The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.

Thursday, December 31, 2015

Canada Returns Col. Tew's Sword-- Part 6: How the Silver Cup Was Returned

In 1873, a traveler aboard a boat in New York met a man, J.W. Bean, from New Hampshire and talked about the Civil War.  The traveler knew Col, Charles Tew and mentioned the story of Tew;s father going to Dry Totugas near Key West while looking for the sword.

Bean had been at the Battle of Antietam and had come across Col. Tew's body.  he had the silver cup and then returned it to Tew's family.

That cup was given by Caroline Sloan's mother to her son, Charles Courtenay Sloan.  She said she had polished it as the family intends to make the trip to the Citadel to loan it for a year.  She kind of thinks her son will eventually loan it to the school on a permanent basis.

--A great Story.  --Old Secesh


Canada Returns Col. Tew's Sword-- Part 5: Coming Home

Michael martin had much difficulty "alienating" Col. Charles Tew's sword, but stayed true to his purpose and this past March got the go ahead to return the sword.

Not much is known for sure about how the sword got from the Antietam battlefield to the Blythe family.  But evidence shows that it was likely acquired by Captain Francis J. Sauter of the 55th Ohio who might have had it shipped home before he was killed at the Battle of Chancellorsville in March 1863.

On Wednesday, the Citadel will send 9 cadets, 4 faculty members and other supporters to the Antietam battlefield to receive the sword from Canada.

The sword will eventually go to the Citadel's Daniel Library for display where it will be reunited with Tew's silver cup.  The library also has Tew's diploma, some of his letters and other documents.

--Old Secesh


Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Canada Returns Col. Tew's Sword to Citadel-- Part 4: Sword in Canada

A New York native by the name of Amelia Blythe had moved to Ottawa, Canada, in 1963 and donated the sword to the 763 Communications Regt. of the Canadian Army, now the 33 Signal Regt..

Caroline Sloan, of Portland, Oregon, the colonel's great-great granddaughter.  Her father, Edward Sloan graduated from the Citadel in 1950 and started his own search for the sword.  He got a precise description of the sword and began distributing it and received responses.  Then came the internet.

For a generation, the  sword had been on display inside the Mess at Wallis House, a landmark building in Ottawa that eventually fell into disrepair.  The sword's nameplate read "The Cadets of the Arsenal Academy to Capt.  C.C. Tew, November 25, 1858."  The regiment had the sword and other items appraised in 2009 when they were moving to a new home.

Genuine Civil War swords like it sell for between $20,000 to $30,000, but its connection to Charles Tew made it even more valuable.

Michael Martin,chairman of the 33 Signal Regt. Foundation worked to have it "alienated" from Canada as not having any value to the country.  This was necessary before it could be returned.

--Old Secesh

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Canada Returns Col. Tew's Sword to the Citadel-- Part 3: Searching for the Sword

The Citadel had a cadet and 25 alumni at the Battle of Antietam in 1862.  Two were killed and four wounded.

Charles Tew was shot in the head and among the hundreds of Confederates buried in mass graves.  Their bodies were eventually relocated to cemeteries in Maryland and West Virginia.  His final resting place is unknown and age at death was 34.

After the war, his father began searching for the sword, cup and pocket watch his son had with him at his death.  All they knew was that he was shot along the Sunken Road.

Sometime in 1870, his father got a letter from Ohio saying the sword was hanging at the Odd fellows Hall in Norwalk.  A family friend went there, but it was gone.

Then, there was nothing new for 145 years.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Still Under Attack

But I am taking a break to do what I enjoy much more.

All That Is Sure Getting Me Down.  --Old Secesh

Monday, December 28, 2015

Canada to Return Col. Tew's Long-Lost Sword-- Part 2: Military Academies

The return of Col. Charles Tew's sword to the Citadel will be celebrated with three days of activities.

Col. Charles Courtenay Tew was a Charleston native and among the Citadel's first 26 cadets, reporting to the school in 1843.  He graduated in 1846 and later taught at the Arsenal, a Columbia, S.C. military school that was the Citadel's sister institution.

The cadets there gave him the sword when he left to establish the Hillsborough Military Academy in North Carolina.

During the Civil War, Col. Tew led the 2nd North Carolina and carried the sword along with him, along with a silver cup given him by the Hillsborough cadets.  Later, he decided that he could be of more use to the Confederacy by returning to teaching and submitted his resignation.  before it was accepted, there came the Battle of Antietam.

--Old Secesh

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Canada to Return Colonel Tew's (CSA) Long-Lost Sword to the Citadel-- Part 1: A Sword With Many Connections

From the September 13, 2015, Charleston (SC) Post & Courier "Canada to return Civil War commander's lost sword to the Citadel" by Robert Behre.

"A single sword unites the Citadel with the South Carolina's Governor's Mansion, the 33 Signal Regt. of the Canadian Army and the single bloodiest day in U.S. military history."

And, it's coming home soon.

Confederate Colonel Charles Courtenay Tew was killed at the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862.  His sword was lost and his descendants have been searching for it ever since.

Charles Tew was the Citadel's first valedictorian and the first president of its alumni association.  The sword was given to him by the cadets at the Arsenal, a Columbia, S.C., military academy that was the Citadel's sister institution.    The Arsenal was burned by Sherman's troops in the closing days of the war and never reopened.  Its sole surviving building is the state's Governor's Mansion.

--Old Secesh

Friday, December 25, 2015

Remnants of Possible Civil War Cedar Log Highway Found in Virginia

From the Dec. 23, 2015, Chicago Tribune  "Remnants of Cedar-Log highway could date to Civil War era, historians say" by Jonathan Hunley, Washington Post.

They logs were found along Ox Road in Fairfax County, Virginia, on ground now occupied by George Mason University.  They were found below ground level on October 14th by a road shoulder/sidewalk project.  Work shifted to another part of the project while the logs were photographed and analyzed.

They would constitute what would be called a "corduroy road" because of its close resemblance to the cloth  Since the logs were buried, there was not a lot of deterioration.

A member of the Bull Run Civil War Round Table said that during the Civil War a "corduroy road ran from the Occonquo River to the Fairfax Courthouse and most likely these logs were a part of it.  The road was built in 1862 as a link to get supplies from the railroad's Fairfax Station to the Fairfax Courthouse which was a significant Union supply depot.

--Old Secesh


Thursday, December 24, 2015

Confederate Prison at Rock Island, Illinois-- Part 2: George Fowlkes, 19

Union guards were also susceptible to the diseases plaguing their Confederate prisoners.

Of some 12,000 Confederates interred at Rock island Prison, just less than 2,000 died.and are buried at the Arsenal's Confederate Cemetery,.  Their bodies were placed in wooden boxes and a wooden slab used to mark their final resting place.

George Fowlkes, 3 Arkansas Cav., Co. B,  arrived shortly after the prison opened and died three months later of illness, just a couple days shy of his 19th birthday.

Sgt. Martin Sims, Co. E (Russell) Alabama Cavalry,was  transferred to Rock island from another cam and died a month later of small pox.

"They did not live to see their country reunited.  Still, they are American soldiers.  Each with their own story, and in row after row, they are respectfully remembered."

That last remark rings hard in these days of dishonoring everything Confederate.

--Old Secesh

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Confederate Prison at Rock Island, Illinois-- Part 1: Rampant Diseases


From the Nov. 19, 2015, Quad Cities (Davenport, Iowa) .com.  "Rock Island Arsenal Inside the Gates:  Confederate Cemetery" by Chris Langlors.

The first Confederate POWs arrived in December 1863.  Many had small pox/variola and there was a very large number of deaths in the first month.  Officials from the U.S. Surgeon General's office came and ordered a hospital complex built to separate the sick from the healthy, then ordered a drainage system and the camp cemetery to be moved further away from the prisoners.

The three most common causes of death among the prisoners:  small pox/variola, diarrhea/dysentery and pneumonia.

--Old Secesh

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

North Carolina's Civil War Story Project Gets Under Way

From the Dec. 15, 2015, Mountain XPress (Asheville, N.C.) "North Carolina History Center launches statewide Civil War story project, seeks oral histories" by Max Hunt.

The North Carolina Civil War History Center plans to collect 100 family Civil War stories from each of the state's 100 counties.  It is one of the largest public history projects ever attempted in North Carolina.  Every family has handed-down stories and this will be an attempt to collect them in the project, entitles "Our State, Our Stories" before they are lost.

The center has now employed "Story Specialists" to assist and plans on canvasing local SCV, UDC and SUVCW groups.

They will be using three  methods of collecting the stories:

1.  Online submission
2.  Oral histories recorded by the "story specialists"
3.  Printed forms

The History Center will cost $85 million when completed and is in Fayetteville, right next to the ruins of the Fayetteville Arsenal which was destroyed by Sherman in March 1865.

--Old Secesh

Monday, December 21, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 143: Kutztown University Ban Revoked

From the Dec. 14, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Kutztown University (a public school) bans Confederate Flags even from students' own dorm rooms.  [Update: The ban has been revoked.]  (Pennsylvania)  (Win)  Never thought this would happen.

**  Confederate Flag-waving gun nut targets black neighbor with months-long campaign of racial harassment.  (Lake Linganore, Md.)  (Loss)  Again, we do not need this kind of behavior.  It hurts the cause.

**  The Civil War ended a long time ago, but the battle rages on.  No kidding.  We are now in the midst of the Second Civil War.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 142: Confederate Flags Classified "Distatsteful: at Kutztown University

From the Dec. 12, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Sons of Confederate Veterans participate in Christmas parade.  (Roanoke, Va.)  (Win)

**  University Bans 'Distasteful' Decor in Residence Hals' Common Areas.  (Kutztown University in Pa.) (Loss)  That would be the Confederate Flag which is considered the same as a Swastika.  The ban extends to dorm rooms.

**  Citadel students suspended as furor grows over KKK-type photos.  (Charleston, S.C.)  (Loss, and not because they were suspended)   Pictures taken of them wearing pillow cases with eye holes.  Very KKKish.  Stupidity such as this certainly hurts the cause.

--Old Secesh

Saturday, December 19, 2015

"new orleans" city council Pulls a Racist Move

I found out that the vote of the city council in "new orleans" a few days was 6-1 to remove three Confederate statues as "nuisances.".  Two of the members are white and one of them cast a "no" vote.  The other five are black and all five voted for removal.

Who's racist now?

--Old Secesh

Friday, December 18, 2015

Shame on "new orleans"

The "city of new orleans" (and I am not using capital letters for this DISGRACE) has disgraced itself as of yesterday when the city council voted 6-1 to remove the three Confederate monuments as nuisances.  There are actually four monuments under the gun, but the fourth one is not honorable.

Supposedly, "new orleans" is a southern town, but I don't think so anymore.

This vote, however, was what I expected.

I had been considering going there on vacation within the next year.

"new orleans" now joins "natchitoches" on the disgraced list.  However, there is at least one Louisiana town that has the fortitude to stand up for its heritage, well, at least the mayor, and that would be Many, Louisiana.

Guess Not Now.  --Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 141: Many, Louisiana, Allows Flag in Parade

From Dec. 11-12 Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Dems want Confederate Flag removed at Citadel.  (Loss)  These are the democratic candidates for president.

**  Raucous debate in New Orleans over Confederate monuments.

**  Clinton links Confederate Flag to KKK-like.  (Loss)  As in presidential candidate Hillary.  No help for us here.

**  Confederate Flag issue for students, school in Seneca.  (Maine)  A student flew a Confederate Flag in back of his pickup truck at high school.  It always seems the flag is flown onthe back of a pickup truck.  Why is that?

**  Confederate battle flag controversy migrates to Many, La.  ((Win)  After Natchitoches refused to allow the flag in their parade, the flag was not banned here.  The mayor had the fortitude to allow it.

Finally.  --Old Secesh


Thursday, December 17, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 140: Natchitoches Sued Over Flag Ban

From the Dec. 10, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Charleston lawmaker:  Use private donations, not taxpayer money, for Confederate Flag display.  (South Carolina)  (Good idea.)

**  Winona juvenile charged with assault in Confederate Flag incident.  (Minnesota)  (This whole thing goes much deeper.)  The 14-year old black kid was charged with attacking an 18-year-old white kid who had struck a four-year-old black kid in August.  The white boy had reported his Confederate Flag stolen earlier.

**  Portsmouth city council discusses Confederate monument in closed meeting.  (Virginia)  (Draw at this point)

**  City of Natchitoches sued over Confederate Flag ban.  (Louisiana)  (Win, but I'm sure it will get thrown out of court.)

**  Protesters display Confederate Flag outside New Orleans City Hall hours before discussion.  (Win)  About those four monuments.

**  Greenfield public forum set on Confederate Flag controversy.  (Massachusetts)  (At least the police officer has not been fired yet for having the flag up in his garage.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 139: Lee High School Keeping Name

From the Dec. 7-8, 2015,  Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Lee High School Renaming Issue to Come Before NEISD Board Tonight.  (San Antonio, Tx.)  (Anticipating a loss and name change.)

**  Roanoke again says it can't ban Confederate Flag from Christmas parade.  (Virginia)  (A surprising win)

**  Monumental Task Committee to make announcement on Confederate monuments.  (New Orleans)  (Expecting a win as they say they have thousands of signatures wanting the monuments left where they are.)

**  Museum director says $5M cost of Confederate Flag display will come down.  (South Carolina)  That flag again.  Let's hope the cost comes way down.  I'll do it for free.

**  Confederate pride flag and noose cause upset in Springfield.  (Missouri)  (Loss)  Displaying the flag ok, but not along with a noose.  The lynchings were a sad part of history.

**  NEISD votes to keep Robert ER. Lee High School name.   (San Antonio)  (A very surprising win.)

--Old Secesh

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 138: Confederate Flag Sidelined in Louisiana

From the Dec. 6, 2015, Gioogle Alerts for Confederate.

**  Sidelined Confederate Flag supporters expect to be in 2016 parade.  (Natchitoches, La.)  (Loss) The SCV was not allowed in the town's Christmas Festival parade.  They stood on the sidewalk and waved Confederate flags.  They think they will be back in the parade next year and will work toward it, but I doubt they will.

**  NAACP leaders do not want Confederate Flag flown during Roanoke Christmas parade.  (Roanoke, Virginia)  (Loss)  I'm sure they will get their way.  No public officials want to stand up against them.

**  Corley wants voters' input on Confederate Flag.  S.C.)  (Win)  South Carolina representative Christopher Corley.  At least he wants input on it.

**  No decision on Confederate Flag ban at fair.  (Wooster, Ohio)  (Win)  These days no decision is better than just losing.

**  Klan presence at Confederate Flag rally.  (Stone Mountain, Georgia)  (Loss)  Definitely not the group we needed to be connected with.

--Old Secesh

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Battle Against the Confederacy Hits Louisiana-- Part 2

The New Orleans mayor's proposal is bold as it takes aim against some well-known landmarks that have stood where they are for a century or more.  They are the monuments honoring Confederate President Jefferson Davis, Generals Robert E. Lee and P.G.T. Beauregard (a native Louisianan) and the Crescent City White League who were a group of white supremacists who sought to topple the biracial government after the Civil War ended.  (It would be ok with me if the last one was removed.)

Earlier this week, a volunteer group that looks after monuments said it had collected the signatures ofabout 31,000 people opposed to the statue removals.

Pierre McGraw, president of the Monumental Task Committee, says, "It looks like we are sanitizing history.  Where does it end?"

The City Council will hear what citizens have to say and are supposed to vote on it December 17th.

Like I said, there is no way they will vote to keep the statues where they are.

This Will Be  Great Shame on the City of New Orleans.  --Old Secesh

Monday, December 14, 2015

Battle Against Confederacy Hits Louisiana-- Part 1

From the December 11, 2015, Chicago Tribune by Cain Burdeau, AP.

"Prominent Confederate monuments long taken for granted on the streets of this Deep South city may be coming down as allegiance to Confederate symbols slowly erodes in the South and African-Americans across the nation demand an end to racism."

The New Orleans City Council will be taking up the removal of four Confederate monuments this week and it appears that a majority are in favor of removal.

Mayor Mitch Landreau first called for it after the June massacre in Charleston, S.C..  This set off a firestorm against any and all things Confederate.

In South Carolina, the Confederate flag was removed from the Capitol grounds.  In Mississippi, colleges have stopped flying the state flag as it incorporates the Confederate flag.  The University of Texas has removed the statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis from its grounds.

Across the South, allegiance and veneration to Confederate symbols is rapidly eroding, especially among younger whites.

It Will Happen and Be a Sad Day.  --Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 137: Rename Those Confederate Schools

From the Dec. 4, and 5, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**  Demonstrators speak out against racism after Confederate Flag incident.  (Greenfield, Mass.)  (Loss)  Still about the police man having the Confederate Flag up in his garage.

**  School Board Approves Renaming Schools With Confederate References.  (Austin, Texas)  (Loss)

**  Lawmakers question $5.3 million price tag on proposed Confederate Flag display.  (Columbia, S.C.)  This was the proposed cost by "consultants" to display the flag taken down at the State House this past summer.  I'm glad someone thought the price was a "bit" excessive.

--Old Secesh

Saturday, December 12, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 136: Confederate Flag Christmas Cards

From the Dec. 3, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Lawmakers receive Christmas cards with Confederate Flag picture from colleague.  (South Carolina)  (Win)  Rep. Chris Corley, R-Graniteville, sent a Christmas card out to other lawmakers showing the Confederate Flag that once flew at the state house.

In it, he wrote, "May your Christmas be filled with memories of a happier time when South Carolina leaders possessed morals, convictions and principles to stand for what is right."

More Power to Him.  --Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 135: Neighbors Are the Real Racists

From the December 3, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Consultants propose spending $5.3 million on Confederate Flag display in Relic Room.  (Columbia, S.C.)  (Big Win for their wallets)  This is the flag that was removed from the S.C. state house grounds this past summer.  Ridiculous to want that much money.

Confederate "flaggers" fight for twisted history.  (Loss)  A very anti-Confederate article by Art Cook in People's World.

Neighbors who complained about Massachusetts cop's Confederate Flag are the real racists: residents say.  (Win)  This is regarding the policeman who has a Confederate Flag up in his garage.

--Old Secesh

Friday, December 11, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 134: Take a Vote on Businesses Flying Confederate Flag

From the Dec. 2, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**Commission to meet on how to display Confederate Flag at SC Relic Room.  (South Carolina) (Loss)  This is the famous "Statehouse Flag."

**Would a Confederate Flag Flying Outside a business make you: (Hampshire Review)  This was a chance to vote.  I did.

More likely to shop there--  48.8%  (My vote)

Less likely to shop there--  26.6%

Praise the proprietot--  12.2%

Admonish proprietor for insensitivity--  .8%

Shrug your shoulders--  11.4%

Definitely some interesting votes.  --Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 134: UNLV President Says Keep "Rebel" Name

Frpm the December 2, 2915, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**Ordinance to remove four Confederate monuments introduced at City Council.  (New Orleans) (Loss)  I'm sure it will pass.  Wants to declare the monuments a "nuisance."  These "nuisances" have sure been around for a long time.

**Confederate Flag Controversy at Greenfield.  (Massachusetts) (Loss)  About the police sergeant who has a Confederate Flag on the wall of his home.  What a person puts up in their home or on it should not come under attack.

**UNLV president says keep the Rebel name, no Confederate roots.  (Univ. of Nevada Las Vegas)  (Win, sort of)  That is the school's nickname and they have a mascot called "Hey Reb."  The president says the name reflects the school's entrepreneurial spirit.

--Old Secesh

Thursday, December 10, 2015

John Hildt, Co. K, 1st Michigan Infantry

I was trying to find more information about this man who Tony Horwitz wrote about in his "PTSD: The Civil War's Hidden Legacy" in the January 2015, Smithsonian Magazine.

At first I just knew he was from Michigan so figured he probably was in a Michigan regiment.  However, I found that there were quite a few regiments from the state involved in the Seven Days Battles in 1862.  Then. later in the article I found he was in Company K of the 1st Michigan.

This really helped, but I still could not find out at which of the battles he was wounded.  However, Union casualties during the battles were 1,734 killed, 8,066 wounded and 6,055 missing/captured.  The Co. K roster lists a John Hilt from Ann Arbor, Michigan, but mention was also made that he might be John Hildt because of a spelling error.

--Old Secesh

PTSD in the Civil War-- Part 9: Corp. John Hildt, Co. K, 1st Michigan

They returned to a society without a Veterans Administration, a G.I. Bill or modern pharmaceuticals.

PTSD didn't enter the language until 1980, but Civil War soldiers certainly were afflicted with it.  They had flashbacks, panic attacks, insomnia and suicidal thoughts.

Historian Eric Dean has examined the records of 291 veterans admitted to the Indiana Hospital for the Insane and found cases like Elijah Boswell who "Sobbed & cried & imagined that someone was going to kill him" and that "the rebels was after him."

Another one, who survived a horrific artillery bombardment, would shout at his wife, "Don't you hear them bombarding?"  Another one considered suicidal and sleepless was convinced he was "bleeding to death from imaginary wounds."

The brother of John Hildt, the Union soldier described in the first post after losing his arm in the Seven days Battle, wrote a letter in his native German in hopes "he will recognize anything I say to him.  He is John Hildt Corporal Co K 1st Michigan Vol."

Hildt's family also sought a pension for both his physical and mental disability.  The latter was denied, the pension office wrote, due to "lack of proof" that Hildt became insane due to his wartime service and wounding.

--Old Secesh

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

PTSD in the Civil War-- Part 8: "The Vicious Nature of Combat"

Another book on the war "Living Hell: The Dark Side of the Civil War" by Michael Adams describes the "vicious nature of combat, the terrible infliction of physical and mental wounds, the misery of soldiers living amid corpses, filth and flies."

Some historians do not like new scholarship which include subjects such as rape, torture and guerrilla atrocities.  They say that these were on the margins of the war and don't reflect the mainstream of Civil War experience.

Gary Gallagher at the University of Virginia is one of these and adds that the vast majority of soldiers weren't traumatized and went on to have productive postwar lives.

One thing he and others warn against is viewing 1860s Americans as though they were like modern Americans.  As a rule, Civil War soldiers were more religious, more imbued with notions of honor and glory and less inclined to share their pain or seek help for it.

--Old Secesh

PTSD in the Civil War-- Part 7: The 16th Connecticut, "Broken Regiment"

Another former member of the 16th Connecticut, Wallace Woodford flailed in his sleep, dreaming that he was still searching for food at Andersonville.  He died at age 22 and was buried beneath a headstone that reads "8 months a sufferer in Rebel prison; He came home to die."

Others managed to live longer, before killing themselves or being committed to insane asylums.  Lesley Gordon, in his research on the 16th, was amazed at how many times the members returned to the twin horrors of Andersonville and Antietam in their diaries and letters.  "They're haunted by what happened until the end of their lives," she says.

She wrote a book on the 16th Connecticut called "Broken Regiment."

--Old Secesh


Tuesday, December 8, 2015

PTSD in the Civil War? You Betcha. --Part 6: The 16th Connecticut

Historian Lesley Gordon followed the men of the 16th Connecticut from home to war and back again and found that "the war had a very long and devastating reach."

The men of this regiment had just been mustered in and barely trained when they fought at the Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest day of combat in U.S. history.    They rushed directly into a Confederate crossfire and then broke and ran, suffering 25 percent casualties in a matter of a few short minutes.  One soldier wrote, "We were murdered."

In a later battle, nearly the whole regiment was captured and sent to the infamous Confederate prison at Andersonville, where a third of them died from disease, exposure and starvation.  Upon return to home, many became invalids, emotionally numb or abusive of family.

Alfred Avery, traumatized at Antietam, was described as "more or less irrational as long as he lived."

William Hancock, who had gone off to war  as "a strong young man" returned so "broken in body and mind" that he didn't even know his own name.

--Old Secesh

PTSD in the Civil War? You Betcha.-- Part 5: Away From Home "Nostalgia"

Though the Civil War soldiers were less distant from home than today's soldiers, many were farm boys who had never been far from home.  They didn't have phones or Skype to keep in touch with loved ones back home .

This caused the condition Civil War doctors referred to as "nostalgia," an old term for despair and homesickness so severe that soldiers became listless and emaciated and sometimes died.  It was recognized as a serious "camp disease," but generally blamed on "feeble will," "moral turpitude" and inactivity in camp.  Few who had it were discharged or granted furloughs to go home.  Recommended treatment was drilling and shaming.  An even better cure was active campaigning.

After the war, the veterans faced not only wounds but also lingering ailments such as rheumatism, and chronic dysentery.

--Old Secesh

PTSD in the Civil War? You Betcha.-- Part 4: Aftermath of Battles and Disease

Many soldiers regarded the aftermath of battles to be even more disturbing than the battles themselves.  Some described landscapes so bloody that you could cross them and never touch the ground, walking only upon bodies and body parts.  When over 5,000 Confederates fell in the failed attack on Malvern Hill in Virginia in 1862, a Union colonel wrote: "A third of them were dead or dying, but enough were alive to give the field a singularly crawling effect."

Those wounded then faced the horrors of pre-modern medicine, including tens of thousands of amputations with unsterilized instruments.  Contrary to popular belief, however, that soldiers often bit down on bullets as surgeons did their amputations, opiates were available and widely dispensed.  This caused drug addictions.

Nor were bullets and shells the greatest threat to soldiers.  Diseases were a lot worse,  killing twice as many.  Long stretches in crowded and unsanitary camps brought about these deadly diseases, especially dysentery.

--Old Secesh

Monday, December 7, 2015

The Day of Infamy-- Part 2: Western Michigan Man Killed Later in the World War II

Commemorating the Day of Infamy in all my seven blogs today.

This Western Michigan men were killed later in the war:

JOSEPH A. BUTOR--  From Hesperia, USN Torpedoman's Mate Chief Petty Officer, lost with all hands on submarine USS Golet off Japan on June 14, 1944.

--GreGen

The Day of Infamy: Muskegon Men Killed on USS Arizona

Every year, all my blogs are devoted to the story of Pearl Harbor on this date.

From M Live!, 12-3-12.  Michigan.

Western Michigan area men killed in action at Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941:

HOMER HOPKINS--  20, of Muskegon, Seaman 1st Class on USS Arizona.

STANLEY MALINKOWSKI--  17, of Muskegon, USN Signalman on USS Arizona.

--GreGen

Saturday, December 5, 2015

PTSD in the Civil War? You Betcha-- Part 3: World War I's "Shell Shock" and "Gas Hysteria"

All wars are scarring.  The relentless trench warfare and artillery bombardments in World War I led to "shell shock."  The fear of gas attacks led to "gas hysteria."  Long campaigns in later wars brought the realization that all soldiers have a breaking point, causing "combat fatigue" and "old sergeant's syndrome."

In Vietnam, the line between civilians and combatants in that country blurred, drug abuse was rampant and veterans returned home to an often hostile public.  Improvised explosive devices in Iraq and Afghanistan makes for a constant risk of death.

Civil War combatant was different from later wars in that battles were concentrated and personal.  Bullets rather than bombs accounted for over 90 percent of the carnage.  Most troops fought on foot, marching in tight formation and firing at relatively close range.

By the 1860s, they had new and more accurate, longer range rifles as well as improved cannons.  As a result, units were often cut down in mass, showering survivors with blood, brains and body parts of their comrades.

--Old Secesh

PTSD in the Civil War? You Betcha-- Part 2

The Civil War killed and injured over a million Americans, roughly a third of all those who served.  That, however, doesn't include its psychic wounds.  Military and medical officials in the 1860s had little grasp of how war could scar minds as well as bodies.

However, that is changing as conditions such as post-traumatic  stress disorder are becoming more well known.  medical officials are looking back for it in the Civil War.  Corporal John Hildt would certainly qualify as a sufferer.

Men back then who suffered psychic problems were thought to have character flaws or underlying physical problems.

An example would be of a soldier suffering from constricted breath and palpitations, a condition referred to as "soldier's heart" or "irritable heart" back then, was blamed on exertion or knapsack straps being drawn too tightly across the chest.  Asylum records frequently listed soldier problems as being the result of "masturbation."

--Old Secesh

Friday, December 4, 2015

Mort Kunstler Civil War Calendar-- December "My Friend, the Enemy"

The last monthly calendar for 2015 is "My Friend, the Enemy."  It shows a Confedrate and a Union soldier standing on stones along the river, talking and the Union soldier enjoying a smoke from his pipe and the Confederate having a cup of coffee.  There are other soldiers way off in the background and a town, probably Fredericksburg, in the background.

"RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER, VA., December 25, 1862.  Fraternization was ever-present in the Civil War.  This was not remarkable.  Johnny Rebs and Billy yanks spoke the same language, had the same backgrounds and cultures, possessed the same likes and dislikes.

"While it was easy to hate the enemy in abstract, sometimes individual feelings overcame sectional animosity.  A regular reason for fraternization was the federals' wish for tobacco and the Confederates' desire for coffee.

"This swapping of hard-to-get items is shown here as two enemy soldiers meet in the Rappahannock River.  |They had declared a truce by long-distance shouting.  Now they stand in no-man's land and silently enjoy luxuries for a few moments.

"Winston Churchill once dubbed the American Civil War "the last war between gentlemen."

--Old Secesh

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 133: Massachusetts Police Officer Criticized for Hanging a Confederate Flag in His Garage

From the Nov. 30, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**Guest: Why we shouldn't erase Confederate Memorial Hall's history.  (Vanderbilt University0 (Win)

From December 1, 2015.

**Greenfield police sergeant criticized for hanging Confederate Flag in garage.  (Greenfield, Mass.)  (Loss)  A person shouldn't be hassled for something they hang in their garage.

**Milton replacing Confederate Flag.  (Milton, Fla.)  (Loss/Win)  But they are replacing the battle flag with the First National flag.

**Trump Supporters Wave Racist Confederate Flags At Georgia Rally.

**UNLV President Says Keep Rebel Name; No Ties to Confederacy.  (Win)

--Old Secesh

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 132: About Those Farmingham State "Snowflakes"



From Nov. 28 and 29, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**Stone Mountain monument at center of racial tension over Confederate tributes.  (Georgia)  (Loss)  Those carvings again)

**Still Trying To Rid Itself of Confederate Flag, Enter 21st Century.

**University offers counseling to delicate snowflakes offended by Confederate Flag sticker in laptop.  (BizPac Review)  (Win)  OK, I already mentioned this, but it was too good to pass up.

--Old Secesh

The Confedracy Under Attack-- Part 131: Framingham Students Need Counseling Over Confederate Flag Sticker

From the Nov. 27, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**Mass. School Offers Counseling For 'Victims' of Confederate Flag Sticker.  (Daily Caller)  (Framingham State University)  (Loss, but this is really funny)

**I see the Austin, Texas, school board decision allows schools named after Confederates to have their names changed.  (Loss)  Kind of what I was figuring.

**Today could be the last time Georgia celebrates Robert E. Lee's birthday.  (Loss)

--Old Secesh

Monday, November 30, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 130: Is It OK to Play a Confederate Soldier?

From the Nov. 23, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**Is it OK to Play a Confederate Soldier  in a Civil War FBS?  (Motherboard)  (Loss)  Shouldn't even be a question.)

**Robert Fisher: Students over-reacted to flag flap.  (La Crosse Tribune)  (Win)

From the November 26, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**Historic Virginia Church to Remove Confederate Flag Imagery.  (Christian Post)  Richmond, Virginia)  (Loss)  St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

**Austin school board changes policy on Confederate names.  (Texas)  (Not sure)  It didn't say whether they could or couldn't change Confederate names.

**Talbot Boys statue to remain in Easton.  (Cecil Whig, Maryland?)  (Win)  Will remain on county courthouse grounds.

--Old Secesh

Saturday, November 28, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 129: That Horrible Confederate Flag on the Laptop

From the November 21, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**Confederate Flag draws protests at Dobson High School in Mesa.  (Arizona) (Loss)

**Woodrow Wilson is not the Confederate Flag: Scrubbing his name from Princeton is a bad idea.  (Princeton University)  (Loss if they do it, but at least one person is sane there.)

From Nov. 22, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**Jim Parker: Confederate Flag is reprehensible symbol.   (La Crosse Tribune)  (Loss)

From Nov. 23, 2015, Google Alerts.

**OC Civic Center replaces 50 state flags, and a Confederate symbol, with local banners.  (Orange County, California)  (Loss, but at least they took all of them down.)

**Confederate Flag on laptop reported as 'bias incident' alert at Farmingham State.  (Farmingham State in Massachusetts)  (Loss)  A student reported it.  There was a "contentious campus forum held Tuesday" over racism on campus.  Like at Missouri.

And On and On It Goes.  --Old Secesh


Friday, November 27, 2015

PTSD in the Civil War? You Betcha-- Part 1: "Acute Mania"

From the January 2015, Smithsonian Magazine "PTSD: The Cuvil War's Hidden Legacy" by Tony Horwitz.

IN THE SUMMER OF 1862, JOHN HILDT LOST A LIMB.  THEN HE LOST HIS MIND.

John Hildt was a 25-year-old corporal from Michigan who saw the elephant (action) for the first time at the seven Days battles in Virginia where he was shot in the right arm.  It had to be amputated close to the shoulder which caused a severe hemorrhage.

He survived, but was transferred to the Government Hospital for the Insane in Washington, D.C., suffering from what was termed "acute mania."

Before the war, he had been a laborer with no prior history of mental illness.  In the Army, he had risen quickly through the ranks as an able soldier.  His family wrote to the hospital expressing surprise that "his mind could not be restored to its original state.

Hildt remained in the hospital for years without improvement.  He was described as withdrawn, apathetic and at times so "excited and disturbed" that he hit other patients at the asylum.  He finally died there in 1911.

--Old Secesh

Monday, November 23, 2015

Union Soldier Statue Goes Up in Ashton, Illinois, in 1915

From the Nov. 17, 2015, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."

S.F. Mills and N.A. Petrie, philanthropic citizens of Ashton, have contracted for the erection at their own expense of a soldiers' monument in the Ashton Cemetery.

The monument will be of Barre, Vermont, granite and the bass will be six feet and four inches square.  The monument will be surmounted by a full-size figure of a soldier dressed in the style of uniform used during the Civil War, the soldier standing at parade rest.

The height of the monument will be twenty feet and it will weigh 17 tons.

I wasn't able to find any more information about it, but did find photos of the Ashton Cemetery where it stands at the entrance to it.  It is located on Midway Road, north of the Lincoln Highway.

--Old Secesh


The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 128: Confederate Flag at Dennison University

From the Nov. 20, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**Rockville postpones tonight's Confederate Statue hearing  (Virginia)  (temporary Win before Loss)  This is Montgomery County where the town of Christiansburg is located and we know how THEY feel about their heritage.

**Georgia student poses for photo in Ku Klux Klan hood, Confederate Flag.  (East Correta High School)  (Loss)  Just what we need, dumb high school student makes it look like we support the Klan.

**Electric Forest Bans American Indian Headdresses After Last Year's Confederate Flag Incident.  (Music Times) (Rothbury, Michigan)  (Loss)  Evidently some sore of a basshead/electronic music festival.  One attendee wore a Confederate Flag totem and upset somebody.

**Campus Safety responds to truck sporting Confederate Flag.  (Dennison University, Ohio)  (Win and Loss)  A student saw it and got upset.  At first campus safety told them it was an issue of free speech and wouldn't do anything.  Later, went looking for the truck.

--Old Secesh

Sunday, November 22, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 127: The Assault Over a Flag Decal

From the Nov. 20, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

**Police release enhanced images of alleged Confederate Flag assault.  (Salt Lake City)  (Loss)  This is where six blacks assaulted two whites over a Confederate Flag decal on a truck.  Right now it is being treated as assault but could be upgraded to a hate crime.  I might add it sure looks racist to me.  The white men should not have been attacked because of the decal.

**Santa Ana replaces flags to remove Confederate symbols.  (California) (Loss)  That would be the Mississippi state flag.

And, speaking of the Mississippi state flag, I have not heard about how the state government is dealing with the University of Mississippi removing the flag from campus.

**La Crosse truck sparks Confederate Flag debate anew.  (Wisconsin)  (Loss)  At the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.  A student saw a Confederate Flag on the grill of a truck at a construction site on campus and got upset.  The owner was told to remove it and did.

I Am Offended.  --Old Secesh

Saturday, November 21, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 126: What Teddy Roosevelt Had to Say About Confederate Soldiers

I came across this while researching Irvine Bulloch in my Civil War Navy blog.  Irvine Bulloch served on the Confederate raiders Alabama and Shenandoah and was the brother of "Mittie" Bulloch, the mother of Theodore Roosevelt and paternal grandmother of Eleanor Roosevelt.

Irvine and "Mittie" were raised on a plantation in Roswell, Georgia and in 1905, Theodore Roosevelt visited the town and spoke.

"Men and women, don'y you think I have the ancestral right to claim a proud kinship with those who showed their devotion to duty as they saw the duty, whether they wore grey or whether they wore blue?

"All Americans who are worthy of the name feel an equal pride in the valor of those who fought on one side or the other, provided only that each did with all their strength and soul and mind his duty as it was given to him to see his duty."

Considering the current movement to completely dishonor all those who fought for and supported the Confederacy, these words from the past should be examined more closely.

--Old Secesh


Top Ten Civil War Innovations-- Part 4: Railroads, McCormick's Reaper and Paper Money

8.   RAILROADS--  had a huge impact.  Moved troops and supplies with rapidity as opposed to land roads.

9.  McCORMICK'S REAPER--  A labor-saving device.  Using the new reaper, three farm hands could do the work of 10-12 in wheat production.  This enabled these men to go to war.  The reaper was patented in 1834 by Virginian Cyrus McCormick.

10.  PAPER MONEY--  The war transformed U.S. banking system.  Paper money became legal tender for the first time.

"Greenbacks," named for their anti-counterfeit ink used on the back of them were issued by the federal government.  This replaced the paper notes issued by local banks around the country.

With the increasingly worthless Confederate paper money, some Southern soldiers demanded to be paid in Union "Greenbacks."

So, There You have It.  --Old Secesh

Friday, November 20, 2015

Top Ten Civil War Innovations-- Part 3: Telegraph and Iron Gunships

6.  TELEGRAPH--  50,000 miles of telegraph wire had been strung by 1860.  Another 15,000 miles were added during the war.  Lincoln used it for real-time information.  By October 1861, the coast-to-coast telegraph had eliminated the Pony Express.  During the war, several patents improved distance and power of the original Morse telegraph.

7.  IRON GUNSHIPS--  The Confederate Navy couldn't match the U.S. Navy in numbers so needed a super weapon which they got with the ironclad CSS Virginia.  The USS Monitor was built in 90-days and had 40 patentable inventions by John Ericsson.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 125: Goodbye Kirby

From the Nov. 18, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

School board OKs dress code ban on Confederate symbols.  (Christiansburg, Virginia, Montgomery County)  (Loss)  But no surprise here.  But, you know some people are offended by Christians.  Perhaps a new town name is in order.

Florida lawmakers move to replace Confederate statue.  (Not really a loss)  Statue of Confederate General Kirby Smith at U.S. Capitol.  As I said before, he spent only his childhood in the state and shouldn't represent the state at the Capitol.  Should have been done a long time ago.  Unfortunate that it had to take place in the current Confederate backlash.

Ken Calvert: Congressman recounts Confederate Flag controversy.  He introduced a late hour amendment on the spending bill that would have allowed the Confederate Flag to be placed at Confederate veterans gravestones at federal cemeteries in states which have Confederate memorial holidays.  Needless to say, this drew a lot of controversy.

Confederate Flags in Tallahassee Veterans Day Parade Causes Backlash.  (Loss)

David Allan Coe Fans Ready Confederate Do-Rags.  (Win)  Wait a minute guys and gals, don't you know some people are offended by them?  Oh, yes.  I forgot.  You don't care (but am sure you'd have other words to say about it).

--Old Secesh

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Top Ten Civil War Innovations-- Part 2: Sewing Machines, Standard Sizes and Weaponry

3.  SEWING MACHINES--  These were used for tents, uniforms and blankets.  This also led to coated fabrics like canvas tents and rubberized tarpaulins.

4.  STANDARD SIZES--  Before the war, if you needed shoes or something to wear, either it was made at home or, ion the case of shoes, a cobbler.  Things were made to the individual.  But with huge armies to uniform and provide shoes, it became necessary to start having standard sizes which would be then issued.

5.  WEAPONRY--  Both sides used newly-developed  bored rifles that gave bullets a spinning motion.  This caused effective range to be extended from 100 yards to 500 yards.  Minie balls were fired from them, which flattened on impact, shattering bones and tissues.  The old musket  balls generally passed right through the body, causing much less damage.

--Old Secesh

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Top Ten Civil War Innovations-- Part 1: Canned Food and Pocket Watches

From the December 12, 2012, Discovery News.  Slide Show.

I had never known about the first four.

1.  CANNED FOOD--  Gail Borden patented condensed milk in 1854.  Sold Navy condensed coffee and cider.  By 1862, soldiers were eating his tinned goods: meat biscuits, condensed coffee and milk.

Entrepreneurs like Van Camps, Armour and Swift began producing single-serving cans of meat.


2.  POCKET WATCH--  Before the war, portable time pieces were a luxury for the ultra rich.  Waltham Watch Company in Massachusetts figured out how to make interchangeable pieces for their pocket watches, making them affordable for everyone.

This breakthrough coincided with the beginning of the war and soldiers took watches with them.  These watches often had inscriptions.

Pass the Coffee, Please.  --Old Secesh

M-231 Bike in Michigan Trail Named for Civil War Hero

From Oct. 17, 2015, M-Live "M-231 bike trail named for Civil War hero, Medal of Honor recipient."

Sgt. Henry E. Plant (Oct. 11, 1841-April 15, 1923) was born in New York and moved with his family to a farm in Ottawa County, Michigan.  Enlisted in the 14th Michigan Infantry in 1861.  Wounded during the Siege of Corinth, Mississippi, 1862.

On March 19, 1865, at the Battle of Bentonville, N.C., the company's color bearer was mortally wounded and Plant took the flag and waved it, inspiring his company to resist the Confederate onslaught.  For this he was promoted to sergeant and made regimental color bearer.

He was awarded the Medal of Honor on April 27, 1891, for rescuing the regimental colors, the first for anyone ever from Ottawa County and the 14th Michigan.

The M-231 is a road in Michigan.

--Old Secesh

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 124: Vigil At "Disrespectful" Art Show

From the Nov. 15 and 16, 2015 Google Alerts for Confederate.

Group Holds Confederate Flag Rally.  (Abilene, Texas)  (Win)

Confederate Flag should not be flown in any community.  (Post-Bulletin)  (Loss)  A letter to the editor.

Confederate Supporters Protest MLK Monument On Stone Mountain.  (Georgia)  (Win)

Memorial to Civil War soldiers on both sides will replace Confederate Flag at Wichita park.  (Wichita, Kansas)  (Draw)

Veterans Group Holds Candlelight Vigil at "Disrespectful" Art Show.  (Richmond, Va.)  At the Confederate Chapel.  (Win)

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 123: Even to TV?

From the Nov. 14, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

A History Lesson on Confederate Flag.  (An anti flag article)  (Loss)

Editorial: Fair should not abide sale of Confederate Flags.  (Glenn Galls, NY)  (Loss)

Updated: Hollyoaks fans complain about Confederate Flag seen in an episode.  (TV show) (Loss)  has it come to this.

museums can tell the full story of Confederate symbols.  (Draw)

Citadel alumni campaign to remove Confederate Naval Jack from Summerall Chapel.  (Loss)

--Old Secesh




Monday, November 16, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 122: New Battle in Natchitoches

From the Nov. 13, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Matthews woman's stand on the Confederate Flag goes viral.  (Matthews, N.C. near Charlotte.  (Loss)  She stole a Confederate Flag sticker off a neighbor's truck and replaced it with a racist note.  She is quite proud of what she did though to me that falls under destruction of private property.  Perhaps a nice big fine might convince her of the error of her ways.

Battle over Confederate Flag in Natchitoches.  (Louisana)  (Draw for now)  The mayor wants the flag out of the Christmas parade.  A decision has not been reached, but I'm sure it will be banned.

In Md. some stand against Confederate plate recall.  (Win)  Maryland license plates for SCV.

Review board recommends moving Confederate statues out of Lexington historic courthouse.  (Kentucky) (Loss)   These would be the statues of Confederates John Hunt Morgan and John C. Breckinridge.

Stone Mountain: A Confederate memorial in a black neighborhood.  (Georgia)

--Old Secesh


The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 121: What About Ole Miss?

From the Nov. 12, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

A Bit of Housekeeping Removes a Confederate Flag in a U.S. Capital Building.  (New York Times)  (Loss)  Rayburn House Office building.  Removal of Mississippi state flag.

Two residents ask fair to ban Confederate Flags.  (Loss)  (Washington County Fair in Easton, NY, I think.)  They want any item featuring it banned.  The sad thing often is that is that if just one or two people don't like it, hey get their way.

I have not yet read about anything the State of Mississippi has done to punish Ole Miss for removing the state flags.  I am thinking loss of funding is in order.

What they need to do about the Confederate Flag emblem in the state flag is have a vote of all citizens like they had before.  If the majority vote to remove it, do so.

--Old Secesh

Saturday, November 14, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 120: Trippy Dippy Light Show

From the Nov. 11, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

VA Flaggers to protest InLight exhibit at Confederate chapel outside VMFA.  (Richmond, Va.)  (Win) There is to be an art exhibit on the grounds of the Virginia  Museum of Fine Arts and plans are to turn the chapel into a "Funhouse" called "Trippy Dippy Light Show.  (Loss)  The show will go on.  In 2011, the VMFA forced the removal of Confederate battle flags from the Chapel.

Confederate Flag ban on clothing finds favor on Montgomery County School Board.  (Christiansburg, Va., of course)  (Loss) but no big surprise.

A.C. House 63 candidate wants confederate flag back (WBTW)  (Win).  But, I wonder why the article kept spelling Confederate with a small "c"?  Candidate Will Breazeale says it is not a racist symbol.

Sons of Confederate Veterans commemorate 100th anniversary of P.G.T. Beauregard statue.  (New Orleans) (Win)  This is one of the ones causing a removal debate.

Lake Village Votes to Change Confederate Street Name.  (Lake City, Arkansas)  (Loss) The City Council voted to change the name Confederate Avenue to Sgt. Thomas Armour, Jr. Street, a Lake Village resident who lost both legs in Vietnam.  I see on a map accompanying the article that they also have a Lee Street and we know what Confederate general had that name.  They also have a Chicago Boulevard and we know about all the blacks killed there every week.  Maybe some other street names need to be changed.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 119: Confederate Flag Bad, Muslim Activists Good in Tulsa

From the Nov. 10, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Confederate Flag Out, CAIR In for Tulsa Veterans Day Parade.  (Double Loss)    The Confederate Flag was not allowed, but this group was.  OK, I had to find out who CAIR was.  It stands for Council on American-Islamic relations.  This is a Muslim activist group who right now is suing the Pentagon over a ban on facial hair.  Confederate Flag= BAD.  Muslim Activist Group= Good.  What gives here?

Braxton County High School Student Suspended After Confederate Flag Protest.  (West Virginia)  (Loss).  Fifteen vehicles were flying the Confederate and U.S. flags at school.

--Old Secesh

Friday, November 13, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 118: Banning the Flag from a Parade Originated by Confederate Veterans in N.C.

Kind of hard to keep up with these.  I'll be glad if and when it ever blows over so I can get back to just writing about the war.

From the Nov. 10, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Confederate battle flag back up for discussion.  KSN-TV (Wichita, Kansas)  (Win)  At least it is being talked about here instead of banned.  It is/was one of 13 flags flying at Veterans Memorial Park.

Confederate Flag supporters hope to keep it in Newton parade.  (North Carolina)  (Win) This is the Soldiers Reunion Parade started by Confederate veterans and held in August.  Largest parade in Newton.

Confederate Flag to fly no longer in Wichita park.  (Wichita, Kansas)  (Loss)  If anything can be found offensive about any of the other flags, they should come down as well.  I saw some of the flags which, of the ones I saw, were historic U.S. flags and we all know that our country has never done anything shameful.  However, any flags before 1865 should be taken down because they flew over slavery as well.

--Old Secesh


The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 117: "Confederate Veteran Lives Matter"

From the Nov. 9, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

'Confederate Veterans Lives Matter' group files 'discrimination' complaint after city rejects parade float.  Tulsa, Oklahoma)  (Win).  It will, of course, be overturned, but, at least it's an effort.

Bexar's Confederate markers to get new home.  (Texas)  (Win)  But shouldn't have been necessary.  Markers at Vance House and Jefferson Davis Memorial Highway.  They are being moved the the Institute of Texas Cultures.  They shouldn't have been removed in the first place.

Group voicing support to reinstate Confederate Flag at veteran Memorial Park.  (Wichita, Kansas)  (Win)

Minister who blasted Landrieu on Confederate monuments has also called for their removal.  (New Orleans)  (Loss)  Landrieau is the mayor.

--Old Secsh

Thursday, November 12, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 116: Uncle Bill Lundy Moved

From the Nov. 8, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

The Eichmann of the Confederate South.  (Daily Beast by Gil Troy)  (Loss)  A fairly balanced account of the pros and cons of Henry Wirz, who commanded Andersonville prison.  Wants the UDC statue of Wirz in Andersonville removed.

Fans at Speedway ignore TMS, NASCAR requests not to fly Confederate Flags.  (Texas Motor Way)  (Win)  However, only a handful of flags were flown, but more power to them.

Uncle Bill Lundy Memorial Rededication: Symbol of hate or heritage.  (Crestville, Florida)  (Win)  But te fact it was forced to be moved was a loss.  Bill Lundy was one of the last Confederate veterans to die in 1957.  A memorial to him was established in a local park not long afterwards and a Confederate Flag flew over it.  In September, Crestville requested its removal and the memorial.   It has now been moved to private property and rededicated.

Column:  Political correctness never engages real history.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 115: "Confederate Lives Matter"

From the Nov. 7, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

'Confederate Lives Matter' Claims Tulsa Parade 'Unfair.'  (Loss)  refused to be allowed to carry flag.

Confederate Flag seen flying high above old Concord railroad building.  (Concord, New Hampshire) (Win)

Men Arrested for Trying to Vandalize Confederate Flag, Police.  (Ocala, Florida)  (Win)  At least they weren't given awards and honors for doing this.  But, my question is why, in this day and age, a Confederate Flag would be flown outside any government complex?  Two white men were trying to vandalize a Confederate Flag at a government complex.  I later found out, the display also had the flags of Britain, France, Spain and the U.S..

Controversy erupts over Confederate Flag at Austin veterans Day parade.  (Loss)

Anti-Confederate statue vandalized with racist graffiti inside Copy Cat Building.  (Baltimore) (Win)  Get used to having your statues vandalized.  We sure have ours vandalized.

Addidas offers to help change offensive high school mascots.  (Loss)  This would be those with Confederate and Indian background.  And what will they replace them with that will make them money.

--Old Secesh


Wednesday, November 11, 2015

In Honor of Veterans Day-- Gettysburg National Military Park-- Part 2

Within walking distance of the Visitors Center is the Soldiers' National Cemetery where Union dead from the battle are buried and today is the final resting place of veterans  from all wars and their families.  It is also the place where Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863.

The Museum and Visitors center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Nov. 1 to March 31, and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. the rest of the year.

There is no fee for entrance to the park, National Cemetery, or park buildings.  There is a fee to enter the Museum and Visitor Center exhibit galleries, film and Cyclorama.

--Old Secesh

In Honor of Veterans Day: Gettysburg National Military Park-- Part 1

From the Nov. 6, 2015, Chicago Tribune, "Primetime salutes veterans: Visiting war memorials, here and abroad, bears witness to freedom's cost."

GETTYSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK, PENNSYLVANIA

This is honor of Veterans Day today.

This site consists of most of the Gettysburg Battlefield, the Gettysburg National Cemetery and the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center.  Many of the park's 43,000 Civil War artifacts are displayed in the museum.

A turning point of the war and a major Union victory that ended Robert E. lee's second and most ambitious invasion of the North, it was also the Civil War's bloodiest battle and was the inspiration for President Abraham Lincoln's immortal "Gettysburg Address."

The National Park service Museum and Visitor Center is the place to begin your visit with information on park tours, the film "A New Birth of Freedom", and the gettysburg Cyclorama, an 1884 depiction of "Pickett's Charge."

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 114: Prejudiced Texas Judge

From Nov. 5, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Texas judge scolds Confederate heritage group, "The symbol of slavery is not something to honor."  (Loss)  And do you think we will get a fair shake in her courtroom.  I think not.  She said this to the SCV.  This was Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt, a person who should not be re-elected to her position.

From the Nov. 6, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Group not allowed to fly Confederate Flag at local veterans' parade (Florissant, Missouri)  (Loss)  If the flag is carried by re-enactors dressed in Confederate uniforms this should not be an issue.

Confederate Flag inappropriate. (Rutland Herald, Vermont?)  (Loss) Saw one in a parade and upset about it.)

'Hate Crime'?  Garth Brooks Fans Taught Violent Lesson In 'Intolerance' Over Confederate Flag Decal.  (Salt Lake City)  (Loss)  Six blacks attacked two whites.  This has a video of the attack.  Definitely a case of hate/racism on the part of the blacks who should be prosecuted but I doubt it will get far considering our present justice system which has been crippled by black threats.

Confederate Flag Thief Seen in Viral Video Gets Off With a Slap On the Wrist.  (The Smoking Gun) (Bradenton, Florida)  (Loss)  a black man took the flag off a house and was ordered to pay the owner $55.  This took place in July.  Normally I would call this fair for such a minor thing, but not under present circumstances.  I would go so far as to call this a hate crime since the other side is so prone to do this.

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

McHenry County Civil War Round Table Tonight


The meeting and presentation of this organization will take place tonight, Nov. 10, 2015, at Woodstock Public Library in Woodstock, Illinois, at 7 p.m..  I plan to be there since the Cubs aren't playing anymore (the reason I missed the last meeting).

Tonight's topic is "Building the Lincoln Funeral Train" and will be given by Bill Werst.

The McHenry County Civil War Round Table has now been active for 17 years.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 113: The GOP a Neo-Confederate Party?

From the Nov. 3, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate Fort.

Battle flag comes down Saturday.  (Crestview, Florida)  (Loss and Win)  The Confederate Flag has flown for over 50 years over a memorial at a public park, but was ordered removed by town government.  It and the memorial were removed to a nearby private park.

From the Nov. 4, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Confederate statue bill clears first House Committee.  (Florida)  (Loss, sort of)  Statue of Confederate general Kirby Smith to be removed from U.S. Capitol.  I happen to agree with this since the only spent the first years of his childhood in the state.

Confederate Flag reported stolen.  (Danville, Virginia)  (Loss and Win)  One was stolen, but there are now five large Confederate Flags flying around the city which is a bastion of anti-Confederate hatred.

Pol who battled Confederate Flag visiting Kankakee.  (Illinois)  (Draw)  This was S.C. Re[resentative Jenny Horne.

GOP is a neo-Confederate party now.  (Not sure about this one)  But the term neo-Confederate kind of rings of neo-Nazi, doesn't it?

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 112: Rutherford Institute Challenges Virginia's Licence Plate Recall

From the Nov. 4, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate Navy.

Confederate battle flag to remain in Austin Veterans Day Parade.  (Austin, Texas) (An unexpected win)  Travis County Commissioners Court debated pulling sponsorship after the parade committee voted to allow the flag in the parade, however.  Spoilsports!!

From Nov. 3, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Heritage & Hate: A Struggle Within the Confederate Legacy Movement.  (Draw)

Confederate Flag convoy in Arkansas, USA.  A short video was made of about 12 vehicles going down the road and flying the flag.  (Win)  Sure wish it had been a whole lot more vehicles flying the flag.  several thousand would really have been great.

The Rutherford Institute weighs in on the Confederate Flag license plates.  (Win)  Challenging Virginia's right to recall the plates.

--Old Secesh

Monday, November 9, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 111: How About Those Other Flags on the Florida State Senate Seal?

The Florida State Senate Seal now just includes four flags: The United States, Spain, England and France.  The Confederate Flag has been removed as it stands for slavery and racism.

That is a horrible thing so it was removed.

Let's see, though, have those other flags ever flown over something that could bring shame to their countries?  Surely, those other countries have never done anything that anyone could find offensive, definitely not anything in the same league as that Confederate Flag and all that slavery and racism.

Well, I am now going to think of anything those other countries might have done that someone found  offensive.  Because if I do, I will ask the Florida State Senate to remove those flags.

Then, they will have to remove those flags as well.  We must be fair about offensive.

No One Must Be Offended.  No Way, No How.  --Old Secesh

Saturday, November 7, 2015

Frank Crawford Talks About His Book-- Part 4: Short People and a Woman Soldier

Continued from October 16, 2015.

Mr. Crawford has also written the book "Proud to Say I Am a Union Soldier: The Last Letters Home from federal Soldiers Written During the War."

Again, I like this guy as he goes after the lesser war which I find more interesting.  Instead of the grand campaigns, battles and better-known Civil War persons, he researches the others who make up the war.

SHORT PEOPLE

JAMES POWELL

Major.  Started the Battle of Shiloh.  Took a recon party out and encountered Confederates pickets.  Fired the first shot of the battle at Fraley Field and was later killed in it.

ALBERT D.J. CASHIER

Real name Jennie Hodgers of the 95th Illinois.  Woman.

Cashier was listed as not 5 feet tall, but muster roll lists her at 5'3".

Major James E. Powell was 5'3".

Even shorter was Alexander Wilkin, colonel of a Minnesota regiment noted for hanging of Indians and killed at The Battle of Tupelo who stood 4'10".

--Old Secesh


The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 110: Man Bombs Mississippi Wal-Mart

Man bombed Wal-Mart because it stopped selling Confederate Flags, police say.  (Washington Post) (Loss)  The Wal-Mart was in Tupelo, Mississippi and was bombed by a complete idiot.  And, anything where this conflict results in people getting hurt or killed is definitely not warranted.  As I said before, we have "idgits" on both sides.  This is VERY serious.

Fight over Confederate decal could be investigated as a hate crime.  (Salt Lake City)  (Draw)  Fight between a white and black man who exchanged racial slurs and led to punching.  The use of slurs might raise this case to racist.

Local Confederate heritage groups deny ties to KKK.  (Richmond, Va.)  (Loss)  The Virginia Flaggers and SCV have been accused of this by hackers posting information on a web site.  I am a member of the SCV and am embarrassed greatly by the KKK and don't support them at all.  For the other side to say this is like us saying that the NAACP is like the vicious black Chicago street gangs who are killing so many blacks.

Confederate-named Austin schools prompt heated talk among trustees.  (Austin, Texas)  (Loss)  The schools in question:

Robert E. Lee Elementary School
Eastside Memorial High School at Johnston Campus  (named for Confederate General Albert S. Johnston)
Sidney Lanier High School -- named after Southern poet who fought for the Confederacy
John H. Reagan High School--  postmaster general of the Confederacy
William B. Travis High School--  rebel mascot.

--Old Secesh

Friday, November 6, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 109: It Will Be Tense in San Antonio Today

From the November 3, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Confederate Flag rally organizer:  Bring rifles, extra magazines just in case" to San Antonio.  (MySanAntonio)  (Hopefully there will be no violence.)  This is frightening and could lead to violence or worse.  The group intends to fly Confederate Flags and is also part of the Open Carry (firearms) group.  I imagine there will be a lot of law enforcement there.  Hopefully the anti-Confederate groups will stay away.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 108: "Furl the Banner"

There were no new items on the Oct. 31st Google Alerts.  Perhaps this thing is blowing over some was my thought.  Sadly, it wasn't.

From the November 1, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Mississippi's stand on the Confederate battle flag has ebbed and flowed with times.  (Sun Herald)  (Draw)  The current flag was designed and accepted in 1894, preceding the Civil Rights Movement.

City Clears Art From Confederate Monument.  (Baltimore)  (Win)  A grotesque, anti-Confederate, statue was placed at the Confederate monument illegally and removed by city workers.

From the November 2, 2015 Google Alerts for Confederate.

Black minsters' position on Confederate monuments.  (New Orleans)  (Win)  They consider the mayor too aggressive on their removal, some calling it unnecessary and racially divisive.  This sure surprised me.  I would expect them to be completely behind removal.

Furl that banner.  (Baltimore Sun)  (Draw/Loss)  Kind of hard to pick this one.  The column refers to the"Poet Priest of the Confederacy," Father Ryan, whose poem written shortly after the war,, "The Conquered Banner" urged Confederate veterans to "furl the banner" and get on with their lives.

--Old Secesh

Thursday, November 5, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 107: General Beauregard's Closes

Judge dismisses Confederate Flag lawsuit against the City of Danville.  (Virginia) (Loss)  No big surprise here.

Confederate-themed bar in Georgia closed after alleged racist drink incident.  (Athens, Georgia) (Win) General Beauregard's was temporarily closed two days later.  Owner says he is not sure if they will reopen.  They had a "N...garita" shot.  The bar had also openly flown all versions of the Confederate Flag until after Charleston.  There is no room for openly racist things like this these days.  Even if it is in fun.

Commission continues talks of removing city's Confederate monuments.  (Baltimore) (Loss)

Lake Village Considers Changing Confederate Street Name.  (Arkansas)  (Loss)  The road in question is Confederate Street.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 106: Time for Kirby Smith to Go?

From the Oct. 30, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Virginia recall of Confederate battle flag plates challenged.  (Loss)  I'm calling it a loss in advance, although the challenge is a (Win).  We know that we can't win in the justice system.

Young: Controversy of Confederate Flag is overblown.    (Win)  Civil Rights leader and former mayor of Atlanta Andrew Young says the whole controversy is overblown because of those who oppose it.  He says, "To hell with where we fly it."  When he sees it, he sees the Cross of St. Andrew Christian symbol even though he understands that some who see it regard it as a symbol of racism.  During the heyday of the Civil rights Movement he never heard mention of the Confederacy or the flag.

Is it time for Confederate general to go?  (Palm Beach (Fla.) Post)  (I agree with the removal in this case.)  This is referring to the statue of Confederate Gen. Kirby Smith at the U.S. Capitol, one of two statues representing the state of Florida.    Smith was born in St. Augustine and spent childhood there, but other than that spent no time in the state.  The other statue is that of John Gorrie, a doctor and early air conditioner pioneer.  I'm sure Florida can find someone more deserving of the honor.

--Old Secesh

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 105: And Even the Whiskey

Today, I went browsing around Binny's, a huge liquor store here in the Chicagoland area.  They have most any liquor you might want and is one of the few places I know that you can find Rebel Yell Whiskey which  has always featured a mounted Confederate cavalryman holding a sword.

He is no longer on the label.  Now all you see are the intertwined letters "R" and "Y." and the words "Rebel Yell."

So, It Strikes Here As Well.  --Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 104: Confederate Symbols Causing Tension at UGA

From the Oct. 29, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Confederate clothing causes controversy.  (Illinois)  (Loss)  Urbana Middle School boy told he couldn't wear a Confederate hoodie featuring the Confederate Flag and the word "Redneck."    If they are going to ban this, any tee shirt with rap groups should also be banned because of what they rap about.

Officials aiming to have Confederate Flag display ready by Jan. 1st.  (South Carolina)  (Win)  This is in regard to the Confederate Flag removed from the South Carolina State House earlier this year.  It will be displayed in the South Carolina Confederate Room and Military Museum.

 I did not have a problem with this one coming down as it was flown in defiance of the Civil Rights Movement.  However, any flags flown at a Confederate memorial should be allowed to remain.

Confederate symbols create tension for UGA campus community  (Red and Black, student newspaper at University of Georgia)  (Loss)  A very anti-Confederate article  There is a Confederate monument off campus, but students are forced to walk by it.  About 100 UGA students and alumni died fighting for the Confederacy.  Joseph Le Conte fought for the Confederacy and Le Conte Hall named for him.

The article then listed what other colleges have done against the Confederacy.  Until last March, traditional Southern fraternities KA and SAE held a Mahnolia Ball and Old South Week honoring the old South  They often dressed in Confederate uniforms.  These uniforms were banned in 2010

The Confederate Flag is a symbol of a racist country.  (Loss)  As is the United States flag.

Confederate Flag lawsuit against Danville dismissed.  (Virginia) (Loss)  Again, we will not get a favorable ruling from the justice system.

AND, MEANWHILE, in Chicago this last weekend, thirty people were shot, mostly blacks.  Again, the Confederate Flag does not go around shooting blacks.

--Old Secesh

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Mort Kunstler November Civil War Calendar

This month's featured Mort Kunstler print is "Battle Above the Clouds."  The print shows a line of Confederate troops firing downward as Union troops approach.

"LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, TENNESSEE, November 23, 1863.

Overlooking Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain was the anchor of Braxton Bragg's left flank.  On the morning of November 23, 1863, troops led by Joseph Hooker bridged Lookout Creek and swept the face of the mountain.

"Among the rocks and tangled growth, Bragg's Confederates fought desperately, while fascinated observers in Chattanooga strained to see through the smoke which covered the fighting.

"Aptly named 'Battle Above the Clouds' opened the door to Confederate defenses on Missionary Ridge."

Impressive Print.  --Old Secesh

Ten Confederate Memorials That Still Stand-- Part 103

6.  Orange, Texas--  Confederate Memorial of the Wind.

7.  Brooklyn, New York--  General Lee Avenue and Stonewall Jackson Drive at Fort Hamilton.

8.  Augusta, Georgia--  Fort Gordon (named after Confederate general).

9.  Georgetown, Delaware--  Confederate Soldier monument.

10.  Washington, D.C.  Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson in the stained glass windows at the Washington National Cathedral.

--Old Secesh


Ten Confederate Memorials That Still Stand-- Part 102

By Kathy Holloway.

An interesting list written by someone who wants them all gone, literally dripping with sarcasm.  Slavery you know.

Nearly 200 K-12 public schools in the U.S. are named after Confederates.  Also, ten U.S. Army bases are as well and there are even some statues to "faithful slaves."

1.  Frankfort, Kentucky.  Jefferson Davis statue at the state Capitol.

2.  Nashville, Tennessee--  Nathan Bedford Forrest statue.

3.  San Diego, California--  Robert E. Lee Elementary School.

4.  Near Apache Junction, Arizona--  Road called the Jefferson Davis Highway.

5.  Stone Mountain, Georgia--  The giant carving.

Five More.  --Old Secesh

Monday, November 2, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 101: Mystifying Support for Confederate Flag in Ohio

From the October 28, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

The Mystifying Support for the Confederate Flag in the Northeast Corner of a Union State.  (Cleveland Scene Weekly, Ohio)  (Win)

Owner of Confederate Themed Bar in Georgia Says "N...ita"  Special Is a Fake. (Georgia)  (Loss) General Beauregard's bar in Athens, Georgia,   However, it does have it listed as a shooter with 2 Tequila.  1 Watermelon and Splash Sour.

Mattheson Museum turns down Confederate statue.  (Loss)  The statue is at the Alachua County Administration Building in Gainesville, Florida.

Martineau: Confederate and treasonous.  (Herald Tribune, Florida)  (Loss)

In Hillsborough, an election wrapped in a Confederate Flag.  (Draw)  (Loss)

KCHE hosts history professor's lecture on Confederate Flag.   (Blountsville, Tennessee)  (Draw)

--Old Secesh



The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 100: Good Ole PCiss

From the October 27, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

University of Mississippi removes state flag with Confederate emblem.  (huge loss)

I foolishly wore a Confederate Flag on an Ole Miss shirt as a youth.  I still regret it.  (loss)

Confederate symbol debate unresolved.  (Augusta, Georgia Chronicle)  (Draw)

Ole Miss Finally Removes State Flag With Racist Confederate Battle Emblem.  (loss)

Again, Et Tu Brutus?  Good Ole PCiss  --Old Secesh

Saturday, October 31, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 99: Bowdoin College in Maine Drops Its Jefferson Davis Award

Confederate Flags in the Illinois Valley.  (Illinois)  (Win)  Can be seen flying from homes, stickers on vehicles and even in front of businesses.  The writer seemed to dislike the idea.

Bowdoin College Ends Confederate Heritage Award Like many Still Offered by U.S. Service Academies.  (Maine)  (Loss)  Hey, if they don't want it, we'll find someone else who will.  However, are there any Southern colleges left that would accept them.  I doubt it.

The award was given by the UDC.  The school will return the endowment funds.  The Jefferson Davis prize was established in 1972 at Bowdoin.

But, all five U.S. service academies continue to offer UDC scholarships:

The Lee Award is offered at the USMA for systems engineering.

The USNA and US Merchant Marine Academies offer an award in the name of Matthew Fontaine Maury.

The USCGA offers the Admiral Raphael Semmes Award for applied science.

--Old Secesh

Friday, October 30, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 98: Ole Miss Secedes from Mississippi

From the Oct. 26, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

I rarely see anything about this ongoing confrontation which has reached a new level since the June Charleston murders, but it sure is continuing.

Ole Miss removes state flag with Confederate symbol.  (USA Today)  (Loss)  This was by student, teacher and administration decision.  If this is not a step toward secession, I don't know what it is.  Hey, that's what the Confederacy did.  Perhaps state aid should be cut off.

Of course, the sad thing here is that one might expect Southern colleges to support their heritage, but they don't.  Same with a whole lot of Southern people and governments at all levels.  And the same goes for the justice system.  It is one thing to find opposition among blacks, which is to be expected, and Northerners, but when we're getting stabbed in the back by our own?  There is no way we can win this fight against these odds.  We can just hope to delay and perhaps start finding things of the other side that offend us and start demanding their removal.

--Old Secesh (or Should I Say "Ole Miss?)


The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 97: UNC Students Get Ugly

From the Oct. 26, 2015, Google Alerts for Civil War in North Carolina.

Students get vulgar, aggressive in protest of Confederate heritage rally at UNC.  (win)  (The College Fix)

Two Confederate heritage groups holding the rally by University of North Carolina's Silent Sam (which has been vandalized a lot of late) were confronted by twice as many students (about 175-75).  The protesters were there to break up the rally and chanted loudly while the Confederate supporters listened to speakers.  The protesters booed, screamed and even had musicians to disrupt the proceedings.  They yelled such as "F*** Your Flag and Go To H***,"  "F*** You!" and "F*** Your Ideology."

So, we see both sides can behave badly.  We certainly have our complement of "idgits."  But, I am not surprised to see this happen.  Tensions and anger are mounting on both sides.

--Old Secesh

Thursday, October 29, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 96: Black Man Defends Confederate Flag

From the Oct. 25, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Black man at Carson event defends Confederate Flag.  (Win)  (Ames, Iowa)  At a Ben Carson book signing.  B.C. Johnson is black and had a Confederate Flag symbol on his finger and two large Confederate Flags on his truck..  He says the war was fought for states rights and freedom from the U.S. government.  Something you would not expect.

Discussion about Confederate symbols reverberate.  (Athens, Georgia)  (Draw)

Confederate Flag insults nation and military.  (Waterman (NY) Daily Times)  (Loss)

Ole Miss Flag Confederate Emblem Sparks Removal protest.  (Loss)  Some want the Mississippi state flag removed from campus.

--Old Secesh


The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 95: Flying the Flag at Talladega

From the Oct. 24, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Northeast Schools Haunting Confederate Past.  (The Daily Beast)  (Win) An alumnus of Walpole High School in Massachusetts flies Confederate Flag on property next to school.  At South Burlington High School in Vermont, the community decided to keep its "Rebel" nickname.  Both schools embraced Confederate iconography in the 1960s.

State Lawmaker: Replace Statue of Confederate General in D.C..  (Loss)  The statue is that of Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith and stands in the National Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol.  Each state gets two statues and this is one of Florida's.    Representative Jose Diaz, (R-Miami) wants this.

Hanging dummy alongside Confederate Flag stirs controversy.  (The Ada News, McAlester, Oklahoma)  (Loss)  Owner says it is a Halloween decoration.  It really isn't, we know what he is alluding to.  That is nothing to be proud of.

Talladega tailgaters react to popular use of Rebel Flags.  (Alabama NASCAR race track)  (Win)  Lots of Confederate Flags being flown.  Some say even more than usual.

--Old Secesh


Wednesday, October 28, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 94: How to Deal With Confederate Rally

From the Oct. 23, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Confederate Flag supporters criticize ballot summary  (Jackson, Mississippi)  (Win)  Putting Mississippi's state flag to a statewide public vote.  This would be the correct way of solving the impasse.  It was voted on before and retained.

Controversy Stirs Over Planned MLK Tribute.  (Stone Mountain, Georgia) (Draw)

Letter: How to handle the pro-Confederate rally.  (Daily Tarheel, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)  (Win)  Calls for peaceful confrontation and to respect their rights.  Of course, here the newspaper was figuring that all students would be anti-Confederate.

Democrat who fought Confederate emblem may go to prison.  (Georgia)  (No Call)

Letter:  Removing Confederate Flag from seal disrespectful of history.  (Florida)  (Win)  Criticizing state senate for removing Confederate Flag from their seal.

Watch:  Woman Told To Move Car With Confederate Flags From Hospital.  (Nashville, Tennessee)  (Loss)

Biesenbach: Sons of Confederate Veterans show their true colors.  (Betsy Biesenbach, Roanoke Times, Virginia)  (Draw)  About the removal of Creed Holland's SCV memorial (he was black but served in a Virginia regiment).  His descendants agreed to the Confederate memorial in 2002.  Three of his great grandsons joined the SCV.  The Holland's now claim that the SCV did not tell them about the slavery angle.

--Old secesh

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 93: Did Ole Miss Secede from State?

From the October 22, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Bowdoin College drops award honoring Confederate president.  (Maine) (Loss)

School Board To Draft Policy Banning Confederate Flag.  (Montgomery County, Virginia.  Those good folks from Christiansburg) (Loss)  It will ban all clothing, emblems, decals and jewelry representing the Confederate Flag.  Time to start our list of what offends us so they will also have to ban these things.

Confederate rally to defend UNC's Silent Sam coming to Chapel Hill.  (North Carolina)  (Win)

Ole Miss vote latest shot fired in the Mississippi long-running flag battle. (Loss) The student senate voted 33-15 Tuesday to ask Ole Miss to keep the flag off campus.   Isn't this a form of secession?

The Hurtful Confederate Flag at Harvard.  (Loss)

Pro-Confederate Flaggers want to rally at Stone Mountain, Georgia.

--Old Secesh

Monday, October 26, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 92: Change Confederate Names to Asian-American?

From the October 21, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Ole Miss student senators take on state flag for its Confederate imagery.  (Mississippi)  (Loss and it is a Southern college which makes this a double loss.)  Guess whether they were for or against it?

Tennessee County votes no on Confederate Flag.  That would be Greene County which was considering raising the flag.  Backed down due to pressure.  (Loss)

Arkansas capital renames street long known as Confederate Boulevard.  (Loss)  Now named Springer Boulevard.

Montgomery County school board looks to expand policy banning Confederate symbols.  (WSLS Virginia)  This is the good folks at Christiansburg High School.  (Loss)  I know of people who do not like Christians.  Maybe they should now consider changing the name of the town and high school.  Mustn't offend anyone, you know.

If Schools Drop Confederate Names, Would District Consider Asian-American Names As Replacements?  (Austin, Texas)  (Loss for changing names, but opening up a "(w)hole" can of worms here.)

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack...Again-- Part 91: The North Did It Too

From the Oct. 20, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Remove Confederate symbols, but don't blame South for slavery.  (By Gregory J. Wallance on The Hill Blog)  (Win)  Everyone should read this as it tells the rest of the story.  The North was just as guilty as the South for slavery.  Benjamin Franklin owned slaves and slaves were once auctioned in Philadelphia and New York City.  He did not mention, however, who sold Africans into slavery in the first place.

City selects language for Confederate fountain and sign, rejects disclaimer.  (Helena Independent Record, Montana)  (Loss) The USC erected in in 1916 and the city is considering renaming it.

Confederate Battle Flag Spurs Complaints at Football Game.  (WLOS, North Carolina)  (Win).  Someone complained about it being there but the school said it was protected by the First Amendment.  Finally, someone stands up.

Ex-Army Corps of Engineers Employee indicted after Confederate image put on black co-worker's desk.A woman placed the sticker there and lied about doing it twice.  The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and she could get up to five years in federal prison on each county (of lying).  (Loss)  She shouldn't have done it, but it would seem this has become a case of government overreaction.

--Old Secesh

Saturday, October 24, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 90: Ole Miss Students Vote on State Flag Removal

From the Oct. 19, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Volunteer Rebels?  Tennessee County votes Monday on raising Confederate Flag.  (Greene County, Tennessee) (We'll see if win or loss)

Maryland gets okay to recall Confederate Flag plates, Virginia recall meets defiance.  (Loss and Win)

Making a Home in the Shadow of Confederate Symbols.  (NPR)  (Loss) Upset about a Confederate memorial in front of nearly every courthouse or intersection in the South.

Ole Miss votes Tuesday on Confederate symbol.  (Mississippi) (Win or Loss)  Students are voting on whether or not to remove the Mississippi state flag from campus.  (I'm sure they will vote to remove it.)

Florida Senate to Remove Confederate Battle Flag From Seal.  (Loss)  However, now they should remove all of the flags since every one of the countries have done things in history that are shameful.

Bill Torg At Large: At Stone Mountain, how about a Confederate memorial that tells the truth.  (Loss)

Beauvoir annual fall muster brings up confederate flag discussion.  (Mississippi)  (Draw, perhaps win).  Beauvioir was the postwar home of President Jefferson Davis.  I noticed how the word Confederate wasn't spelled with a capital "C".

--Old Secesh

Friday, October 23, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 89: Terrorist Threat Charges

From the Oct. 18, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Dueling Debates: Confederate symbolism in Georgia.  (Loss)  Confederate Flag and other symbols inexcusably racist.  Even more sad, this comes from the Red and Black, University of Georgia's student newspaper.

DA: Terrorist Threat Charges Not About Flying Confederate Flag.  This applies to the people arrested for the July 25 incident in Georgia when the whites broke up a black child's birthday party.  They were charged with the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act.  (Loss as they never should have done what they did.)

Decision on street name due.  (Probably a Loss.  I am sure they'll change it.))  Little Rock, Arkansas.  Whether or not to change the name of Confederate Avenue.

--Old Secesh

Thursday, October 22, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 88: "No Thank You" to New Va. SCV License Plates

From the October 18, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Confederate emblem a sticky election topic in Mississippi.  (Loss)  (Salt Lake Tribune)

Virginia Ordered Drivers to Turn in Their Confederate Flag License Plates, Here's What Happened.  By Mike Miller.  (Loss and Win)  Loss because of what happened and Win because of response.

As of October 4, 2015, it was illegal to drive a vehicle in Virginia with the old license plate that featured the logo of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.  Warning letters were sent.  They were also told to return the old plates.  Of the 1,600 drivers who received the letter, only 187 original plates were returned.  Some sent the replacement plates back with a "No Thank You" note.

The Virginia DMV told WAVY that they had asked the SCV for help in designing the new tags, but never heard back.  Of course, they always intended to remove the flag so what difference would it make.

--Old Secesh

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 87: Mississippi State Flag Under Attack

Mississippi flag retains Confederate emblem despite calls for its removal.  (Win)  Remember, though, the state voted on whether or not to keep it awhile back and the vote was to keep it.

Family removes Confederate memorial marker from ex-slave's grave.  (Roanoke Times, Virginia)  (No-call.  It is their choice.)  Rocky Mount, Virginia.  Creed Holland died over 80 years ago.  In 2002, he was honored for service as a Confederate soldier by the SCV.  It is believed that he served as a teamster for the 58th Virginia Infantry Regiment.

This is based on his 1925 pension request whereby he received $8.25 a month.  He never discussed the service with his family.

North Texan Fights HOA To Fly Confederate Flag.  (Eulis, Texas)  (Win). Resident fighting the Harwood Courts Home Owners Association which only allows the U.S. and state flags to be flown.

Wyandotte superintendent says suspensions unrelated to Confederate Flag controversy.  (Southgate News-Herald, Michigan)  (Win)  Three boys were suspended from Roosevelt High School because they posted a photo of themselves in social media in an unauthorized area of the school.  One was making an obscene gesture and one had a Confederate Flag.  Although i am sure the Confederate Flag had the most to do with the suspensions.

UM NAACP rally met with Confederate opposition.  (University of Mississippi)  (Win)  The NAACP is trying to remove the Mississippi state flag from campus because of you-know-what.

Professor convenes roundtable on Confederate symbolism in the 21st century.  (Draw)  (Mississippi University for Women, Columbus, Georgia)

--Old Secesh



Tuesday, October 20, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 86: Confederate Drive to Become Cricket East Drive

From the Oct. 16, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Confederate Flag license plates likely to be recalled in Maryland.  (Loss)  These would by SCV license plates.

Forest Park's 'Confederate Drive' renaming put on hold.  (St. Louis) (Loss) The 600-foot road's name will be changed to Cricket East drive, but one alderman isn't satisfied with that and wants it named for a Civil rights hero.  Also, there is a Confederate memorial paid for by the UDC and erected in 1914 that has been vandalized in the park that there is discussion about moving.

After Confederate Flag battle, South Carolina senator questions Massachusetts banner.  (Win)  The seal shows and Indian standing in surrender with an arm holding a drawn sword ready to strike above his head.  The way I look at it, if things that offend people are found, they should be removed.

Group Will Protest Confederate Flag Resolution.  (Greeneville Tn.Sun)  (Loss)  The resolution in question says that the flag should be flown to honor Tennesseeans who fought for the Confederacy and the flag represents "heritage and history that our country should be proud of."

Country legends Confederate Railroad to play Albany show.  I wonder if they've been under fire for their name?

Bust of confederate statue being removed.  (Vicksburg, Mississippi)  (Not really a win-loss situation at this time.)  I noticed "confederate" was spelled without a capital "C."  The bust is of Confederate General William Walker and it is being removed because of severe erosion.  But, I bet there will be an outcry about its return to the military park because of that Confederate thing.

Praise Steve Spurrier as Conscious of South Over Confederate Flag.  (Loss)  He spoke out against it.  Spurrier was the former coach at the University of South Carolina who resigned (partly because of the losing season they're having).  Of course, this Conscious of the South was earning $4 million plus a year while students and parents are scrambling to afford ever-increasing tuition.

Not the Conscious of the South.  --Old Secesh


Monday, October 19, 2015

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 85: GOP Member in N.C. Removed Because of Confederate Remarks.

From the Oct. 15, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

GOP official could be removed for Confederate remarks.  (WNCN, North Carolina) (Loss)

He once posted a picture of a Confederate Flag and said the South was "Illegally occupied by force, 1865-present.  he also made racially-tinged Facebook posts praising the Confederacy and criticizing blacks who protested against it.

I found out that he was removed from his office.  I think those office-holders on the other side should be removed for making anti-Confederate remarks is this is allowed to happen.  This should apply to both public and private remarks.  Let's be fair about this.

Mayor: Greeneville Town hall Won't Fly Confederate Flag.  (Greenville Sun, Greeneville, Tennessee)
The country is considering flying the flag at the county court house.

--Old Secesh

The Confederacy Under Attack-- Part 84: Oregon to Take Down Mississippi Flag

From October 14, 2015, Google Alerts for Confederate.

Local Confederate group requests county restore holiday.  (Cullman, Alabama)  (Win)

Confederate icon outside Oregon Capitol will come down, but not for awhile.  (Loss)  This would be the Mississippi state flag  The state wants Mississippi to have a chance to do something with their flag before they take it down.

ACLU of Virginia reacts to Confederate Flag controversy at Christiansburg High School.  The group has concerns over the legality of the ban.  (Win)

Confederate Flag-toting Superman nearly pummeled at St. Cloud State. (Texas)  (Loss)  The guy is referred to as a sidewalk fixture and has been there touting various causes for the past 20 years.  Sort of the town idiot.  Not in out best interests to have this guy espousing the cause.

--Old secesh