Saturday, March 31, 2018

The Importance of a Good Death

 Image result for Conversations with Shelby Foote, William C. Carter, editor, University Press of Mississippi,

Southern historian Shelby Foote explained that “the best historical reading is the source material . . . written by people who saw it.” And he recognized that the people who made up the Confederacy, the especially the yeoman farmers, were fiercely independent. “He was not only convinced that he was as good as you were, but if you questioned it, he would shoot you off your horse.” Men like these made for a fearless army few wanted to contend with.
Bernhard Thuersam, www.Circa1865.org   The Great American Political Divide

The Importance of a Good Death

“You don’t want to overlook something that the [South] did have and that was tremendous courage. I’ve studied and studied hard the charge at Gettysburg, the charge at Franklin, the charge at Gaines Mill, or the Northern charge at Fredericksburg, wave after wave, and I do not know of any force on God’s earth that would have got me in any one of those charges.

It absolutely called for you to go out there and face certain death, practically. Now, I will do any kind of thing like that under the influence of elation and the adrenalin popping; it’s just inconceivable to us nowadays that men would try tactics that were fifty years behind the weapons.

They thought that to mass your fire, you had to mass your men, so they suffered casualties. Some battles ran as high as 30 percent. Now that’s just unbelievable, because 4 or 5 percent is very heavy casualties nowadays. You go into a battle and suffer 30 percent . . . at Pickett’s charge, they suffered 60 percent and it’s inconceivable to us . . . the stupidity of it, again.

Originally, the South had a big advantage. They were used to the castes of society and did not take it as an affront that a man had certain privileges. They didn’t think it made him any better than they were. But those privileges came his way, and they were perfectly willing for him to have them as long he didn’t think he was any better than they were.

But the Northern soldiers, they weren’t putting up with any privileges. A Massachusetts outfit spent its first night in the field and damn near had a revolution because the officers wanted to put their bedrolls out of the line. Well, the Southerners never had that problem. It seemed to them sensible that the officers should be over here, and the men there.

Of course, 99.9 percent of that war was fought by home folks. The fighting men were of very high quality, too. You see, those units were together for four years, many of them, and they became superb fighting machines.

You take an outfit like the Twenty-third Virginia: after four years and large numbers of casualties great battles, it becomes a very skillful military instrument. They never went home. Very few furloughs were given – some during the winter months to a few people.

The Civil War was an interesting time. It was very important to make what was called a “good death.” When you are dying, the doctor says you are dying, he [says] you will die about 9 o’clock tonight. You assemble your family around you and sing hymns, and you are brave and stalwart and tell the little woman that she has been good to you and not to cry. And you tell your children to be good and mind their mother. Daddy’s fixing to go away.

That was called a good death, and it was important. It was of tremendous importance.”

(Conversations with Shelby Foote, William C. Carter, editor, University Press of Mississippi, 1989, excerpts pp. 29-31)

Massive Roadside Memorial Battle Flag Raised on I-64 in Charlottesville Today



Earlier today, in a small, private ceremony, the Va Flaggers hoisted a 30’ x 50’ Confederate Battle Flag on a 120’ pole on property leased on Interstate 64 just outside of Charlottesville, Virginia.

The Charlottesville I-64 Spirit of Defiance Memorial Battle Flag was dedicated to the glory of God, and will fly in honor and memory of all Confederate soldiers, and specifically to remember Private Richard Willis Proffitt, 1st Battalion, Virginia Reserves, 57th Virginia Infantry, whose grave lies just a few yards from the new flag.  In a ceremony just before the flag raising and dedication, a Confederate Cross of Honor was installed and dedicated at the grave site.

IG report faults ex-FBI official McCabe for lying four separate times, congressman says

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The inspector general report that led to the firing of former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe faults him for lying four separate times, a Republican congressman said.

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, a member of the House Oversight Committee, made the revelation during a Thursday night interview on Fox News.

“It wasn't once, twice, it wasn’t even three times,” Jordan said on "The Ingraham Angle." “Four times he lied about leaking information to the Wall Street Journal about the FBI.”

More @ Fox

Vietnam Helicopter Pilot and Crewmember Monument

Via comment by Reborn on  Earthquake McGoon and the Battle of Dien Bien Phu:...


The VHPA North Carolina Chapter will provide a combat UH-1 for display in front of the WMSAM for the April 18th ceremonies.

The Vietnam Helicopter Pilot and Crewmember Monument

Dedication Ceremony is at 4:00 PM April 18, 2018 Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Amphitheater.

All are invited to attend. No tickets. No fees.

For more details click here to visit the web site of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association.

Civil War South Africa?

Via Billy


'What Is He Talking About?!' - Tucker Carlson RIPS David Hogg

Via  Bill


"The Second Amendment. Is it useful?"

 

Not unless you attempt to assault me.

In the wake of former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens calling for a repeal of the Second Amendment, San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said changes to gun laws being discussed are Band-Aids.

“Even if they changed the age limit, it’s all a Band-Aid,” Popovich said. “The obvious elephant in the room is the guns, weapons of war, the magazines. The real discussion should be about the Second Amendment. Is it useful? Does it serve its purpose the way it was supposed to do in the beginning? That discussion should be had.