What They Gave Here

In as fine a post I’ve ever seen on the tragedy of the Civil War, Damian Shiels reminds us of what the supreme sacrifice meant. Read it.

You Know How the Story Goes …

Mark Twain once observed that while history did not always repeat itself, it often rhymed. I am waiting to see whether this will be the case with the Virginia Flaggers’ dalliance with Matthew Heimbach. After all, in case you haven’t seen this before, I have two words for you: Rob Walker.

Is This How Flaggers Support Heritage?

Over at Civil War Memory Kevin Levin picks up on the activities of Matthew Heimbach, who’s become something of a favorite of the Virginia Flaggers. After all, as the prominent Flagger Tripp Lewis reminds us:

A Grant Letter on Slavery

Among the letters that did not make it into the first run of the Grant papers was this letter from the general to Garibaldi Ross, written on September 11, 1880.

The letter is noteworthy for what it says about Julia Grant’s views on slavery … and offers a little more evidence that her father never relinquished title to his slaves to Julia, even if he allowed her use of several slaves in the 1850s.

Julia’s own views on slavery in later years embraced a golden time on the Dent plantation, so it is interesting to compare the idea that the Dent slaves were well-treated and part of a happy place while at the same time condemning the institution in the abstract.