ANNIVERSARY OF THE WAR OF NORTHERN AGGRESSION

I can't beleive the war of Northern Aggression comment did not get some action and comments going. That may be a good thing and people are realizing that the South was fighting for States Freedoms and not slavery (for the most part) as so many school teachers and scool history books make out to be. I look at the abuse of women and children in Northern Sataes factories before and after the War of Northern Aggression and shake my head as it is true hypocrisy in my humble opinion.

We are generally a peaceable sort here and aside from the snide comments I post off and on, controversy is usually about which gun or caliber is best etc. Makes for better drinking buddies that way........ Chris

That is why I hoist a glass of Ezra Brooks to the gallant men and women who fought on both sides for what they beleived in. I just personally don't like the way the school books of my era and they are probably the same or worse now at misrepresenting the true facts of what led to that terrible war that could have been a non event.
Hell it's a good thing Bourbon survived the war. At least we can still drink good Kentucky Bourbon or Tennessee Whiskey to discuss it.

I've done some study of the "Civil War", as its generally referred to, and I have to say that I am still astounded by the complexity and depth of issues involved. Everything from Banksters and their dirty tricks, to both the best and worst of human behavior. The CW had the very first abuse of the census-where Sherman used it's information to "forage" while marching to the sea, the very first use of robbery as an institutionalized form of warfare. The very first suspension of our Constitutional rights justified as needed during war.

More than one historian has made the case that the CW continues to reverberate through American society. Speaking personally, I am undecided about the role slavery played in the events leading to the war. Certainly, slavery was practiced both in the N. and the S. with enthusiasm. The White house was built with slave labor. Certainly, it was a huge moral and constitutional issue. Currently, my research leads me to the position that slavery was a unique aspect of southern society, and that this society was finding itself increasingly marginalized. Certainly, the voices of succession were louder than those of preserving the Union, but I do not think the issue was one of state's rights in the modern sense. It really appears to have much more to do with a clash of ways of life, and thus the direction the Nation was to take into the future.
I doubt we will resolve any of the issues surrounding the Civil War anytime soon. I guess I find it kind of strange, that one of the biggest western battles of the war occurred only a few score of miles from my front door, and now, today, hundreds of vehicles roar through the site every day on the highway, utterly ignorant of where men struggled, fought and died. I guess this is what Studs Terkel meant when he said we were a nation suffering from amnesia.

Which sight are you referring to MAK? I know there are sigts in Idaho I would like to visit and have stopped at some sights when I lived in Colorado.
There were many battles which ensued in the west as both the Union and Confederacy seeked the weath of minerals mostly gold and Silver found out West. You make some keen observations and I totally agree with the confusion of issues surrounding the whole conflict. I have many friends from former Confedrate states from blue collar workers to highly educated men of management in large companies andyou are correct in saying that it does continue to reverberate on both sides. Reconstruction only deepened hatred amongst many whose families still feel the fallout of that disaster itself.
I live in the North West and still feel funny about it as my Great Grand fatherwas traveling from Illinois to join the Confederate troops as his wife's family had long lived in Virginia and was forced to don the blue or face the consequences a story which was all to often heard of.

I was always taught, while in hunting camp not to discuss religion, politics or ballistics, it would be smoother that way. But since ya brought it up, without the Civil War where would we be?  Horsetrader, are you from Northern Idaho? I mean way north? Ezra Brooks is for cleaning carburetors we have Crown Royal up north, it doesn't impare your judgement while researching the new facts that are being discovered daily about this historic event that the north had great success in. There was much that was covered up or hidden from both sides that were still learning about. Maybe if we wait another 150 years we'll have the facts kinda staight, and by then someone from the north will have found Jefferson Davis's stolen gold and brought back home where it belongs( up north to buy more Crown Royal).  Why is it that the southerners are always bringing this little skirmish up anyway? Are they jealous that all the good gun companies of the time were up north? Conneticut is up north right? Springfield, Mass? Going out back to clean my seized confederate cannon now.

I am from as about as close to Northern Idaho as you can get without being in Idaho.........I spent close to 25 years trucking througout the NW, the 11 Western Statesand British Columbia and found that while hauling for Seagrams, lots of their own employee's preferred a straight Bourbon or Rye instead of the blended Canadians. Some of those blends are Canadian rotgutwith wine in them to smooth them out (true story and US liquer bottler's do thesame with US rotgut).
You hit te nail on the head about the War of Northern Agression though, we learn more about it every day. An interesting note would be ifSeward's proposed and approved 13th amendment t the constitution had been ratified instead of shot down in the 11th hour there may have never been a war.

I don't drink, but I have studied the war. I believe very strongly that what our men fought for, we are still struggling with. The issues of self-government and the strict interpretation of the constitution are still at the fore front of our political debates. I am sad to see so many people, especially Southern people, who do not care.
Thanks