Posted on 03/05/2003 8:15:27 PM PST by stainlessbanner
THE RECENT theatrical release of "Gods and Generals" marks a rare triumph for the modern film industry. The successful transition from book to silver screen is noteworthy not just for its cinematic virtues--which are plentiful--but for its fair presentation of the Confederate perspective in the War Between the States. It's about time.
Since Harriet Beecher Stowe's powerful but inflammatory work in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in 1851, it has long been de rigueur in some circles to demonize Southerners as cruel, whip-flicking overseers, intent on preserving the institution of slavery. The film industry has all too often gleefully contributed to stereotypes of the most unfair sort--from "Deliverance" to "Mississippi Burning," Hollywood has spared no small expense to paint Southerners with the broadest and crudest of brushes.
"Gods and Generals" stands as a rarity among recent major releases. In the film, the real motivations of many Southerners to pick up arms, fight--and, in horribly large numbers, die--are honestly presented. Of course slavery was a brutal, major schism in America in the mid-19th century. But so were difficult concepts like states' rights--the guaranteed rights of people to keep as much power in their own hands as possible.
Southerners, at least, with their roots in the Constitution's very essence through such great Virginians as Madison, Monroe, and Jefferson, had not forgotten the mandate of the 10th Amendment--all powers not specifically vested in the central government are supposed to be reserved to the states, or to the people.
Small wonder, then, that men and women with that sort of collective memory saw Abraham Lincoln's call-up of 75,000 men to "put down a rebellion" as something to be met with determined opposition. In their minds, Southern secessionists were true patriots, supporting constitutional principles that had made America great among nations. As the film shows, they considered their actions the "second American revolution."
Understanding this mentality is what makes "Gods and Generals" a success. Recent literary works such as Charles Adams' "When in the Course of Human Events: Arguing the Case for Southern Secession," and Thomas DiLorenzo's "The Real Lincoln," also have contributed to a long overdue fairness in presenting both sides' perspectives.
Like all wars, the conflict between North and South was based on many issues, from base economics to highest morality. Both sides thought their reasons just--and that is why, as the film's battle scenes so effectively show, troops from both sides stood in open fields and did not flee as bullets flew around them.
If it does nothing else, "Gods and Generals" has perhaps permanently burst the intellectually untenable bubble that the Civil War was just about slavery. It was not--as scholar John S. Tilley has pointed out, at least 80 percent of Confederate army and sailors never owned a slave. The recognition that "The Cause" was in fact a deep one--along with brilliant portrayals of the motivations for the various Southern commanders shown in this film--will be recalled as nothing less than courageous in a future, hopefully less politically intolerant time.
As the movie's director, Ronald F. Maxwell, put it in a recent interview with author Peter Collier, "Future generations will not thank me if I pandered, or caved in to the political winds that were blowing in the year 2003, which will be blowing differently in the year 2010, the year 2050, and 500 years from now. We are telling the truth here."
Hollywood--and Southerners--should take note.
That was not my intent.
The Confederates rejected his answer. At 3:20 a.m., April 12, they informed Anderson that their batteries would open fire in one hour. At ten minutes past the allotted hour, Capt. George S. James, commanding Fort Johnson's East mortar battery, ordered the firing of a signal shell. Within moments Edmund Ruffin of Virginia, firebrand and hero of the secessionist movement, touched off a gun in the ironclad battery at Cummings Point. By daybreak batteries at Forts Johnson and Moultrie, Cummings Point, and elsewhere were assailing Sumter.
By April 4 Lincoln believed that a relief expedition was feasible and ordered merchant steamers, protected by ships of war, to carry "subsistence and other supplies" to Anderson. He also notified Governor Francis W. Pickens of South Carolina that an attempt would be made to resupply the fort. After debate-and some disagreement-the Confederate cabinet telegraphed Beauregard on April 10 to fire on Sumter if absolutely necessary to prevent reinforcement.
Fort Sumter Under Union Hold
On December 20, 1861, after decades of sectional conflict, the people of South Carolina responded to the election of the first Republican president, Abraham Lincoln, by voting unanimously in convention to secede from the Union. Within six weeks five other states- Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana-followed South Carolina's example. Early in February 1861 they met in Montgomery, Ala., adopted a constitution, set up a provisional government-the Confederate States of America-and elected Jefferson Davis their president. By March 2, when Texas officially joined the Confederacy, nearly all of the Federal forts and navy yards in the seven States had been seized by the new government. Fort Sumter was one of the few that remained in Federal hands.
When South Carolina seceded, there were four Federal installations around Charleston Harbor: Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island, Castle Pinckey on Shute's Folley island near the city, Fort Johnson on James Island across from Moultrie, and Fort Sumter at the harbor entrance. The only post garrisoned b more than a nominal number of soldiers was Fort Moultrie, where Maj. Robert Anderson commanded two companies, 85 men, of the First U.S. Artillery. Six days after the secession ordinance, Anderson concluded that Moultrie and the other works were indefensible and secretly transferred the Federal troops to Fort Sumter, a mile away. Charlestonians were angered by Anderson's move as a breach of faith and demanded that U.S. Government evacuate Charleston Harbor. President James Buchanan refused. In January Buchanan attempted a relief expedition, but South Carolina shore batteries turned back the unarmed merchant vessel, Star of the West, carrying 200 men and several months' provisions, as it tried to enter the harbor. Early in March, Brig. Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard took command of the Confederate troops at Charleston and pushed work on fortifying the harbor. As the weeks passed, Fort Sumter gradually became the focal point of tensions between North and South. When Abraham Lincoln assumed office as President of the United States on March 4, 1861, he made it clear in a firm but conciliatory address that he would uphold the national authority. The Government, he said, would not assail anyone, but neither would it consent to a division of the Union. "The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the Government." Lincoln plainly meant to hold Fort Sumter. Unfortunately, circumstances were such that this could not be done without an overt act on his part.
By April 4 Lincoln believed that a relief expedition was feasible and ordered merchant steamers, protected by ships of war, to carry "subsistence and other supplies" to Anderson. He also notified Governor Francis W. Pickens of South Carolina that an attempt would be made to resupply the fort. After debate-and some disagreement-the Confederate cabinet telegraphed Beauregard on April 10 to fire on Sumter if absolutely necessary to prevent reinforcement.
On April 11 Beauregard demanded that Anderson surrender Sumter. Anderson refused, but said he would be starved out in a few days anyway. Beauregard then asked the major precisely when he would be forced to evacuate the fort. In a carefully worded reply, Anderson said that he would leave Sumter by noon, April 15, unless before that time he should receive either instructions from Washington or additional supplies.
The Confederates rejected his answer. At 3:20 a.m., April 12, they informed Anderson that their batteries would open fire in one hour. At ten minutes past the allotted hour, Capt. George S. James, commanding Fort Johnson's East mortar battery, ordered the firing of a signal shell. Within moments Edmund Ruffin of Virginia, firebrand and hero of the secessionist movement, touched off a gun in the ironclad battery at Cummings Point. By daybreak batteries at Forts Johnson and Moultrie, Cummings Point, and elsewhere were assailing Sumter.
Major Anderson withheld his fire until 7 o'clock. Though some 60 guns stood ready for action, most never got into the fight. Nine or ten casemate guns returned fire, but by noon only six remained in action. At no time during the battle did the guns of Fort Sumter greatly damage Confederate positions. And, sheltered in Sumter's brick caverns, only five Federal soldiers suffered injuries. The cannonade continued throughout the night. The next morning a hot shot from Fort Moultrie set fire to the officers' quarters. In early afternoon the flagstaff was shot away. About 2 p.m., Anderson agreed to a truce. That evening he surrendered his garrison. Miraculously, no one on either side had been killed during the engagement. On Sunday, April 14, Major Anderson and his garrison marched out of the fort and boarded ship for transport to New York. They had defended Sumter for 34 hours, until "the quarters were entirely burned, the main gates destroyed by fire, the ocre walls seriously injured, the magazines surrounded by flames." Civil war, so long dreaded, had begun.
And without tea, there would have been no Revolutionary War.
Nonsense. Far from being unprovoked, the Sumter attack occurred only because Abe Lincoln had a fleet of warships over the horizon coming to fight its way into the fort and boost its armaments. Beauregard caught word of this through intelligence sources and preempted Lincoln's arrival by a hair. One of Lincoln's ships even arrived the night before the shelling and proceded to fire on a southern civilian ship that was entering Charleston harbor. Unfortunately they do not teach those facts in schools anymore.
I have traveled all through the South and found the people are amazing. They are so very warm, friendly and hospitable. The only city I did not enjoy was Washington D.C. (I know, that it is considered a Northern City). It was a sickening taste of everything that may have been wrong with the South during the 1850's. Nuff said about that.
Slavery failed because people desire to be free. The desire for freedom is fundamental to the human condition. Think that if I had been a slave, I would have attempted to escape too. Just human nature.
By the way, took a peek at your short c.v. and it was pretty impressive. U. of Chicago is one the very, very best. Used to live in South Bend, IN just a sort drive away. Know Chi Town pretty well but have been stuck out here on the left coast since 1981. Used to sneak away from law school and go out to watch the Cubbies. Then have dinner at a couple of great places (vaguely recall the name of the 'Bread Factory,' but that was over twenty years ago).
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