indian, they don't go getting all huffy about things like capital letters, they consider themselves Americans.
Stand Watie! Boo!
my prophesy about your lack of presence on FR will likely come true & soon.
If it's for using capital letter then so be it. Should we also make all roadsigns in Spanish so we don't offend hispnaics?
By not releasing those they couldn't feed, it was murder.
Because the south never kept their word on anything.
Because the south never kept their word on anything.
the actual letter to Stanton still exists, sadly for you damnyankee worshipers at the feet of lincoln the tyrant & clayfooted saint
Prove it with a link.
It's canned. You've never seen it? You're easily amused.
Self employed. My work is off and on throughout the day and night. I post in between work.
Not following the Constitution is anarchy.
Prove it.
Please see post #1419.
And as a a matter of courtesy, stand watie has asked you to refrain from capitalizing his name. He is half Native American, I am far less (Creek), but even my limited knowledge & participation in native customs/ceremonies, such requests have a spiritual meaning and reverence that I wish would be respected.
Sound familiar?
The evening of Lincoln's assassination, Booth's mistress wore furry pink panties with white lace in the waistband. Per Article 1, Section 8, "To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries" her act voided Article IV.
How's my #3logic?
He respects my people, I'll respect his. The things he says about Lincoln is inexcusable. I grew up in a town that has historical markers telling what Lincoln did here. I have family that lives on a Lincoln historical site. I don't respect people unless I feel they deserve it and the things Stand Watie says about American soldiers and his fellow Americans are despicable lies and he is despicable.
Link or citation please.
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