"If one considers the citizens of the Confederate States to have remained Americans..."

I consider the Confederate soldier to be a part of our American military traditions, but not, obviously, a member of the "American Armed Forces."

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Here's the problem with what I feel is strange about your choice of words in both post.

Have you ever seen any references like the following....

"The American Army won the Civil War"

"The Americans won at Vicksburg"

"The Americans were defeated at Fredericksburg"

"The American Army burned Atlanta"

"Lincoln's American Army captured Richmond, Virginia"

First of all there is no such thing as the "American Armed Forces". Second of all saying such a thing would imply that to be an American you had to have been a Republican, Abolitionist, Unionist or reside in the North. Being citizens of Confederacy did not mean you were not an American.

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David Upton