Battle of Chancellorsville

CSA: Would a Confederate Victory Have Led to a Socialist Revolution? (28.2.2025)

However, the Southern ideas of honour and their so-called aristocratic thinking were overblown and these ideas actually sometimes played to the South’s benefit, as the men in the South followed natural leaders and often times appointed them on their own (via popular vote). All too often, in the North, Officers were often political appointees – desk-bound Officers who hadn’t seen a battlefield in years – or ever. Or men who simply bought their way into a General’s uniform. One of the more stereotypical views of the South was the aforementioned backward, backwoodsman. Think about that for a moment. Yes – a significant portion of the Confederate Army was poor, uneducated, and illiterate. Some left-leaning historians have said  – with some accuracy – that the poor Whites of the South had more in common with the slaves – than they did with the leading families who owned most of the land and the fabulous estates like the fictional “Tara” in Gone With the Wind.

Southern Men Arise!

How Great Britain Assisted the Formation of the Confederate Post Office [1861-1863]! (8.1.2025)

The internationally-known London, England printing firm of “Thomas De La Rue & Co.”, prepared plates and stamps for the CSA until a Southern firm was found to take over the work. That firm, Archer & Daly, began producing stamps in 1863. The US blockade of as many Confederate ports as possible often meant that British ships carrying supplies from London, the UK, or the British Empire to the Confederacy – were often intercepted via acts of piracy on the high seas by the US Navy – with the goods confiscated and/or destroyed. The US government was continuously irritated by the continuous (undeclared) British support for the Confederacy – which for at least two-years extended into the realms of Post Office support! Of course, many of the best weapons the Confederate Army possessed were supplied by the UK. The Postmaster General of the Confederate Post Office Department (POD) – John Reagan (whilst traveling with President Jefferson Davis) – was arrested on the 8th May 1865, and imprisoned at Fort Warren in Boston Harbor. Reagan was pardoned and released from prison almost two years later. Jefferson Davis “refused” a Pardon (on the grounds that he had done nothing wrong) – and was subsequently released anyway.

Judah P Benjamin - Jewish Confederate!

British Judah P. Benjamin [1811-1884] – “Jewish” Confederate Attorney General! (16.11.2024)

Many who knew Judah, however, have stated that his legal arguments and his personal views were two different things. In reality, Judah, his family, and his broader community in the South were generally in favour of slave-ownership. He believed that slaves were “property” and that a government had no right to interfere in the ownership of property. Particularly a “property” guaranteed in the 1776 Constitution. He thought that freeing slaves was impractical because this population had no idea of how to survive as free-functioning individuals. Such a transition, if it could happen at all, would take a very long time involving preparation. For those who supported slavery, these attitudes were common amongst the “White” community. Another justifying argument involved the idea that Biblical texts justified the enslavement of Africans – with slavery being god’s will. In 1862, Judah P. Benjamin was appointed Confederate Secretary of State, and he pursued the foreign policy of attempting to pursued Great Britain and France to recognise the Confederacy. In 1864, Confederate General Patrick Cleburne (of the Army of Tennessee) suggested that all the slaves in the South should be freed and immediately armed – to form “Black” Regiments in the Confederate Army. Jeferson Davis vettoed this idea (even though Judah P. Benjamin had been discussing this since 1863).

P. G. T. Beauregard - Creole

Brigadier General P. G. T. Beauregard: How a “Mixed-Race” Confederate General Defeated the North! (14.11.2024)

Indeed, many of his aunts and uncles were White people who had inter-married with Black, Mexican, and Native American partners. Indeed, whilst serving in the US Army prior to the war – P. G. T. Beauregard – his advancement was blighted by the fact that the US Military Authorities purposely discriminated against him on the grounds that he was “Not Trustworthy” – as he was the product of a family that deliberately “Race-Mixed”. This judgement kept him out of West Point as a Teacher (he had trained there in his youth – but was not permitted to pursue a substantive career in that institute) – until he was mistakenly posted as an “Instructor” at this College of Officer-Training in the US during 1861 (just prior to the breakout of hostilities). His appointment lasted just one-day until the mistake was realised by a Union pen-pusher. P. G. T. Beauregard was immediately removed on the grounds that the US does not allow any but “pure-raced” individuals exercising direct influence over the developing generations of US Military Officers. Indeed, the US Authorities applied this judgement by continuously referring to P. G. T. Beauregard as a “Creole” – implying that he was psychologically and physically “inferior” due to “race-mixing”.

Eire Harp - St Patrick Battalion!

St Patrick Battalion – How the Irish Changed Sides During the US Invasion of Mexico! (17.9.2024)

Fortunately, night fell and with it came a violent tropical rain-storm. Even more fortunately for the Americans, Brigadier-General Persifor P Smith, a remarkably steady man, arrived to assume Command of the American forces to the West of the Pedregal. Smith was apparently not shaken by the fact that he was surrounded and had fewer than 4,000 troops with which to face the possibility of a combined attack from something between 13,000-17,000 men the next day. He summoned Lee, who had scattered the land between San Jeronimo and General Valencia’s position, and found it unguarded, and decided to ignore the large body of Mexican troops to his North, and attack General Valencia’s left-flank at first-light. It would obviously be helpful if the American troops in front of Valencia staged a strong demonstration in the morning, but Smith had no-way of communicating this to them.

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