The problem with your statement about ante-bellum Americans believing
that their primary loyalty was to their state and not a country is that
it is false.

George Washington started as a Virginian but later in life constantly
referred to himself as an American first before he was a Virginian. The
monument on Lexington Green, erected in 1799, reads in part:

"The Die was cast!!!
The Blood of these Martyrs,
In the cause of God and their Country,
Was the Cement of the Union of these States, then
Colonies & gave the spring to the spirit, Firmness
And resolution of their fellow Citizens.
They rose as one man to revenge their brethren’s
Blood and at the point of the sword to assert &
Defend their native Rights.
They nobly dared to be free!!
The contest was long, bloody & affecting:
Righteous Heaven approved the solemn appeal,
Victory crowned their arms and
The Peace, Liberty & Independence of the United
States of America was their glorious Reward"

Indeed, only eleven of the fifteen slave states were willing to follow
the Confederacy -- and the four that stayed loyal to the idea of a
United States had 37% of the white population of the slave states.

The idea of one country was not a result of the Civil War: it was
already there long before the war. Remember, at least 10% of the white
military population from the eleven Confederate states wore blue not
gray.

While parts of common history may not be correct, the overwhelming
majority of the population of the United States had decided long before
1860 that they were one country.

Take care,

Bob

Judy and Bob Huddleston
10643 Sperry Street
Northglenn, CO  80234-3612
303.451.6276   [log in to unmask] 



1.Regarding this touchy subject of re-writing history to fit the current
mode of how people thought and should think, I quote from this week's
issue of TIME MAGAZINE's article on "Home Schooling. Is it bad for
America?" On page 48 of the article,  the writer states: "Thomas
Jefferson and the other early American crusaders for public education
believed (public) schools would help sustain democracy by bringing
everyone together to share values and learn (a) common history."

This is what seems to have been happening over the past few
decades......students at all levels of American education have been
taught to look at a certain aspect of American history, particularly the
ante-bellum South and the Civil War, as living a way of life that was
tantamount to Nazi Germany. We have been taught a "common history" that
may not be all that correct. I think that it behooves all of us to read
and read and read, everything we can get our hands on and, thereby, try
to find out what really went on in the minds of people who lived then. I
will never defend the practice of slavery. Slavery was reprehensible
enough without folks today having to change historical thought and
rewrite the truth in order to make sure that slavery remains condemned.
The men on the CSS Hunley were heroes. They fought to defend their
country. What subsequent generations have not been taught is that until
after the Civil War, people saw themselves as "Virginians"; "North
Carolinians"; "South Carolinians"; "Georgians". Not until after
Appomatox, did we become "Americans." 2. As a life long Tidewater
Virginian, I have heard the stories all my life of the U-Boats that
sniffed around our coasts during WWII. We have known for about 25 years
that there were German soldiers who had been found dead on the beaches
during the war when their U-Boat malfunctioned and they all drowned as
they were trying to get to shore. These men were found dressed in
American style clothing , made with American clothing manufacturers'
labels sewn inside them, and were carrying all kinds of sophisticatedly
created identification documents, such as American passports, driver's
licences, etc. Yes, they are buried in the Hampton National Cemetary and
you may call the cemetary at 757.723.7104. A nice lady there named
Gloria will take your name and address and send you information about
the German soldiers who are buried there, if you ask. Deane Ferguson
Mills York County Virginia

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