How should History judge the fighters of the Confederacy?

Question

Were they traitors or heroes?

Misguided idealists or racists?

Is it okay for southerners to preserve their confederate heritage and fly the confederate flag for example?

Answer 1

Heroes. They were fighting for a cause they believed in, that cause being the defense of their native states. At the time of the War Between the States, only 10% of the Southern population were slaveholders; the rest were farmers and merchants. There is a true incident which explains this best: I can't recall the battle, but after it was over a Yankee asked a capture Confederate why he was fighting. His reply was simple and to the point: "Because y'all are down here!"

The Confederate soldiers were neither misguided idealists nor racists. As stated, they were simple folk who were defending their homes. At the outbreak of the war, the national opinion of the black man by the average American was that he was an inferior being both physically and mentally, and that he would never be the equal of the white man. This opinion was even held by the "Great Emancipator," Abraham Lincoln, who said as much during a debate in 1858. Southerners were no more or no less racists than their Northern bretheren.

As for preserving our heritage by flying the Confederate flag, absolutely. Once upon a time the flag stood for a nation fighting for its independence; once upon a time the flag was tragically used to represent and promote racism and segregation; in this day and age it represents pride in our Southern heritage, pride in our valiant Southern heroes who fought and died for their nation, and pride in just being Southern. Anyone who flies it for any other reason is, in my humble opinion, just plain wrong.

Answer 2

The soldiers in the Confederate States should be viewed as any other man (or woman) who fought and possibly died fighting for a cause.

I still can't believe how many morons are out there that believe the Civil War was a slavery issue...it was NOT an issue of slavery until the Emanicipation Proclaimation.

Some also think that if the south would have won, that there would still be slaves. WRONG! The Abolition movement was already underway in the southern states before the war even began. Check historical documents. For example, the selling of slaves was banned in the market in Charleston in 1805. Soon, slavery was frowned upon and it fell to be an illegal thing to profit off of the sale of another person in the city itself by 1822.

The Civil War was about money...just like every other war. The confederacy wanted to declare an independent nation to halt the profit of northern factories in comparison to the faltering ones in the south. The federal government taxed plantations higher than it should have too. It was NOT an issue of slavery...any intelligent person that has read and understood history knows.

The Confederate flag should not be displayed or flown simply because it's no longer a valid banner of a seperate nation, NOT because it represents slavery.

As far as your question, men who fight for a cause aren't traitors to that cause, right or wrong, win or lose.

Fact is, if the south would have won the war, slavery would have kept a foothold in the north moreso than the south. Emancipation was a political play by Lincolin...

Heroes, yes. But so are the impressions of every man, woman and child on the planet that has ever died fighting for something they believe in.

Preserving southern heritage within pride is not a bad thing, it just means that the south as a CULTURE has a history.

It's the idiots and troublemakers that bring racism into the picture whether they're advocating or accusing.

Answer 3

"Misguided" is an interesting, and perhaps accurate, way to put it. I definitely think they were honorable men who were fighting for what they believed in and what they thought was right. I also think it's hard to completely understand their perspective because the times were so different, so it's unfair for us to judge them by today's standards in terms of racism. Most Northerners back then were racist too, even Lincoln, by today's standards.

I have mixed emotions about flying the Confederate flag. It doesn't bother me too much because I've read a lot about the Civil War and I understand the history, but most people don't. I think a lot of people that fly the Confederate flag do it for the wrong reasons.

Answer 4

You will always get different views on it. Truth is History is written by the Victors. That proves though how they should REALLY be judged. All this time later and it is still left for some debate? Clearly there was some truth to them being Heros. They weren't racist. They had the slaves fighting along side them before the U.S. was letting the blacks fight. Clearly you need to learn about TRUE history because you are learning Northern History. The war WASN'T about slavery. It wasn't about racism. As to the Confederate flag I see nothing wrong with it depending on why you are flying it. Some fly it under the old "Jim Crow" instead of the Confederacy. That is wrong.
To the one who said they were traitors and that flag shouldn't be flown what is your opinion of this country? Our Forefathers were TRAITORS to England. History is written by the winners.

Answer 5

It is not for history to judge anything, and yes, it is okay for Southern history and heritage to be remembered by those who choose to do so. I fly the Bonnie blue and the battle jack, myself, and to those who are offended, i can only ask them---what part of "LEAVE US ALONE!" do you fail to comprehend? I would rather fly those flags along with the Betsy Ross flag as opposed to the stripped banner that drips with the blood of my kinsmen..

Answer 6

brave, resolute and courageous soldiers fighting for a lost cause. Robert E Lee, Thomas Jackson and a host of others were honorable men, just as their fellow brothers and countrymen on the other side.

Answer 7

racists and slavers that have no moral justification for their actions. Confederate flags are an unpatriotic disgrace to the union and should not be displayed here in USA.
wronheaded fools and traitors.

Answer 8

history is deffined by those viewing it. history has only facts, not oppinions.