[Othniel]

I read two extremely illuminating books on the CW this year: April, 1865 and The PIG to the Civil War. Both were incredible, both gave the facts, and both had the take that the South was perfectly within its rights to split off from the Union. The latter gave an imaginary scenario whereby the South gave up on slavery (which, acc'd to the former, they were getting really close to doing anyway) and rejoined the Union in time to fight in WWI. No malice, no "reconstruction," none of that stuff. I think it should rightly be called "The War of Northern Aggression" as well as the "Civil War," and that as the assorted dates are marked, that the South as a whole, with the lifestyle, the economy, etc., needs to be seen for what it was: a bunch of guys who didn't like being pushed around by those they didn't feel had a right to do so.

Just my 2 cents. My GGGrandfather fought in the Iowa Regulars and was very active in Veterans' Affairs after the war, and I've only set foot in the south twice, so I guess I'm a Yankee.

[rickb308]

“and I’ve only set foot in the south twice, so I guess I’m a Yankee”

Yankee & Rebel is where your heart is.

Since this war pitted “brother against brother” and the North didn’t fight it’s self, nor did the South, SOMEONE had to cross idealogical lines somewheres.

[Drennan Whyte]

Both were incredible, both gave the facts, and both had the take that the South was perfectly within its rights to split off from the Union.

Both gave their opinion that the South was perfectly within its rights to split off from the South. That is not necessarily the same as fact.

[central_va]

Just my 2 cents. My GGGrandfather fought in the Iowa Regulars and was very active in Veterans' Affairs after the war, and I've only set foot in the south twice, so I guess I'm a Yankee

You may be a Yankee by birth but you got that good ole rebel spine in ya.

[r9etb]

The latter gave an imaginary scenario whereby the South gave up on slavery (which, acc'd to the former, they were getting really close to doing anyway)

Pure fantasy.

[proudofthesouth]

“I’ve only set foot in the south twice”

Come on down. With the exceptions of the liberals down here its a great place!

[Ditto]

April, 1865 and The PIG to the Civil War. Both were incredible, both gave the facts, and both had the take that the South was perfectly within its rights to split off from the Union.

I read April 1865 -- I have it right here on my book shelf. Can you please point out the part where it said the South had a right to unilateral secession?

[archy]

Just my 2 cents. My GGGrandfather fought in the Iowa Regulars and was very active in Veterans' Affairs after the war, and I've only set foot in the south twice, so I guess I'm a Yankee.

I was born in Illinois, completed high school and attended university in Indiana, where I've been employed most of my life and am located at present, visiting the grandkids for over the Christmas holiday season.

But I do not consider myself a *Yankee* [though I do not consider it a particularly serious insult] and those with whom I've shared my life and living surroundings in Texas, the Atlanta area [Brunswick NAS] and Memphis for more than a decade did not consider me such, or at least did not say so to my face- and I've run across more men and women of honour in those last three places that anywhere else in this country, save some corners of the American West.

I had ancestors on both sides during the 1861-1865 War of the Americans. For the most part, they enlisted in the units in which their friends, neighbors, relatives and fellow congregants did, or were conscripted- or fled to the other side to avoid conscription. One became a Confederate seaman to avoid Union conscription, and had I been around in those times, that might well have been the path I would personally have taken.

Perhaps we'll find out. Mr. Mark Twain told us that history does not in fact exactly repeat itself- but that it echoes.

Say, what's that sound I hear off in the distance of 2011 or perhaps 2012....