Al Mackey over at “Student of the American Civil War” has posted this excellent lecture by Jason Phillips, Eberly Professor of Civil War at West Virginia University Studies. It shows that the Lost Cause was already establishing itself as an ideology long before the war was over.
This was Jason Phillips’ presentation at the Bridgewater College Civil War Institute symposium on the 1864 Valley Campaign, held March 29, 2014 at Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Virginia. Jason is the Eberly Professor of Civil War at West Virginia University Studies.
Jason told us that confederate soldiers in 1864 expected to win the war. 150 years ago, Sgt. Reuben Pierson wrote that the health and morale of the Army of Northern Virginia were “unsurpassed by any band of soldiers that history either modern or ancient give an account of.” He told his sister the veterans were “eager for the opening of the spring campaign in the full belief that we will be blessed with some grand and glorious victories.” Thousands of confederate soldiers like Reuben Pierson fought to the bitter end. These die-hard rebels were not insane. They were not delusional. They were not bombastic. They were rational people who happened…
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The True Blue Federalist 