150 years of Fake History, Seems the Civil War WAS About Keeping Slaves

MYTH of the LOST CAUSE bu Edward H. Bonekemper III. Book Review
150 years of Fake History.

a legacy of slavery
150 years of Fake History, Seems the Civil War WAS About Keeping Slaves
Major Van Harl USAF Ret
Major Van Harl USAF Ret

Wisconsin –-(Ammoland.com)- The first years of my life were spent living out west in New Mexico, California, Idaho and Alaska. I sort of knew about the Civil War from watching limited TV as a small child.

At the age of eight, in the middle of my third grade school year, I was transported to the heart of the confederacy when my father, the US Navy Master Chief, received orders to Norfolk Naval Base in Norfolk, Virginia.

I was already an outsider since I did not enter this third grade classroom until half way through the school year. More importantly I was an outsider because I was not a southerner. Virginia was in the middle of the 100th year anniversary of the Civil War and there was a heightened awareness of this issue everywhere in the south. Boys came up to me on the playground and asked me if I was an Yankee or a Rebel. When I told them I did not understand the question, they wanted to know where I was from. “I am from Iowa” I would say and then I would get punched for being a Yankee.

I saw the town of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada on a map and started telling anyone who asked me the Rebel or Yankee question I was from Canada. Poor little Southern boys who could not comprehend anything beyond the border of Virginia, were confused and left me alone. I still smile when I see a Canadian map with Moose Jaw on it.

This was my first introduction to what I call fake confederate history.

I learned to keep my mouth shut and figured out that gray was the color of choice over blue or black and blue.

I share with Robert E. Lee, Meriwether Lewis and George Washington the same 1610-1674 Virginia planter and politician grandfather’s DNA. Augustine Warner was our ancestor, but unlike all of them I am not from Virginia and I am not a southerner. I have lived about a quarter of my life in the south due to military assignments, to include Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Texas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.

On both my paternal and maternal sides of my family I had family members who fought for both sides of the Civil War. The two most decimated (shot-up) units in the Civil War when it came to casualties was the Iron Brigade on the Union side and the 24th North Carolina on the side of the Confederacy. I had family in both units and lost family in both units to combat deaths.

I can also document that some of my family owned slaves. My 1776 era grandfather John Harle owned slaves in Fairfax County, Virginia and I have seen his will. He did business with George Washington’s plantation and his first cousin Sarah Harle was George and Martha Washington’s housekeeper. Sarah managed the Washington slaves who worked in the Mount Vernon home.

Unless you can absolutely document that your family came to the US after 1865 and that none of the descendants in your family ever married into some “old” American family you might be uncomfortably surprised to discover slave holders in your family tree.

For over 150 years our nation has been living a deception of generated, newly minted history that has been labelled revisionist history by some and fake history by me. The confederacy was formed by southern states of the US that seceded from the Union for the sole purpose to continue the practice of owning black humans as slaves. The paperwork trail of these seceding states and why they left the Union are documented in bold writing. It was to continue slavery and all the money that slavery could continue to generate.

The problem for the south, was after Robert E. Lee lost the civil war, his failed actions forced the confederacy to capitulate and return to the Union. There was the matter of over 750,000 dead soldiers between the two conflicting armies, along with the loss of 4 billion dollars of wealth when the enslaved black human flesh was released from southern bondage. The south’s economy was shattered and it took over 100 years to turn it around.

This, was all because the south wanted to keep humans in irons and build future wealth on the backs of an underclass of people. When that entire practice was destroyed and the old confederacy was a smoking ruin there had to arise a new tale, a new story, a revision of the history, a generation of fake history to save southern face. An invented cause to help create a new narrative that would turn the vision of the south from the vicious and violent antagonism in slavery and war and make the old confederate cause a misunderstood symbol of goodness and righteousness.

The south reinvented itself into the victim and fake southern history was born–the North went along with it.

MYTH of the LOST CAUSE by Edward H. Bonekemper III.

MYTH of the LOST CAUSE bu Edward H. Bonekemper III.
MYTH of the LOST CAUSE by Edward H. Bonekemper III.

The book The MYTH of the LOST CAUSE is the work and effort of Edward H. Bonekemper III.

I heard Commander Bonekemper speak at the September meeting of the Civil War Round Table of Milwaukee and in six years of being a member of that organization his book was the first one I ever bought. I came home and could not put it down.

What he was espousing I already understood and concurred with the historical facts of his book. What Commander Bonekemper’s book did was lay out the specific facts, separated from the fake history and tells the reader where these true facts could be obtained that refuted the “states rights” bravo sierra (BS) of what the south alleged was the reason for secession, followed by civil war.

Commander Bonekemper makes the point that the secession of southern states and the establishment of the new Confederate States of America was accomplished for two reason. Secession was for the continuing of the practice of keeping black people in bondage for profit and the perhaps even the more important issue of maintaining white supremacy.

One of the first challenges you hear against the above two points is, only a small percent of southerners even owned slaves. If slave owner Mr. Jones, his wife and eight children, parents, in-laws and other white family members lived on a plantation that had slaves to do all the work, it did not matter that technically all the slaves were legally owned by one person, Mr. Jones. The entire Jones family benefited from the captive labors of the slaves.

The second point about white supremacy was the worst because it was carried into southern life long after the end of the Civil War. If you were a poor white trash southern man who could barely feed your family, most of the upper class whites looked down on you. Under slavery you were still always one step above the pecking order of society because southern culture perpetually sided with the white man over a black man no matter the white man’s station in life.

The internationally known and easily recognizable symbol of the 150 year old fake history of the southern cause is the confederate battle flag. The flag is the cross of St. Andrew (Scottish flag) with stars to represent the southern states that left the Union to keep their slaves. The KKK, the white supremacist groups, the neo-Nazis and other racially motivated organizations have borrowed this Hollywood endorsed flag of hate and the world can easily spot a rebel flag in a crowd of protesters.

I cannot tell you how many times when I expressed my opinion about the rebel flag I am politely advised that it represents someone’s heritage and I need to understand that motivation to support the 150 years of fake history that has shaped our nation. After the riots at Charlottesville, Virginia in August about the removal of confederate statues, pro-southern cause people appeared shocked that neo-Nazis and white supremacists would co-op the beloved rebel flag and use it as a banner of hate. Always remember that the revisionists of fake history have placed the blame for the Civil War at the door step of state’s rights to deflect the true issue of white supremacy.

If you watch the news about North Korea you find yourself wondering aloud how a nation can blindly buy into the fake news, fake history and almost god like worship the North Korean people have for three generations of the Kim family. The Kim family lead that country to ruin. North Korea has its own version of master and slave. Do some side by side comparisons of the antebellum south with their masters and humans in bondage and North Korea with its modern day version of human bondage. Not a lot of difference.

Yes, Virginia, your rebel flag, your stars & bars, your battle flag or whatever it is called today is the primary symbol of white supremacy and all that that implies. The international community sees it that way, why can’t the perpetuators of fake history not understand this?

Commander Bonekemper’s The MYTH of the LOST CAUSE is going into re-print yet again. The public wants the facts not the mythical retelling of fake history that has allowed Robert E. Lee to rise to an almost “Christ-like” position in the southern Civil War revisionist manipulation of the truth.

It is time for the statues to come down. Even grandson’s of Stonewall Jackson have come out in open letters to the press and public to endorse the removal of these statues. One side says the confederate flag represents their heritage and one side says it represents hate. As a field grade commission officer in the US military who swore to defend the US Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic I see the rebel flag as the symbol of the worst attack on our Constitution this nation has endured and championed over.

If you are tired of the over 150 years of fake history and you want to be able to articulate your point in a conversation that is usually driven by emotions designed to shut your opinion down, read The MYTH of the LOST CAUSE. Edward H. Bonekember III will provide you with the facts that will help you understand the real history of the Civil War and how to prepare to navigate not around fake history of the lost cause, but steer right through it.

Major Van Harl USAF Ret. / [email protected]

About Major Van Harl USAF Ret.:Major Van E. Harl USAF Ret., a career Police Officer in the U.S. Air Force was born in Burlington, Iowa, USA, in 1955. He was the Deputy Chief of police at two Air Force Bases and the Commander of Law Enforcement Operations at another. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Infantry School.  A retired Colorado Ranger and currently is an Auxiliary Police Officer with the Cudahy PD in Milwaukee County, WI.  His efforts now are directed at church campus safely and security training.  He believes “evil hates organization.”  [email protected]

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Suzette

Thank you…an interesting view point. It’s surprising how many vehement comments have been made hear fron=m people that haven’t even read the book you were recommending.

Terry

Actually, the Civil War was about tariffs, not about keeping slaves. first of all, the very first slaves in America were white not black, and the slave owners, traders, and plantation owners were either black or Jews. Less then 5% of the southern whites owned slaves, and most think that it was actually about 1% of the southern whites owned slaves. I suggest that you get the book, “they were white and they were slaves,” by Michael Hoffman. Also:

https://youtu.be/vgU6YQWz86g
https://youtu.be/RPOnL-PZeCc

Ostlander

Hundreds of thousands of us can claim Confederate ancestry, Major so give your condescending pretentions of elitism and superiority over southern folks a rest. Our ancestor’s weren’t perfect, but they didn’t turn on their own. Senator James Webb, a far more accomplished and literate man than you, has nothing but respect for our ancestors and their sacrifices for the Lost Cause that you and your mentor Bonekemper sneer at. Here is where I part company with Ammoland, you and Henry Arms. Go pound sand Major!

Jack

So disappointed that Ammoland would publish this BS!

TLC

The major does not have a clue about American History and the second war of independence…….sad , very sad

john

Get over it people, it was a 100 years ago,,your the problem.

Cary

The repercussions and injuries to the Constitution continue to this day.

Wild Bill

@John Dunlap, One hundred years ago, the US was preparing to enter World War I. Are you commenting about getting over something related to World War I? Who are you replying to? I won’t touch on “…your the problem”.

2WarAbnVet

BethyB ; I attempted to locate your comment that ended, “The south still has hostility towards the north. You can see it in these posts. I’ve experienced it being a northerner who moved to the south. I had no idea it still existed.” in order to respond to it. I couldn’t find it (you must admit this site makes it very difficult. Anyway, there’s a quote that should solve the mystery – “If the Civil War is more alive to the Southerner than the Northerner it is because all of the past is, and this is so because the Southerner… Read more »

Bethyb

Thank you for sharing the quote. That puts it in perspective. All of my grandparents were 2nd generation born in the US except for one who died way before I was born. His family literally went Back to the Mayflower. My 9th great grandfather was William Bradford who was the governor of Plymouth Colony. I found this out recently. There were no stories passed down. My mother never knew until I did the research, and I told her. The only stories passed down to me were about being happy we were in America and loving the United States.

Cary

Any relation to the Wolfe brothers?

Cary

That SHOULD have said “DeWolf” brothers.

BethyB

Not that I know of.

Robert Sheeley

BethyB is a troll. Just ignore her post. All Obama and Soros and the libs want is to divide the country. North/South, Black/White, Gay/Straight, etc., you get the picture. Useful idiots like this person are paid to stir up any topic they come across with that goal in mind. This is what you get with our public schools pushing the crap they do. One can only hope this idiot will spend her Soros money on a bad taco and spend the rest of her life sitting on the toilet watching her brain drain out.

BethyB

I never said anything about Obama, nor did I vote for Obama. How can Obama divide the country? He’s not even President anymore. Why are you still bringing him up? I’m not a “Lib”. I also don’t have Soros money to spend. Your assumptions are incorrect.

William W.

There seems to be a lot of BS here from the clueless about the War. There is pure and absolute BS about the UDC being a devisive organization. My wife and I ran a Civil War re-enactment and School Day in our city of Bartlett TN abd the UDC Ladies were very supportive. There was precisely zero devisivenes from them. My wife and I attend a few of their neetings each year and I am an adjunctive member of three of the four local SCV organizations. The only ones re-writing History are the elitest educator-wanna-be’s. And, by the way, my… Read more »

Southern Gentleman

It seems the Major Stills carries a grudge from his childhood from being repeatedly punched in the mouth by his Southern classmates. I would suggest everyone flood Henry repeating arms email, to express your dissatisfaction of the majors disdain of white Southerners, one of Henry’s biggest customers.

JR Bailey

BetyB, During the entirety of the eight years of a black president in office, I didn’t see you or anybody else calling for the demolishing and removal of the Confederate statues! Further, I didn’t see demonstrations by black identity radicals, nor their white guilt supporters, nor the others who consider everybody to the right of Hillary Clinton to be a fascist and right-wing neo-Nazi! There’s only came to the fore after Trump became president! This whole Auntie Confederacy movement, is anti-white, anti-conservative, and anti Trump! All the other rationales posted for the radicalism of the black left and white left,… Read more »

BethyB

JR Baily – How did you come to the conclusion that I’m helping further the divide?

Wild Bill

@jim Bailey, either she is playing dumb or she really does not understand the consequences of her words. I wonder how her royal high a$$ found this conservative site?

BethyB

What are the consequences of my words? What have I said that has helped further the divide? Why are you making the assumption that I’m not a conservative? I’m not sure where you’re going with this.

tomcat

@ Bethy B. I am going to answer you one time and not again because if you are a paid troll I do not want to make it easy for you to make money. Your first post was about the statues not being necessary. I guess you missed the general consensus on this site that the statues are part of our past and part of our heritage. They are important because they remind us of the times past that should not be forgotten and not be repeated. The liberal based schools are bending the minds of our children and not… Read more »

BethyB

I actually never said that statues weren’t necessary, but they actually aren’t. I did say that they were put up by the UDC strategically at times of racial tension. How much time have you spent admiring these statues? My replies were in favor of the Van Harl’s column, which was spot on. If schools were bending the minds of our children because they don’t want to offend a so called “snow flake”, then they would be teaching the sugarcoated history the South has taught. Again, who in the world would pay me for sharing my opinion. Do you equate Northern… Read more »

Wild Bill

@tcat, You are a real gentlemen trying to explain it. The one you mention is only interest in her liberal tripe, and tries to cast herself in the role of victim, too. Then she finishes with a question hoping that you will come back.

BethyB

I’m a REPUBLICAN!!! How many times have I said that? I have never casted my self as a victim. 🙂

tomcat

@ W. Bill You are correct, she is not looking for opinions on the subject of statues, she just wants to argue and be a keyboard commando. I am done with trying to present a reasonable explanation to her and will let her comments go unanswered.

Skip Blanchard

Statues of RE Lee, Jefferson Davis and PGT Beauregard were removed from sight in New Orleans this year, 2017, reportedly because they were public nuisances. Many people have the opinion that many parts of New Orleans are public nuisances … like strip clubs and T-Shirt shops. But, because of the First Amendment these business are allowed to prosper. The city council could not seem to see the statues as being protected by the First Amendment. Then the statues were not feeding the city coffers….

BethyB

It’s too bad that the Daughter’s of the Confederacy wasted so much money on these statues. Did you ever wonder why there are so many Confederate monuments? They were also strategically put up at times of racial tension. Here are Lee’s words regarding the statues…..“my conviction is, that however grateful it would be to the feelings of the South, the attempt in the present condition of the Country, would have the effect of retarding, instead of accelerating its accomplishment; [and] of continuing, if not adding to, the difficulties under which the Southern people labour.” The Daughter’s of the Confederacy revered… Read more »

2WarAbnVet

You ignored the phrase in Lee’s quote, “present condition of the Country”. By 1865 the South had been burned, beggared, and practically destroyed. For some dozen years after that, it was occupied territory. It took several decades to recover from that destitute state. That accounts for the early part of the 20th century as a peak time for construction of Confederate monuments. Many Union veterans were still alive when these Confederate statues were being emplaced. Some even attended the dedications. If they didn’t bother those who had actually taken part is the War, why should they bother those who have… Read more »

BethyB

No, I did not ignore “present condition of the country”. He made that statement in 1866 and the first confederate monument went up in 1867. Of course, there was destruction in the country. It had been through a war. It needed healing so the north and the south could recover and unite. In 1869 he also said “I think it wiser, moreover, not to keep open the sores of war but to follow the examples of those nations who endeavored to obliterate the marks of civil strife, to commit to oblivion the feelings engendered.” I’m not saying that statues/monuments are… Read more »

Wild Bill

Reconstruction was not about healing. The Northern army was used to impose strict control over the Southern states. No one even used those terms. Where does she get this stuff?

BethyB

Who said “Reconstruction”?

Robert E. Lee did say this in 1869 “I think it wiser, moreover, not to keep open the sores of war but to follow the examples of those nations who endeavored to obliterate the marks of civil strife, to commit to oblivion the feelings engendered.”

I would ask you where you get this “Stuff”, but you haven’t really brought anything to the table.

Wild Bill

@BB, The years after the War of Northern Aggression are referred to as Reconstruction. You reference, “It needed healing so the north and the south could recover and unite.” could only indicate what the rest of the world refers to as Reconstruction.

tomcat

@BB, you sure like to push the south against the north b.s. I grew up in the north, I joined the USAF and didn’t see any problems with segregation among the troops. We were taught to support each other and cover our fellow G.I.’s back. I don’t know what military you were connected to but it doesn’t sound like any in the U.S. I moved to the south twenty two years ago and I find absolutely no predigest against anyone moving here from the north. We bought a business and ran it for ten years and had no problems with… Read more »

Wild Bill

@Tcat, I believe that she is just fishing for replies. Notice how she ends with a question hoping that you will come back and answer it. Supplementing her income with troll pay per reply.

BethyB

Tomcat – My husband is a MT in the US Navy on a Trident submarine, and I still live in the South. I do not live in the North, nor am I a liberal. What does Hillary have to do with any of this?

tomcat

@ W. Bill I know what you mean. I am tired of listening to her spout. If she still lives in the south that tells me that she, more than likely, comes from the north east states of the country and doesn’t come across with any amount of pleasant engagement with people. You reap what you sow. Maybe her hubby is out to sea and she is bored and using her keyboard to generate some back and forth arguments. Whatever, she is a waste of time and I do not think I have that time to waste..

Wild Bill

@tcat, I think that it is all a fib. What she has told us is a fake persona. The intel community calls it a legend, but it is just a background of lies. And I notice that the xx troll knows a lot more words lately. And he writes in a different style. I wonder if a different person has been assigned to take over that fake persona.
I do know this, there is nothing to be learned from them because they are low level propagandists.

BethyB

You’re incorrect. I have not presented a fake persona. What would be the point of that? You seem very paranoid. What propaganda are you referring to?

tomcat

@ W. Bill, I agree, she picked up some info from a lib and brings it here to get into an argument with someone, then takes their replies and turns them against the poster. XX has increased his vocabulary a great deal and it is just as childish. Maybe the found an intelligent middle school student to take up the part or it is someone else’s turn to try and harass the people on this site that believes in God and the oath. A pure waste of time and brain power to even read what they post.

BethyB

Tomcat – Please tell me one liberal comment I’ve made. This post isn’t about politics. It’s about history. I also haven’t started an argument. I’ve shared my opinion, and I have been disrespected by everyone. Again, What liberal comment have I made? Have you read any of these comments because once again, you’re totally off point

BethyB

Tomcat – What is oath that everyone on this site believes in that? Also, I believe in God. I’m a Christian. It’s true. I grew up Baptist up North. How about that?

BethyB

Thank the Daughter’s of the Confederacy for your fake history lessons. The Daughter’s of the Union didn’t pick out my history books. They didn’t need to.

Robert Sheeley

BethyB is being very hateful and aggresive, not sure why this matters so much to her. I suspect she could either be a troll, or she’s upset that all of her neighbors have had to move to Texas to get a job.

BethyB

How was I hateful or aggressive? What neighbors moved to Texas?

Cary

BethyB, it’s ok. You have every right to be wrong in spite of the facts. That’s what real freedom is all about.

BethyB

Cary – Exactly how am I wrong?

Wild Bill

@Bethy B, You characterized the cost of the statues as a waste of money. That was wrong. Bety, you have established your liberal credentials. Your further attempts at thought control, or increasing your Soros/Bloomberg/Clinton troll salary or just to find someone to argue with are now at an end. Have a nice libtard day, and rejoice… because Hillary is not president!

BethyB

Wild Bill – It wasn’t wrong of me to say that the UDC wasted money on the statues. I think they did. This is not about politics. This is about statues and history, not politics. Also, you are totally wrong. I’m a military wife who has always voted republican. My views are not liberal. I just don’t back the UDC’s agenda to continue to divide the North and the South. I never knew how much MANY of the southerner’s hated “Yankees” until I had to move to a military base in the South. I really had no idea that the… Read more »

Wild Bill

Because some one orders me to try again, I will not and need not.

BethyB

It wasn’t an order. Ha! Have a blessed day Bill!

Wild Bill

@bethtard, apparently you don’t know the order form of a sentence. Well you are evidently not a professor of English or History. I will have a blessed day. And in return, I hope that the blessings of truth, education, and tolerance will be given you.
PS If you really are a military wife, as you claim, we thank your husband (I presume) for his service.

BethyB

Oh Bill. I guess throwing insults makes you feel better about yourself rather than have an intelligent conversation. You’re right – Apparently, I don’t know the “Order form of a sentence”. I’ve never heard that term. I guess it was lacking in my northern education. God has blessed me with truth, education, and tolerance. I hope he does the same for you.

Wild Bill

@Bethy, Like you really wish me a blessed day. Hypocrite. Your form of tolerance, truth, and education are lacking substance. The order form of a sentence is also called the command form of a sentence the subject you is implied. For example: “Close the door.” is the short form for “You close the door.” or “I order you to close the door”. or “I command you to try again.” Before lecturing others on politics, finance, history, or the English language, you really should seek some education. Your very first sentence was an insult. Throw down the gauntlet, and you will… Read more »

Wild Bill

@RS and insulting, too!

BethyB

Bill – How am I insulting? You’re the one doing the name calling and insulting. You’ve even brought violence in it now. Uh, oh – if I don’t throw down the gauntlet, I’ll get slapped. You can’t re-write this history. It’s all right here.

Wild Bill

@BB Your moralistic preaching about the Daughters of the Confederacy is an insult. No one could be this stupid. You must be stringing me along to get responses, for which you get paid. It is an analogy. Yes, history can be re-written and many fooled by the rewriting.

Wild Bill

No paychecks for trolls. And one can not run a Bn or a ranch on delusion. I have done more for this nation, and achieved more academically, militarily, and financially than the Soros/Bloomberg/Clintoon trolls ever will.

BethyB

Bill – It’s great to hear that you are a contributing citizen of the US. I wish more people were. Why do you keep brining up Soros/Bloomberg/Clintoon? What do they have to do with this?

XX

Don’t mind Old Useless Bill, the prickly old ball bag is under the delusion that he is smart, or something. He lives here at the forum because he is a loser in life and he only has a few more years to try and impress on everyone that he is important–it is not working.

BethyB

Lol! He does seem delusional. He’s also a very angry person. He said I was going to get slapped. 🙂

XX

Yes, he is the kind of attention-seeking Pr7ck who never lets a post go by without sticking his mangy head in to squawk some platitude or other. I think it has come to the point of entitlement. Like a welfare check. Don’t be put off by the angry little men of this forum like Useless Old Bill who just want to shout you down and twist your words. Old Useless Bill is especially paranoid and takes it upon himself to “educate” his fellow nutbags that Soros trolls patrol this forum to make his life a misery–it’s hilarious. Anyway, you seem… Read more »

the Doege

I don’t know whether to stand aghast or in grudging admiration when a gentleman practically shouts from the rooftop his direct opposition to the U.S. Constitution and utter contempt for the most sacred of founding principles, that legitimate government exists only by consent of the governed. It is an odd non sequitur that you should feel that the Union government was right in subjugating the remaining Southern population, an action definitely beyond the scope of the Constitution, Classifying the acting states as rogues, perhaps? But that’s beyond the scope of this comment. Definitely within the scope, however, is the the… Read more »

M O Borum

once again, a yankee argues Southeron history.

John Moore

To: Major Van Harl Sir, Your premise regarding “The War of Northern Aggression” is fatally flawed for the following reasons: Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland and Delaware. 1.) Be advised the four states mentioned above never left the United States of America 2.) Be further advised that it was not until 1965 that slavery ended in these four states. Point being that all during 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864 and most of 1965, men, women, boys and girls were bought and sold just like potatoes, or firewood ( yes, even after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued that. Hey, almost no one knows this)… Read more »

Andrew

As a military man, Maj. Van Harl seems to completely forget that many of the “Southern heros” were not just revered as crusaders for slavery and fighters against northern aggression. A lot of their reverence comes from their tatical abilities and great leadership skills. To carpet the argument look at the vast scholastic writings discussing these very things. Not their ideology, politic beliefs and opinions. Second, a lot of their views mirrored those of the founding fathers. In that state rights (local government) stand above the federal power, something we as a nation seemed to have forgotten. But the concept… Read more »

JR Bailey

Three things major, 1. I’ve never owned slaves, so I don’t give a rat’s posterior who’s still singing ‘po black me’ for something that was ended 152 years ago! 2. Blacks are in the economic and cultural positions they are because they choose to be there! More are in prison because more commit more crimes than other races,. 3. The number one reason for secession of the South was NOT slavery, only 3% of Southerners owned slaves! The real reason was economics, and the industrial North versus the agricultural South. Slavery was already on the way out and it was… Read more »

James Higginbotham

maybe you should have also told the major that they were selling slaves in the colony of MASSACHUSETTS EVEN BEFORE IT WAS A STATE. THE WAR OF NORTHERN AGGRESSION WAS STARTED MOSTLY OVER ECONOMICS. THE NORTH’S EXPORT TAXES ON THE SOUTH’S COTTON AND OTHER GOODS WAS OVER 50%.AND HIGHER. SLAVERY BECAME AN ISSUE WITH LINCOLN BECAUSE THE NORTH WAS GETTING THEIR ASS’S KICKED AND HE NEEDED MORE MEN TO FIGHT HIS WAR. and i had family also fight in that damn war from three STATES, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, AND ALABAMA. AND NONE OF MY FAMILY EVER OWNED A DAMN SLAVE. I’VE… Read more »

J.WES HARDIN IV

” It would take any historian about 10 seconds to poke a gaping hole in Bonekemper’s and the author’s argument. And it comes directly from the mouth of the biggest mass murderer in American history…….” AMEN to THAT …Never read such BS EVER. While also wanting to agree with the 1st post: ” Keep printing this crap…I’m done.” I want to set Y’All straight too…… The southern states fought valiantly & desperately for thier rights in defense of their homeland ; outnumbered, outgunned, under-equipped & starving….. as they were taxed to death ,unfairly ,improperly represented ,abused by an overbearing ,… Read more »

J.WES HARDIN IV

Here’s a follow up & more TRUTH……. https://deovindice.org/the-condederate-society-blog/why-the-war-was-not-about-slavery ” But if you insist on a short answer solution as to what caused the war I will venture one. The cause of the greatest bloodletting in American history was Yankee greed and hatred. This is infinitely documented before, during, and after the war…….” Conventional wisdom of the moment tells us that the great war of 1861—1865 was “about” slavery or was “caused by” slavery. I submit that this is not a historical judgment but a political slogan. What a war is about has many answers according to the varied perspectives of… Read more »

Robert Sheeley

I have two words for Major Revisionist History, YOU’RE FIRED!

Country boy

if this article truly reflects Major Van Harl USAF Re’s views on Mr. Lincoln’s war….I wonder how long it’ll be before Major Van Harl USAF Ret sides with the anti gunners ?

Max J Tague

keep printing this crap, I’m done

FlaBoy

“Historical memory, like all memory, is selective… and whether by design, forgetfulness, or ignorance, its history will be remembered in different ways. Our knowledge of the past is not objective but personal and participatory.” From Robert Wilken’s Introduction to his Global History of Christianity.

Cary

Amazing. After over 150 years people are still confusing the reasons for secession with the reason for the war. Slavery was the main reason the South seceded, which was generally understood to be a constitutional right of the (formerly sovereign states) by legal scholars prior to the war. The Federal government instigated the war to force the Confederacy back into the Union. When the North found it was losing support for it’s unconstitutional war, Lincoln chose to use the slavery issue a recruiting tool. The majority of southerners did not own slaves, including Lee. Their battle was for States Rights,… Read more »

Country boy

Agreed. But also the north taxing the hell out of the South, then spending the money on only Northern interests. Taxaction without representation…then blockaded Southern ports…….sound familiar? The author of this article also seems to have forgotten that Lincoln outlawed slavery in the South while leaving 4 northern slave states alone. And he seems to keep perpetuating the lies of the North as has been done since 1865, about The War of Southern Indepence. The South wanted to seceed,and not fight it’s mother country, and be left ALONE. Llincoln claimed (originally) to want “to preserve the Union” without or with… Read more »

FlaBoy

Why is a topic like this even being posted on a “gun blog site”??? This is an even bigger issue than it’s one sided opinion based on the reading of one book, resulting in a gross oversimplification of a complicated issue that has been studied and commented on for many years by many people. We all suffer from “confirmation bias”, which is why history is always slanted, for history is written by the winners. One gross oversimplification is one I mentioned in an earlier reply: conflating and intermixing the causes of succession and the war itself. One obviously led to… Read more »

FlaBoy

To reply to my own post: maybe it is just meant to be “click bait”, to drive up the count for the site.

Alexander Dupont Munro Oliver Evans

PEOPLE TODAY ARE MORE SLAVES THAN THE WORST TYPE OF SO CALLED SLAVERY IN THE PAST….

TO BE A SLAVE AND NOT KNOW IT ?.

WE ARE NOW SLAVES AND FOOLS…

Rock

A lot of very good comments… I know when I was in grade school I learned a lot of “History” and most was not in the History Books the way it is today… In fact, one of the first things I learned when I went in the Military and talked to others from different parts of the Country, was that a lot of what I was taught even back then in the sixties was not the same they were taught…. Personally, I try to find the “good” or “lessons” in all sides of the situations…. And whether I agree or… Read more »

tjbbpgobIII

Alabama has a new law on the books. It makes any tearing down of statues, changing the name of anything that has been around for at least forty years or more illegal to do away with or change the name of.

diamondearthday57

Since my post was moderated out, lets try this. The north NEEDED cotton and the South had cotton. We were not selling so they came and took it. If we had had nothing they needed they would never have wasted so many lives.

diamondearthday57

The yankees wanted cotton and they came and took it. I do not need an asshat from wis. trying to tell me what we know.
If we had had nothing they needed they never would have shown up. Asshat.

Relikt

Okay. Let’s assume that this is all true. What do yoiu advocate? Should southerners be damned to become the new Germans; hsting themselves and their culture to the point of national suicide? Should we be stripped of our history, and labeled as “eternal villains” like the Nazis? This is why this country is ripping itself apart. Leftists aren’t satisfied leaving settles history alone, they’ve always got to turn every geopolitical shift into an existential battle between good and evil. And if myself and my kind are doomed to be “evil” by your American viewpoint, then I’d rather not be a… Read more »

MacGregor

Sounds like you are trying to sell the book rather than try to correct history.

James Higginbotham

i had family from THREE SOUTHERN STATES fight in that war, from Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.
and NOT A DAMN ONE OF THEM OWNED A DAMN SLAVE.
I’ve read some of their letters they were FIGHTING YANKEE IMPERIALISM AND FOR THEIR STATES AND NOT TO PROTECT SLAVES.
after that war the YANKEES WROTE THE HISTORY WHILE THE SOUTH WAS STILL SUBJUGATED BY YANKEE ARMIES.
and this so called AUTHOR IS FULL OF SHIT.
and i myself am from Alabama so WE KNOW THE TRUE HISTORY.

Country boy

Amen brother ! Mine too.

BethyB

That’s hysterical……Yankee’s wrote the history. The history books that were taught in the schools in southern states were chosen by Daughters of the Confederacy until the 1960’s, which was FAKE history. My great great grandfather fought for the 5th of ME. I’m very proud of that, and I’m a very PROUD YANKEE.

Bob M.

It would take any historian about 10 seconds to poke a gaping hole in Bonekemper’s and the author’s argument. And it comes directly from the mouth of the biggest mass murderer in American history. I’ve included only excerpts here, the entire thing is online. “I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so…… I take the official oath to-day with no mental reservations and with no purpose to construe the Constitution… Read more »

John Lester

As one who professionally researched, read, and taught history in public schools and in college for years, I must disagree with the author’s “findings”. He has chosen to disregard volumes upon volumes of other writings that bring other scholarly opinions to the table.

Don

The winning side always gets to write the history of what happened. As more and more time goes by it becomes increasingly difficult to ferret out the motivations causing the other side to act as then did. An unbiased interpretation is unlikely with human nature being what it is. Oversimplification of the motives of both sides is tempting and eventually considered expedient when the fine points of the original argument are lost over time. The hard lessons once learned at such cost fade and we are, once again, in danger of inventing new versions of old mistakes.

tomcat

I got to ask, is Soros funding him now or has he gotten too much information during his trip to the commie continent of Australia?

I don’t think I will rely on anything else he authors.

Tony

I want the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial removed from the Georgia Statehouse and every highway, street, road and alley named after him returned to their previous and rightful names. I want to see his name removed from All Historical Records. It is a disgrace to ALL Americans, It offends me to my soul. He was nothing but an antagonistic loudmouthed hypocritical immoral racist git under the guise of being a christian ( reverend no less ) and was no better than the kkk, white supremacist and neo-Nazi skinheads, muslim extremists and every other radical extremists groups that plague these… Read more »

A Constitutionalist

The major is still mad cuz kids called him a yankee at school. In addition, he read a portion of a book and now he thinks he is an expert and can tell other states what to do about there history, monuments, belief systems, etc. Ammoland needs to consider the impact of his socialistic ramblings upon the subscribership.

Enough is enough…will never read the major’s opinions again. He has lost his credibility when it comes to the US Constitution, our founding fathers, and yes, even the rights of states to govern themselves. Go fix the problems in your own state!

Bob

You “sir” are an ignoramus. You are obviously an idiot who does not have any clue what the War Between the States was all about…STATES RIGHTS! The North was strangling the South with tariffs, taxes and wanted total control over the South for their own gain. What an imbecile. Go back to your Northern “roots” and share your uneducated BS there. Can’t believe that Ammoland would even publish this BS.

Free State of Winston

Here’s some fake history: ‘Abraham Lincoln was a great President’.
What would the left say about George W. Bush if he had let the country split in half and go to war against each other resulting in 620,000 dead?.. Not an easy task in the 1860’s considering that most of the country was “God fearing, church going Christians” (as compared to today)..

Free State of Winston

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Does this book explain why an estimated 3-6000 blacks voluntarily fought for the Confederacy?

Chuckbone56

My Irish ancestors, four brothers, were trying to come to America during the civil war. Upon arriving in New York they were all coscripted into the union army and forced to fight against the south. Two were killed in the first battle. The other two survived. One lost a leg. After the war the two remaining brothers migrated to Texas (Thank God). In letters they wrote home to relatives in Ireland the spoke of the way they were treated by yankees. They were looked at as lower than the blacks and were used as front line soilders with little to… Read more »

Free State of Winston

Civil War? I live in Alabama and all of the old people I’ve talked to my entire life (and what they said of their ancestors) called it the “War of Northern Aggression”. When I asked why, they said most couldn’t afford slaves and were just trying to keep the north from burning and stealing everything (i.e. General Sherman). That’s why at least one entire county (Winston) voted to remain neutral during the “Civil War”.

Bookoodinkydow

I’ve never seen so many excellent comments! The comments are infinitely better than the article…and more factual.

George

I don’t give a rat’s a** what you or your kind say. I read just far enough to get violently Ill from the line of as you say “Bravo Sierra ” you wrote. As a Southerner from the state of Virginia I have heard enough of this from our carpet bagger governor so I don’t need Ammoland repeating the same falsehoods. The radical left lives in this piece.

2WarAbnVet

, “How come the South is said to have fought for slavery when the North wasn’t fighting against slavery?” – https://personalliberty.com/know-called-civil-war-not-slavery/

Malcolm

…..perhaps even the more important issue of maintaining white supremacy.” Oh, so the South was the only fighting for white supremacy? Really? Who had integrated combat units with both white and black soldiers serving side by side? The Confederacy. Bedford’s command contained white and black troops, much to the irritation of Jubal Early who almost came to physical blows with Bedford over the practice. Bedford considered these soldiers among his best and was quick to tell detractors “to go to hell” who tried to pressure him to remove them. Who paid black soldiers the same as white? The Confederacy. Union… Read more »

wkm1911

This Major guy is nuts. The Civil War was about States Rights our Fore-Fathers did not want the Federal Government being stronger than the state government. And The South did not want the Feds telling them what to do. 99 % of the men who fought in the War never owned a slave. Slavery would have ended in time anyway, because it was more expensive to own a slave than to hire a man. I just wish our states had the rights to govern themselves instead of a federal government. When we allow our rights whether it be the 1st… Read more »

George

Outstanding comment, thanks.

tomcat

I have always read Maj.’s articles and found them interesting except for this one. I realize he lives in Wisconsin and likes the cold but to berate and suggest the statues should be removed and the flag belongs to the hate groups is beyond my temperance for an opinion written after reading one book and living in the south as a yankee. He, probably brought the hits on by his northern attitude toward the south. He really needs to rethink his position on this subject, or better yet, have kept his opinions to himself. That would have made him a… Read more »

Pat Kelley

I object to the removal of statues, monuments, and place names because it’s a waste of money. There are more crucial needs than playing to political correctness. A simple addition of a plaque that puts the situation in historic context might be affordable, but even that falls beneath repairing city streets, plumbing, and electrical systems. Taxpayer dollars should be carefully used, and not frittered away on unproductive social justice symbology. I’m a retired Lt Col, and the Major’s recommendations go under charges of fraud, waste, and abuse.