Archive for the ‘War of the Rebellion 150th’ Category
Pennsylvania and the 150th!
October 8, 2009
As we creep ever closer to 2011 and the 150th Anniversary of the War of the Rebellion several states have begun websites for celebrating and presenting the history of the War on the Internet. Unlike the Sons of Confederate Veterans 150th Website, Pennsylvania has a very nice website with some verying informative links and content.
One of the first things to catch my eye under the heading of UNDERSTAND was the part on the causes of the war. For once it was nice not to see a large listing of “lost cause” mythology and I was also pleasently surprised to see a nice list of books and authors who are highly respected in the field of Civil War history…
- David Brion Davis, Inhuman Bondage: The Rise and Fall of Slavery in the New World (Oxford University Press, 2006).
- Charles Dew, Apostles of Disunion: Southern Secession Commissioners and the Causes of the Civil War (University of Virginia Press, 2002).
- Eric Foner, Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men: Ideology of the Republican Party before the Civil War (Oxford University Press, 1995).
- William Freehling, The Road to Disunion: Volume 1: Secessionists at Bay, 1776-1854 (Oxford University Press, 1991); The Road to Disunion: Volume II: Secessionists Triumphant, 1854-1876 (Oxford University Press, 2008).
- James McPherson, Battle Cry Freedom: The Civil War Era (Oxford University Press, 1988).
Each major page on the site provides an impressive list of secondary sources for the reader to expand his/her knowledge far beyond the Pa. 150th site. Even as I write this post I am surfing through the site and I am very impressed with the amount of information that has been provided. It is my hope that as many states that can afford it (I live in Illinois and we can’t afford anything…but I am sure we will have a site) can provide the public with a site similar to this one in scope and appearance.
Here are links to other Sesquicentinnial sites…
- Virginia
- Arkansas
More to come in the future…
Flag that Began War of the Rebellion Found in Iowa (100th Post)
October 6, 2009
In the days leading to the Civil War, a battery of Citadel cadets on Morris Island fired at the supply ship Star of the West as it approached Fort Sumter, forcing the ship to turn around.
A red palmetto flag flew over the cadets during the attack on Jan. 9, 1861, which marked a victory for them, and was a significant precursor to the war.
The war officially began on April 12, 1861, with the Confederate bombardment of Fort Sumter. But some Citadel alumni and others consider the shots fired at Star of the West to be the first shots of the Civil War… Read the Rest of the Story.
Star of the West entering Charleston Harbor on Jan. 9, 1861
Levin, Casteel, Williams…Oh My!
August 21, 2009In a recent series of post on both Kevin Levin’s Civil War Memory and Richard Williams’ Old Virginia Blog there as been a great deal discussed and argued over the Casteel statue called “Brothers“. I will not go into a detailed discussion here, for you can follow the links and read it for yourself, but I must make comments on Williams’ latest post about reconcilation at Gettysburg. Here is another picture from the same reunion…
It is a picture of blacks whose job it was to pass out blankets to White veterans North and South. They were not included in the discussion of the war as if the war had nothing to do with their ancestors or their ancestors bondage. I think Kevin is saying that we have enough memorials or statues to this type of interpretation…we get it…now lets move beyond the typical understanding of the war…one that is in the vacuum of race. Let us add race into the picture and then we will have a fuller understanding of why there was a Gettysburg and why there was a reunion.
Don’t Spend the Money When You Can Get it Free!
July 26, 2009
The Confederate Reprint Company is a neo-confederate site that specializes in books written during and after the War of the Rebellion with, need I say it, a southern viewpoint. Now what I find very interesting is the claim that since the North won the war, they are therefore the Victors, that they have written the history. From the looks of the titles at the Confederate Reprint Company that is not altogether true.
The site is run by Greg Loren Durand (Greg also runs Crown Rights Book Company, Goose Quill Press, and Classic Reels and Broadcasts Company) who must have hit on the idea (only a guess, not fully aware of where his material comes from nor do I care) for his site after doing a Google Books search for an out-of-print book to feed his desire to understand the War of the Rebellion. Well, here is what he found…a great way to make money reprinting books whose copyright is no longer in play. By all means there is nothing wrong with this, he had the idea and ran with it…bully for him. But my question is, why spend the money when you can get it for free…?? Sure, the PDF format is on your computer and I like many history buffs want to hold the books in our hands, but these are not the original books…they are reprints!
Let’s look at a quick example: A True Vindication of the South at CRC- cost $19.00…not bad for a book compared to the prices of books at the bigger booksellers. And now for the free version…at Google Books. I think for my purposes, I will take the free version. I will also be posting the addresses of the Google Books versions of his reprints in the future.
Billy Yank
What the Snappy Dressed Neo-Confederate should Wear for the 150th
July 17, 2009When it comes time for the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War to be marked one needs to dress the part at all the public and privte functions one attends. As I now get older, my waist line is not the same so I have been looking into purchasing a new set of trousers from my uniform and have come across some dress clothing ideas for the well dressed neo-confederate who wants to celebrate in true confederate heritage style!
All of the attire can be found here.
Yes, that is right folks, the Memorial Confederate Tartan Kilt. It is not historic in any way that I can tell, but it is registered with the Scottish National Tartan Registry. Not only is there a confederate memorial tartan color…
But a dress tartan as well…
Yep, one for around the house and one for your sunday best! Just think, you too could look this good…firing your modern musket…
What more could the neo-confederate ask for?
Billy Yank
More: “How NOT to Honor the confederate flag”
July 17, 2009Eventhough it has only been one day since I posted about how not to honor the confederate flag, I have found a few more instances of HOW NOT to honor the confederate flag that just baffle my understanding of how neo-confederates can complain about their heritage being violated and still display one of their sacred images in such a way.
Nothing like using it as a hood ornament on the old RV!
You can always turn a very nice period reenactment photo into a farb fest with your rebel flag coat!
And finally when the size of your “guns” forever prevent the wearing of sleaves, get a rebel flag tattoo…nothing says heritage like gettin’ inked!
Billy Yank
For the SCV, Tips on How Not to Honor the Confederate Flag for the 150th!
July 16, 2009I have been wondering how the SCV will eventually decide to present their version of the War of the Rebellion during the 150th Anniversary now that they have established a website for informing its members about SCV events. I stumbled onto the SCV Mechanized Cavalry the other day and spent some time looking at their extensive photo album and I discovered several photos that speak volumes on how NOT to honor the confederate flag. But since these wonderful southern folks do it…I suppose it is just fine and dandy! You be the judge!
Ah yes, the biker shorts…nothing like sitting on your heritage…or is it your hate?
His mamma should be so proud of him and his heritage!
Again, how proud the ancestors must be during a little splash in the pond, one grabs his junk for the camera while sporting a great heritage swimsuit…or are those the biker shorts?…who knows!
Ah, yes…nothing says I am proud of the sacrifices of my ancestors better than a cut up shirt and a rebel flag cowboy hat…busting a pose!
And finally, the Confederate doo rag…Hey look, the confederacy must have been big into pirates…love that puffy shirt!
Maybe southerners should first look at how they honor their ancestors and their beloved flag before they start ripping into the North and Abraham Lincoln during the 150th. Anyone who reads this blog knows that I am not a big fan of the rebel flag…except in its historical context. And I know that the American flag makes its way into many a clothing item as well. But for those who have websites and committees established for the direct concern of heritage violations, one would think they would have more respect.
Billy Yank!
SCV Gets Ready for the Rebellion’s 150th
July 14, 2009
The Sons of Confederate Veterans have established a website for celebrating the 150 Anniversary of the War of the Rebellion and you can find it here.
Their purpose is as follows:
The SCV Sesquicentennial Commission was formed to begin planning the SCV’s involvement in the 150th anniversary of the Cause of Southern Independence. The primary goals of the commission are fourfold:
- To promote the observance of the activities leading up to, during, and following the War Between the States;
- To cooperate with and assist national, state, and local organizations with programs and activities suitable for the commemoration;
- To ensure that any observance of the sesquicentennial of the War Between the States appropriately recognizes the experiences and points of view of the citizens and soldiers of the Confederate States of America; and
- To develop and provide assistance for the development of programs, projects, and activities commemorating the 150th anniversary of the War Between the States that have lasting educational value.
Nothing is currently being posted on the site, but I’m sure we should see something of interest in the coming weeks and months.
