Important if true …
did you not know that the Army of Northern Virginia was in Florida at various times during the War For Southern Independence, and they also were in other states as well.
I wonder which spring break he’s talking about?
The ANV fought primarily in four states: Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Virginia. Perhaps one could cite an example of some Confederates going into North Carolina during the time Longstreet was detached in southeast Virginia … and then there’s the September 1863 detachment of two divisions under Longstreet to Georgia … or various units that at one time were part of the ANV but who fought elsewhere when they were not part of that army … but I can’t wait to learn more about Lee’s Florida campaign at the head of the ANV. Name “the various times” that the ANV was in Florida as the ANV, Jerry Dunford.
Here’s a map detailing the route of Longstreet’s two divisions (under McLaws and Hood) in 1863:
Recall that Longstreet later went to Knoxville … but that the Army of Northern Virginia, as an army (and as a military command), stayed in Virginia during this period.
You would think a Virginian would know that.
Someone else doesn’t seem to realize that flying the ANV/Confederate Battle Flag in Pensacola violated the very principle of the display:
Calvin Todd, President of the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce in 1949, proposed the concept of combining a historical theme with tourism promotion. Thus, the focus of Fiesta was based upon the founding of Pensacola, America’s oldest city, by Don Tristan de Luna in 1559. It would also be a salute to our history under the flags of five governments that have flown over our city: Spain, France, England, the Confederacy and the United States.
The Army of Northern Virginia was not the Confederate government. As we’ve been told time and again that the Confederate Battle Flag was the soldiers’ flag, and not the flag of the government of the Confederate Sates of America, flying the ANV/CBF as part of the display was not historically accurate.
Some folks have been trying to argue that the flag flown honors the Florida regiments that served in the Army of Northern Virginia, but they fail to cite any documentary support for that claim … and the document they cite is rather specific that such is not the purpose of the display.
By the way, there are some very poor “historians” at the abuse blog run by the Pensacola Flagger. She claims that the flag might be honoring the 2nd Florida Infantry, which fought with the ANV. Eddie Inman, who often pretends to be a valuable resource of trivial information for Confederate heritage advocates, added that the 5th, 8th, and 11th Florida Infantry also fought with the Army of Northern Virginia. This would sound very impressive, but it’s still an incomplete list. I guess those folks who claim to honor the service of the Confederate soldier overlooked the service of the 9th and 10th Florida Infantry, for example … although those regiments surrendered at Appomattox. Maybe the Pensacola Flagger and Eddie Inman do not want to recognize, let alone honor, the service of those men.
Good old Jessie Sanford, who used to claim he was an impartial judge of matters pertaining to Confederate heritage, responded to Inman’s additions (and omissions) by declaring:
They know that, if they don’t then they are piss poor historians. When I first engaged in a dialogue with these folks I thought they really were interested in history but boy was I wrong. They have an agenda that plays to their desire to be superior to Southorns like us. Instead of honoring their Union ancestors they would much prefer attacking the folks who honor their Confederate ancestors, such is the mind of these liberals God bless their hearts.
Well, I guess that Mr. Sanford now has to admit that the Pensacola Flagger, Eddie Inman, and he are inferior historians (I decline to use his ugly language). Not only are these folks not interested in history, but they are also incompetent … and they fail to recognize and honor the service of all of Florida’s soldiers who served with the Army of Northern Virginia, bless their hearts.
Crossroads 
The claim that the ANV Battle flag was a soldiers flag and not subject to the same principles as the National flag is bunk since they saw fit to include it in the 2nd & 3rd Nationals.
The reference to the ANV being in Florida could refer to Colquitt’s brigade which was present at Olustee. Of course, that would still be technically inaccurate: while it did serve in the ANV from the Seven Days through Chancellorsville and rejoined the ANV during the Overland Campaign, Colquitt’s brigade was transferred to NC and later SC from which it was temporarily detached to FL. Colquitt’s brigade was transferred (not detached) from the ANV in 1863, being exchanged with another brigade; it was intended as a permanent change of departments. (By contrast, Longstreet’s divisions were not permanently transferred to another department; their detachment to Bragg’s army was intended to be temporary.)
Some other battalions/regiments from FL were also added to the ANV during the Overland Campaign to boost the strength of the undersized Florida Brigade, but these were transfers to the ANV; they were were sent from FL to become part of the ANV.
In either case, I think all the Confederate units from the Pensacola area went with Bragg to Shiloh and that the FL units that did serve in the ANV come from farther east in the state.
The claim was that the ANV fought in Florida. It did not. The detachments you mention were part of the organization/reorganization of other units in 1864 already mentioned, including the 9th and 10th Florida.
Mr. Sanford declares:
“I have asked you in the past why you hate flaggers, SCV and other folks who just want to honor their kinfolk and you will not answer the question.”
Mr. Sanford has many problems. His question presumes that I hate flaggers, SCV, and other folks. I’ve been very clear that I do not, and that it’s the need of people such as Mr. Sanford to believe that they are hated that makes them happy … which I find is a sign of how disturbed they are.
So he’s dishonest to say that I have not answered the question. That’s what passes for honorable behavior with him.
I’d like to know why he feels the need to ask such questions, and what personal shortcoming in him drives him to behave as he does. Does he feel ashamed to be revealed as dishonest? Let’s see if he’ll answer those questions.
Mr. Sanford can continue to lie, because that’s how he honors his Confederate heritage. He can continue to feel hated, because that makes him feel better about himself. And he can continue to overlook the fact that Chastain and Inman made a mess of Confederate heritage, because he’s not very honest or smart.