Myths and Mysteries of the Civil War

Myths and Mysteries of the Civil War PDF Author: Michael R. Bradley
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 0762768754
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 203

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Book Description
Fourteen Mind-Boggling Tales from America’s Deadliest Conflict—commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War • Was Ulysses S. Grant really a “perpetual drunk”? Some said he never met a bottle he didn’t like. But did his headache medication also cause intoxication-like behavior? And did much of the talk originate with those jealous of Grant? • Was Stonewall Jackson just a “sucker”? Thomas Jonathan Jackson became known not only as a brilliant strategist but also as an eccentric who obsessively sucked lemons. Was it a love of fresh fruit? Or his favorite method of dealing with heartburn? • What happened to the lost Confederate gold? Ever since the evacuation of Richmond on April 2, 1865, rumors abounded that the Confederate treasury had been loaded aboard a train and sent on its way into hiding. Can we “follow the money”? In at least one case the answer is “yes.” From the legend of the Yankee “human shield” behind Nathan Bedford Forrest’s saddle to the unexplained sinking of the Hunley, Myths and Mysteries of the Civil War makes history fun and pulls back the curtain on some of the most fascinating and compelling stories of the war that almost tore America apart

Myths and Mysteries of the Civil War

Myths and Mysteries of the Civil War PDF Author: Michael R. Bradley
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 0762768754
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 203

Get Book Here

Book Description
Fourteen Mind-Boggling Tales from America’s Deadliest Conflict—commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War • Was Ulysses S. Grant really a “perpetual drunk”? Some said he never met a bottle he didn’t like. But did his headache medication also cause intoxication-like behavior? And did much of the talk originate with those jealous of Grant? • Was Stonewall Jackson just a “sucker”? Thomas Jonathan Jackson became known not only as a brilliant strategist but also as an eccentric who obsessively sucked lemons. Was it a love of fresh fruit? Or his favorite method of dealing with heartburn? • What happened to the lost Confederate gold? Ever since the evacuation of Richmond on April 2, 1865, rumors abounded that the Confederate treasury had been loaded aboard a train and sent on its way into hiding. Can we “follow the money”? In at least one case the answer is “yes.” From the legend of the Yankee “human shield” behind Nathan Bedford Forrest’s saddle to the unexplained sinking of the Hunley, Myths and Mysteries of the Civil War makes history fun and pulls back the curtain on some of the most fascinating and compelling stories of the war that almost tore America apart

The Myth of Nathan Bedford Forrest

The Myth of Nathan Bedford Forrest PDF Author: Paul Ashdown
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 9780742543010
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 246

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Book Description
An insightful exploration of the relentless myth of the famous Civil War general, this volume scrutinizes the collective public memory of Nathan Bedford Forrest as it has evolved through the press, memoirs, biographies, and popular culture.

The Myth of the Lost Cause

The Myth of the Lost Cause PDF Author: Edward H. Bonekemper
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1621574733
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 178

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Book Description
History isn't always written by the winners... Twenty-first-century controversies over Confederate monuments attest to the enduring significance of our nineteenth-century Civil War. As Lincoln knew, the meaning of America itself depends on how we understand that fratricidal struggle. As soon as the Army of Northern Virginia laid down its arms at Appomattox, a group of Confederate officers took up their pens to refight the war for the history books. They composed a new narrative—the Myth of the Lost Cause—seeking to ennoble the sacrifice and defeat of the South, which popular historians in the twentieth century would perpetuate. Unfortunately, that myth would distort the historical imagination of Americans, north and south, for 150 years. In this balanced and compelling correction of the historical record, Edward Bonekemper helps us understand the Myth of the Lost Cause and its effect on the social and political controversies that are still important to all Americans.

Civil War Myths and Legends

Civil War Myths and Legends PDF Author: Michael R. Bradley
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1493039776
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 209

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Book Description
Experience the Civil War's most eerie occurrences, spooky events, unsolved mysteries, and myths and legends related and debunked. From the legend of the Yankee “human shield” behind Nathan Bedford Forrest’s saddle to the unexplained sinking of the Hunley, Civil WarMyths and Legends makes history fun and pulls back the curtain on some of the most fascinating and compelling stories of the war that almost tore America apart.

Lincoln Legends

Lincoln Legends PDF Author: Edward SteersJr.
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
ISBN: 0813172756
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 283

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Book Description
In the more than 140 years since his death, Abraham Lincoln has become America's most revered president. The mythmaking about this self-made man began early, some of it starting during his campaign for the presidency in 1860. As an American icon, Lincoln has been the subject of speculation and inquiry as authors and researchers have examined every aspect—personal and professional—of the president's life. In Lincoln Legends, noted historian and Lincoln expert Edward Steers Jr. carefully scrutinizes some of the most notorious tall tales and distorted ideas about America's sixteenth president. These inaccuracies and speculations about Lincoln's personal and professional life abound. Did he write his greatest speech on the back of an envelope on the way to Gettysburg? Did Lincoln appear before a congressional committee to defend his wife against charges of treason? Was he an illegitimate child? Did Lincoln have romantic encounters with women other than his wife? Did he have love affairs with men? What really happened in the weeks leading up to April 14, 1865, and in the aftermath of Lincoln's tragic assassination? Lincoln Legends evaluates the evidence on all sides of the many heated debates about the Great Emancipator. Not only does Steers weigh the merits of all relevant arguments and interpretations, but he also traces the often fascinating evolution of flawed theories about Lincoln and uncovers the motivations of the individuals—occasionally sincere but more often cynical, self-serving, and nefarious—who are responsible for their dispersal. Based on extensive primary research, the conclusions in Lincoln Legends will settle many of the enduring questions and persistent myths about Lincoln's life once and for all. Steers leaves us with a clearer image of Abraham Lincoln as a man, as an exceptionally effective president, and as a deserving recipient of the nation's admiration.

Detailed Minutiæ of Soldier Life in the Army of Northern Virginia, 1861-1865

Detailed Minutiæ of Soldier Life in the Army of Northern Virginia, 1861-1865 PDF Author: Carlton McCarthy
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : United States
Languages : en
Pages : 268

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Book Description


Robert E. Lee and Me

Robert E. Lee and Me PDF Author: Ty Seidule
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 1250239273
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 150

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Book Description
"Ty Seidule scorches us with the truth and rivets us with his fierce sense of moral urgency." --Ron Chernow In a forceful but humane narrative, former soldier and head of the West Point history department Ty Seidule's Robert E. Lee and Me challenges the myths and lies of the Confederate legacy—and explores why some of this country’s oldest wounds have never healed. Ty Seidule grew up revering Robert E. Lee. From his southern childhood to his service in the U.S. Army, every part of his life reinforced the Lost Cause myth: that Lee was the greatest man who ever lived, and that the Confederates were underdogs who lost the Civil War with honor. Now, as a retired brigadier general and Professor Emeritus of History at West Point, his view has radically changed. From a soldier, a scholar, and a southerner, Ty Seidule believes that American history demands a reckoning. In a unique blend of history and reflection, Seidule deconstructs the truth about the Confederacy—that its undisputed primary goal was the subjugation and enslavement of Black Americans—and directly challenges the idea of honoring those who labored to preserve that system and committed treason in their failed attempt to achieve it. Through the arc of Seidule’s own life, as well as the culture that formed him, he seeks a path to understanding why the facts of the Civil War have remained buried beneath layers of myth and even outright lies—and how they embody a cultural gulf that separates millions of Americans to this day. Part history lecture, part meditation on the Civil War and its fallout, and part memoir, Robert E. Lee and Me challenges the deeply-held legends and myths of the Confederacy—and provides a surprising interpretation of essential truths that our country still has a difficult time articulating and accepting.

History, Legends & Myths of Beacon Falls

History, Legends & Myths of Beacon Falls PDF Author: Michael A. Krenesky
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 1467150614
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 176

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Book Description
Like many New England mill towns, Beacon Falls has a history that goes back to the founding of this country. It was called "Brigadoon" by a former state senator, and its past is tied to the invention of vulcanized rubber by Charles Goodyear and the manufacture of woolen shawls for Union troops during the Civil War. Its early Native American roots tell the story of Tobe, a Narragansett Indian who owned most of the western portion of land that became the town in 1871. High Rock Grove brought ten thousand visitors each summer to enjoy the skating rink, band concerts and acclaimed scenic vistas of Long Island Sound. Local author and municipal historian Michael Krenesky reveals some of the fascinating stories behind this jewel of the Naugatuck Valley.

The Legend of Old Abe

The Legend of Old Abe PDF Author: Kathy-jo Wargin
Publisher: Legend (Sleeping Bear)
ISBN: 9781585362325
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Colorfully illustrated story of an eagle that inspired a Wisconsin infantry unit in the Civil War.

The Confederate and Neo-Confederate Reader

The Confederate and Neo-Confederate Reader PDF Author: James W. Loewen
Publisher: Univ. Press of Mississippi
ISBN: 1604737883
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 439

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Book Description
Most Americans hold basic misconceptions about the Confederacy, the Civil War, and the actions of subsequent neo-Confederates. For example, two thirds of Americans—including most history teachers—think the Confederate States seceded for “states' rights.” This error persists because most have never read the key documents about the Confederacy. These documents have always been there. When South Carolina seceded, it published “Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession of South Carolina from the Federal Union.” The document actually opposes states' rights. Its authors argue that Northern states were ignoring the rights of slave owners as identified by Congress and in the Constitution. Similarly, Mississippi's “Declaration of the Immediate Causes. . .” says, “Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery—the greatest material interest of the world.” Later documents in this collection show how neo-Confederates obfuscated this truth, starting around 1890. The evidence also points to the centrality of race in neo-Confederate thought even today and to the continuing importance of neo-Confederate ideas in American political life. The 150th anniversary of secession and civil war provides a moment for all Americans to read these documents, properly set in context by award-winning sociologist and historian James W. Loewen and coeditor, Edward H. Sebesta, to put in perspective the mythology of the Old South.