If it's illegal yes. Lincoln didn't kick our butts - unless you consider attacking innocent old men, women and children and starving them into submission to be kicking their butts...
Yeah, that would qualify. It was a thorough butt-whipping.
This is where your position is totally bogus and easily shown to be so.
You won't allow that President Lincoln had to, or was allowed to, take --any-- action to oppose the secessionists. That is just false. But it's why we'll never reach agreement. You won't be reasonable.
I think President Lincoln had the right, responsibility and the power to oppose secession. That is pretty much the judgement of history also.
Given that, just for the sake of argument, you'd have to agree that burning crops, public buildings, and vacant houses (the one first person account I quoted the other day quoted some of Wheeler's men telling this person that her home would not be burned if she stayed in it) is a better course of action than bringing the CSA armies to bettle and killing every soldier. That is all Lincoln could have done, if you don't want his armies striking at the sinews of war.
It's a parallel that I often make with the strategic bombing of Germany. By your lights, since we are not allowed to involve civilians in any way, we'd would have had to fight a fully supplied German Army and Air Force.
Sorry, but it was better to cut off their supply of petroleum products, and more humane in the long run -- just as President Lincoln's policies were.
Walt
And that's what separates us - you favor trashing the Constitution and the protections it contains - I agree with the justice cited in my #1348, and with the decision in ex parte Milligan, that the Constitution applies at ALL times - EQUALLY in war and peace.
Regarding the "victory" being a butt-whipping - that might be true if it were decided on the field of battle against MILITARY tagets and combatants. Considering the South was starved into submission, her women and children left destitute, take pride is your "victory" - it is fitting evidence of the complete lack of morals and honour that you possess.