if he was a POLITE fool, i wouldn't dislike him so much, but alas, he is an OFFENSIVE one.
free dixie,sw
Twas the offensive that destroyed Lee's army. The offensives of Sharpsburg, Gettysburg, Five Forks that wasted the poor ignorant fools who fought to keep Southern society on the plantation.
Twas the offensive by Grant, Hooker, and Sheridan that drove Bragg's army away from Lookout Mountain. Grant's offensive that took Vicksburg.
Such offensives sawed away at the South's neck. Sometimes it was Southern generals, sometimes Northern generals. In either case, the South apppealed to the Sword, but the North brough Cannons. Bad choice. Trying to fight it out on those lines 150 years after the fact is even worse.
Rather a pity that the Ridge faction sold out their brothers, but a great joy that their attempt to murder their brothers was less than fully successful. President Ross continued his term of office long after Stand Watie was a minor footnote.