[odawg]

“Why does the author consistently, insistently and repetitively refer to the War of the Rebellion as, the “War of 1861”?”

You need to reread the article. In 1861, everyone knew that states had a right to secede. The right to secede was not rebellion; it was classified rebellion to justify the carnage.

[HandyDandy]

Rather than me rereading the article (which I found very displeasing the first time) let's skip ahead to the "War of 1864" when States were already seceding from the newly formed CSA, as Lincoln had predicted.

And by the way, what was the point of the author in resurrecting HL Menken just to have him mIquote Lincoln and then castigate Lincoln for making a statement he never made?