Ok, whew, thanks for that.

1.Deep Confederate. Multiple Confederate ancestors, almost all from Mississippi. Some KIA, some died due to disease, some wounded, some wounded captured and held as POW's. Some in the ANV, some in AOT, some Trans-Miss.

2.After Vicksburg fell, MS became essentially a backwater. The fact is indisputable that there were units who operated without proper command and control and disobeyed lawful orders. There were even areas that rejected Confederate Government control, "The Free State Of Jones", et al. This is not to impugn the regular CSA forces left to "watch" over the Union enclave at Vicksburg nor the regular forces in North Mississippi which engaged in legitimate military operations in Tennessee and Alabaman.

3. As to Sherman, I am very conflicted. My family definately suffered during his March to the Sea. Check the archives on the Georgia board and you will see a letter from my Aunt about the hardships they faced refugeeing from Sherman. Of course I am appalled by atrocities like murder, torture. What sane individual would not be. However, he knew that ultimate victory was only obtainable by applying total warfare. By doing so, I think he shortened the war and therefore saved more lives. I don't consider him anymore maniacal than John Bell Hood hurling thousands of men to their deaths at Franklin just because he was angry about what happened at Spring Hill. Schofield was retreating anyway.

4.Lincoln, I can pass no judgement on, I have not spent much time studying the politics of the war. I think I'm just opposed to the thought of assasination as a means to an end. I think Johnson was to weak to stop the radicals from imposing the harsh realities of reconstruction on us.

5. As to my military career, it is my sincere hope that I do not come across as condescending or somehow blessed with some divine knowledge because of it. If true, I sincerely and humbly apologize for that impression. Because the plain truth is is that I am not a warfighter. I think my original thought was that it was obvious to me that so many who post here do have military backgrounds and I just wanted to identify myself with all who have served. Nothing more.

Let there be no misunderstanding between us. My taproot is deep and wide Confederate. But I think ultimately the South was better as a part of the Union than it ever could have been on it's own.

With Much Respect, Friend George, John