Pam, I agree fully with you about after the fact armchair quarterbacking 150 years away from the events and people in question. That is why I say it is absolutely vital to read their own contemporary words, speeches and writings, first hand, and contemporary to their time as it unfolded.

When you do that you see clearly that many leaders of the CSA saw a real problem with manpower and offered an extremely controversial solution that they, in that very moment, and using their best first hand information, and judgement based on their own knowledge and first hand observations,, saw as a possible way out of the dilemma.

We know it was very controversial because of the heated reaction and opposition it receieved in the press and in the speeches letters and actions of other leaders. The issue was argued endlessly in the press, we know that because the papers and speeches and letters still exist, but no real concrete action was actually taken by the leadership until 1865 when by their own speeches and actions and letters and editorials we know they suddenly saw the urgency and desperation of their situation, saw no other solution, which prompted them to swiftly enact legislation.

None of that would have happened, not the speeches, not the passage of urgent legislation, not the editorials, not the expenditure of precious resources, if it was all unnecessary, or a non-existent non-controversial issue, as some today would have us believe.