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I agree with you about the thankfully lost cause. I think us Southerners sometimes tend to have a thin skin when we sense criticism from outsiders. There is much to admire about the South and some of the broad generalizations that we hear about the South are insulting and way off the mark.

But I'm afraid that some people defending the South think that they have to defend EVERYTHING about the South, including the rebellion. I'll defend the South's general culture (excepting the segregationist past which has parallels in the North). I'll even defend the motives of the typical Confederate soldier and honor such noble Southern Civil War figures like Lee and Cleburne. But I'll never hold with the views of those who glorify the secession of 1861 nor those who wish for a repeat.

The South rose again-in 1865.

Many dirt poor, Confederate conscripts were bullied by those with clear economic interests in preserving the slave labour system, generating high profits for the cotton empire. While Southerners not favouring succession were branded as traitors & sellouts, confronted with abuse or far worse. It seems not much has changed in that respect.

('The first Confederate conscription law also applied to men between 18 and 35, providing for substitution (repealed Dec. 1863) and exemptions. A revision, approved 27 Sept. 1862, raised the age to 45; 5 days later the legislators passed the expanded Exemption Act. The Conscription Act of Feb. 1864 called all men between 1 7 and 50. Conscripts accounted for one-fourth to one-third of the Confederate armies east of the Mississippi between Apr. 1864 and early 1865.' Source: "Historical Times Encyclopedia of the Civil War" Edited by Patricia L. Faust)

Union conscription for the purpose of crushing the rebellion began during July of 1863. The U.S. draft was not in the least fair either since anyone could pay their way out, which many did. Riots broke out in various locations due to 'buyout' option. Not helping matters, some the rioting was instigated by those with Confederate sympathies. On both sides troops also willingly fought for their determined causes, maybe even more so after Gettysburg.

Just think if you lived in the same city with the battle ax, Hillary being around & her horde of horrible femanazis. It's no picnic.