I have a couple of thoughts related to the War Between the States brought on by the thread about N.B. Forrest, and I figured the discussion deserves its own thread. First off, I'm not a fan of Lincoln. I believe Lincoln brought on the war without trying to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict. He painted the south into a corner at Sumter, forcing them to seem the aggressor with no attempt to avert it. Remember, there were several southern states who hadn't seceded, but were waiting to see what was gonna happen. Who knows, maybe with some statesmanship and some compromise, war might have been avoided. With that said, I believe that Booths shot at Ford's Theater hurt the south far more than Sherman's March. With Lincoln gone, the radical republicans forced their idea of "reconstruction" on the south, which was far worse than what Lincoln had planned. And while we're talking about Sherman, I believe his "March" prolonged the war, both in 1864, and in the minds of southerners long after. The Confederate government's power rested on the Confederate Armies. Hood's Army of Tennessee was his rightful objective, not the farms and plantations of Dixie. Had he pinned Hood between himself and Thomas and Schofield, and afterward reinforced Grant in VA, the war may have ended much sooner. Thoughts? 7mm
First, I am a fan of Lincoln and born in the same state. Up river from Springfield. Finished high school in Wisconsin. Lincoln did try to compromise and avoid civil war. He asked for compromise in his first Inaugural address. He told the South to keep their slaves. He was more willing to a slow and gradual abolition to avoid war. After the war Lincoln wanted to give free land out west to former slaves. But Booth put the stop to that.
But there was to be no compromise over firing on our flag. You can not that and not pay a price.
