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To: NJ Neocon
Of course, many Lost-causers then fall back on Jubal Early's spinning - Grant could be a Drunk, because his armies where so huge, Lee had no chance.

The Union had numerical advantages, but that was negated by the need to subdue a huge land with significant armies of its own. The Confederacy only had to avoid losing and keep up the fight. They gave up the fight. If the lost cause had been so noble to begin with, it would have never become a lost cause. When large confederate areas were regained by the Union, many confederate soldiers lost their heart for the fight. They were fighting for their homes, not for the plantation owners' beloved peculiar institution and not for any cause that needs revival today.

133 posted on 12/30/2004 12:26:47 PM PST by Colonel Kangaroo
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To: Colonel Kangaroo
The Union had numerical advantages, but that was negated by the need to subdue a huge land with significant armies of its own.

100% Correct.

The Confederacy only had to avoid losing and keep up the fight. They gave up the fight. If the lost cause had been so noble to begin with, it would have never become a lost cause.

I agree

When large confederate areas were regained by the Union, many confederate soldiers lost their heart for the fight. They were fighting for their homes, not for the plantation owners' beloved peculiar institution and not for any cause that needs revival today.

I agree with stipulation. Many, maybe most, did not fight for slavery per se, but the agitators who started the war, the "Apostles of Disunion" as Gallagher calls them in his book titled the same, the politicians, rich, plantation owners, and related diplomats and elected officials DID start the war because of slavery and even the average soldier WAS worried about how emancipation would effect his lifestyle.

In other words, I will concede that your average Johnny-Reb cared little about slavery per se, and fought for home and heart, but that he had a vested interest in seeing the social order stay the same AND, more importantly, the CAUSE from the level where it mattered, ie; the political level which advocated and forced session, WAS slavery.

142 posted on 12/30/2004 12:35:31 PM PST by NJ Neocon (Democracy is tyranny of the masses. It is three wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner)
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To: Colonel Kangaroo
and not for any cause that needs revival today.

Oops...forgot that part.

100% agree.

143 posted on 12/30/2004 12:38:07 PM PST by NJ Neocon (Democracy is tyranny of the masses. It is three wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner)
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